Rebecca Léveillé

Every painting needs an ‘in’, a focal point that the viewer can engage with before deconstructing the rest of the image. For Rebecca, that’s the figure, which “is part of an emotional language I use to attach the viewer,” she says. The use of exaggeration is key.

The trick is keeping the essence of what she first sees in her subject all the way to the finished piece. “Sometimes things can get lost when the artist doesn’t make choices that keep the work from strictly adhering to the model or reference,” she says. “Things can become static and even if it’s academically strong, can be stiff and without spirit. The challenge is getting to know the rules of the form through many hours of practice until the form of the figure becomes a fluid tool.”

As for her figure’s relationship with their surroundings, as in life there’s no clear answer. “I’m very much wanting to deal with the light and dark of emotional moments. My figures have a sense of control, but it’s not always comfortable.”