Naomi Duben
Bellevue, WA
“Originally from Marin County just north of San Francisco, I grew up in an environment surrounded by nature and influenced by the bohemian essence that embodies this area of northern California. I’ve found that I always possessed an intrigue for figurative art, particularly with the female form; fascinated with the ways the female figure can be manipulated to completely transform the tone of a painting or photograph. Given her soft lines and flexibility, a woman may represented as beautiful and serene in one portrayal, and then completely dark and seductive in other instances.
Toying with this idea, I began to become even more excited with the element of fantasy and the ability, as the artist, to take elements of realism and intertwine them with my imagination. Tiring of constantly trying to mix the right color or finding the exact flesh tone, I began to paint more instinctively, focusing on areas of light and shadows to achieve the effect of depth and shape. Also, incorporating elements of mixed media for added interaction. The end result is an organic explosion of color, feminism, spirituality, and emotion.
My inspiration comes heavily from staying involved in local art events in my community whether they be museum exhibitions, gallery openings or art walks. The exposure to the talent and art culture alone has an amazing way to refuel. Artists I aspire to range anywhere from classic artists such as Gustav Klimt and Marc Chagallare to the more recent Sylvia Ji, Jenny Saville, Luis Royo and Brian Froud.”
– Naomi Duben
