Latoya Tidd openly flouts the Modernist dictum that all art must necessarily speak to the horror, absurdity, and fragmentation of the world. Rather than depict the ills of our society (with which we are all too familiar), Tidd has chosen to portray those rare moments of grace and serenity that enable us to endure the absurdity of our world. What makes Tidd’s paintings so effective is the way she presents those details that are so essential to her photorealistic works. Whether it be a landscape or a portrait, the viewer not only experiences the immediate presence of that place or person, but also feels the unmistakable mark of a unique aura.
The recreation of the character of a person or setting is what makes Tidd’s paintings so entrancing. Each canvas represents something we desire, or at least something desirable: a baby’s face, a beachside view of the ocean, columns of light in a misty forest. What these paintings represent is almost universal. They depict particular scenes and settings, while what they communicate is a mood of perfected tranquility.
