Andrada Trapnell

"The Story Within" - Abstract Figurative Realist Portrait, Oil Painting

2024

Art, visual representation, and the embodiment of dreams, reality, thoughts and feelings were always a big part of my life. From an early age growing up in Romania, I was drawn to all forms of creative expression. This passion was always burning inside of me, and after multiple degrees and a short stint in the world of finance, I decided that I would pursue my true passion and start down the long and winding road of becoming a self-taught artist. Creativity can be achieved in many forms, and the art of creation is an integral part of life itself. I have been inspired by many subjects throughout this creative journey, perhaps most importantly by the distinction between the tangible world that we live in and the mysterious realm of dreams that offers a surreal gateway to our subconscious mind. For me, painting is a language of its own, from the way the first brush stroke starts a conversation to the way the last one completes a bigger picture with grand statements, abstract feelings, or open-ended conversation. This is about the journey that the artist takes to communicate, as well as the journey the viewer will experience when absorbing a work of art. Finding myself on a love carrousel of many different influences and styles, the core of my artistic adventure has been about the distinction between the tangible and the subconscious. In my figurative work, I contour a subject through a lens of realism to establish a common understanding of existence. Through the use of mixed media in the surrounding, I reveal a representation of what the subject’s subconscious thoughts are revealing to the viewer.