Alyssa Gorman

Choosing to focus on the positive and everyday experiences in life, I aim to make my paintings relatable for a wider audience and capture the essence of what it is to be human. For me, this is found in the unexciting and mundane. I believe this is where humans spend most time and is the most accurate reflection of humanity. I paint domestic scenes on industrial objects found in the home, such as wood panels and drywall. I find pleasure in recycling discarded materials and painting moments in which are often forgotten as well. My paintings of colorfully pedestrian scenes find humor and beauty in the ordinary: in the cast shadows of figures, sunset lighting, and innate anatomical musculature. I take inspiration from traditional Baroque and 1600 Dutch Netherland paintings in terms of emphasis in dramatic side lighting, anatomy, and compositions. Close familial relationships and strong parental figures are a common theme in my work. I find pleasure in both the tangible as a painting ground and in domestic hand held objects, as they depict being present in the physical experience. Being present in the mundane moments is vitally important to me, as there is no substitute for being in the present than experiencing the present. I portray mediocre problems in my paintings with humor, as I wish to relate to a wider audience.

Genres

Contact Information

Alyssa Gorman
alyssagormanartist@gmail.com

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Artist Work

Sheer Mistake (2023)
Inspired by a memory, this painting recreates the moment Alyssa was trimming overgrown leaves whilst gardening with her family. She was enjoying her music when suddenly it cuts off. She realized, to her disappointment, too was her headphone cord.

Life Changing (2024)
This painting is based on shielding a child from mature content, such as the violence of boxing. Alyssa enjoys the idea of the father figure physically shielding his child, in this case via a TV remote. She experimented with visible wood grain in the figures and background.

Minor Inconvenience (2024)
"Minor Inconvenience" is set on a busy school morning where a mother takes her child to school.  Up front, the mother is having an inconvenience to get the garage remote to work. In the back, her son in being the "minor" inconvenience by feeding his homework to the dog.

Scared Silly (2022)
This drawing was inspired by the masks worn for Halloween. Contorting her face to portray monster-like faces, Alyssa focused her time on facial expressions and experimentation with overlaying bodies.

Untitled (2022)
"Untitled" is composed of references taken standing in front of the mirror, pursing her lips, raising her brows, and seeing how her facial structure changed with each facial muscle engagement This drawing definitely pushed Alyssa to strengthen her technical drawing skills of lip, teeth, and eye facial anatomy.

The Six Universal Facial Expressions (2023)
This series of charcoal drawings explores the six innate facial expressions known all mankind: fear, surprise, disgust, joy, sadness, and anger. Each facial expression is paired with a corresponding body movement. For example, "Fear" is recoiling back in both ajar lips and closely held arms.