Saturday Morning
Carol Oh
- Sitter: Carol's Son
- Medium: Oil paint
- Dimensions: 31 x 51 cm
- Representation: The artist represents themselves
- Category: Sylvia Jones Prize for Women Artists
About the artwork
This artwork captures a fleeting moment on a crisp and sunny Saturday morning at the netball courts in Graceville, where Carol Oh’s son spends most Saturday mornings watching his sister play netball. Of the moment captured, Oh says, “An opportune glance in the angled morning sun was a golden moment; the penetrating eye, a subtle curl of a smile. The expression is priceless, never again that same way, that same day.”
About the sitter
The subject is a young boy, the artist’s son. His personality is as varied as the rainbow, his temperament delightful and vibrant as a sunny day, with the occasional transient afternoon shower and storm. He was born in Brisbane and has spent his childhood as a true Brisbane boy, exploring and enjoying everything this city has to offer.
About the artist
Carol Oh is a Brisbane-based artist inspired early in her career by Michelangelo, and with a current admiration for Rubens and Turner. Her early work centred on portraiture in pencil, later experimenting with acrylic, then oil painting. Her fine art interest lies in the human form, portraiture, and depiction of mythological themes.
“The crucial element in this painting is ‘the look’ saying, “Sure, I’ll look at you for a quick second, but the sun is in my eyes and I’d rather be running around than standing still...””
Behind the scenes
‘Saturday Morning’ was created over the space of a month, from the pencil drawing stage to the fourth and final layer of oil paint. It was an exciting and suspenseful process, as I never really know how a painting will take shape, until I arrive at that final destination.
The crucial element in this painting is ‘the look’ saying, “Sure, I’ll look at you for a quick second, but the sun is in my eyes and I’d rather be running around than standing still…” The focus is in the countenance, with the attire left to a minimum. I’m ever so grateful this little cutie threw me that look one Saturday morning.
