Building Layers – Oil Paintings by American Artist Joelle Somero

There’s something about the closeness of those people around us that definitely seeps in to our work, even if it’s unintentional. I liked the way artist Joelle Somero explained it on her about page saying that both her children and husband inspire her work. Not only the free and intuitive art that her children create, but her husband’s job as a stone mason that’s “rugged, natural and wildly beautiful”.

Joelle resides in Marquette in Michigan’s upper peninsula, here she constructs these beautiful organic layers that remind me of rock sprouting out from the canvas. She tends to use a duck cloth collage foundation with a natural looking colour palette applied on top. This way she’s able to make work that’s both minimal and distinct, a natural landscape unfolding in front of our eyes.

I was intrigued by the mixture of interior imagery as Joelle has mixed classical elements, such as an older style picture frame or more traditional furniture, and has combined them with these contemporary, abstract paintings that make for a great contrast. There’s certainly a sense of harmony in her work that I appreciate a lot. Here are a few pieces that sparked my own imagination, hopefully you will also find something that sparks yours via her portfolio linked below.

joellesomero.com

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