Realism and Abstraction in Paintings by Alyssa Monks

Alyssa Monks has studied, taught, and exhibited art all around the world, but her paintings zoom in to capture intimate gestures and private moments. She describes her work:

"Using filters such as glass, vinyl, water, and steam, I distort the body in shallow painted spaces. These filters allow for large areas of abstract design - islands of color with activated surfaces - while bits of the human form peak through [...] I am exploring the possibility and potential where representational painting and abstraction meet - if both can coexist in the same moment."

While the subjects are familiar, the beautifully rendered details and textured layers in Monks' paintings make the images unexpected, intriguing, and wonderfully absorbing.