The project room at Thinkspace was brimming with femininity and aesthetic nostalgia last Saturday night as the gallery presented "Earthly Beings", the first Los Angeles solo exhibit by Australian artist Bec Winnel. The exhibit displays an array of the artist's hybrid portraits, combining effeminate beauty and elements of nature executed in a mixed medium of colored pencil, watercolor, and pastel. In each work, Winnel's subjects are draped in their natural environment. "Intertwined" depicts a stunning portrait peering intensely at the viewer while adorned with a fashionable headdress constructed from the foliage surrounding her. The seductive look of "Allure" reveals a soft beauty in hues of pink with floral details emulating an elegant glove. And with "You Complete Me", the subject is snuggling in what appears to be a fur coat at first glance, but a deeper look uncovers that she's reveling in the comfort of a snow capped mountain. Overall, the hyper-stylized portraits portray an otherworldly, dream-like state that captures a contemporary take on feminine allure while simultaneously embracing romantic sentimentality.
"Earthly Beings" runs until September 28th at Thinkspace Gallery. Be sure to view the works in person if you're in the neighborhood.
