Dave Wisniewski

Being legally blind does not allow me to actually see eyes, but only dashes marking their location in the face. It is difficult for me to distinguish if someone is looking at  me or not. My paintings let you experience that but also allow you to look right back and ask, “Are you looking at me?” At this point you are invited, sometimes demanded, to acknowledge the subject's attention. I generally use monochromatic earth tones and umbers so that color doesn't compromise the character. I paint on a large scale to support subject-observer interaction and, of course, to compensate for my limited eyesight. The images thus have an imposing, intimidating effect. The canvas size pulls observers from across the room to meet my "larger than life" characters. I sometimes add gritty materials, which affect the subject's interaction with the light of the room and gives the work a rugged, dusty feel.