Danielle Hewlett

In John Bergen’s influential book, Ways of Seeing, he writes, “We only see what we look at. To look is an act of choice. We never look at just one thing; we are always looking at the relation between things and ourselves.”

Although Danielle has worked with many mediums, from ceramics to animation, she is best known for her contemporary portraiture executed through large canvases and bold, gestural energy. Danielle’s paintings begin with abstract lines and swathes of colour that lay the foundation for the overlaid image of a face or figure–in most cases of sitters invited into her studio for photo sessions. She spends a good while with these images, getting to know them and then moving quickly to get the image onto the canvas. The results are a continual layering of choices and decisions. Her work gets beneath the skin, to reveal the multifaceted nature of human identity as well as a contrast between seeing and being seen.