The Human Canvas

Our September exhibit features the work of painters Lisa Bliss, Jamie Derr, and Michele Hoben, and clay sculptor Allison Elia. The show’s title, The Human Canvas, suggests the ways in which these four artists consider the human form as inspiration not only for representation, but also for creative expression.

DeBlois Gallery member Lisa Bliss says “I have enjoyed painting and drawing since I was very young. I love painting portraits, still life, and landscapes (especially plein-air). Several of the portraits in the show were completed as part of a portrait challenge ‘30 Faces 30 Days’ (@sktchy) where the subjects have the most interesting faces and expressions. I have also included some nontraditional portraits of my grandchildren’s well-loved bunnies.”

After performing as a vocalist/songwriter for over 20 years, painter Jamie Derr shifted to the visual arts as an additional outlet to express herself. About her work, Derr says: I am passive to the medium and the paint leads me. I don’t usually know what I am visualizing until I see it emerge on the canvas, making me an intuitive artist. At the core, I am often inspired by organic forms. The roundness of human features to the flow of ocean water allows me to enjoy the freedom of continuous movement. Perhaps it is rebellious, but I don’t appreciate being restrained while capturing a form.”

DeBlois Gallery member and clay sculptor Allison Elia says that her artwork aims to capture “sculptural snapshots” that reveal the transient internal experiences that are deeply embedded in the memory of an individual, without the limits of bodily endurance or the longevity of external blemishes and scars. Her artwork reflects the ability to learn from the past and find new approaches, and, above all, speaks of resilience, breakthrough, and new beginnings.

Michele Roy-Hoben is a designer, painter, and sculptor with a prolific career as a makeup artist in the 1990s fashion circuit, which also fueled her passion for travel and photography over two decades. Formerly a Boston resident, she moved to East Providence, RI last year and maintains an active studio nearby. Her portraits, characterized by rich colors and bold strokes, reveal intention and courage, capturing the unique characteristics of her subjects.

I have enjoyed painting and drawing since I was very young. My mother was an artist, and it was inspirational to see her develop and work on her art. Although I love to experiment with different media, my favorite is watercolor. I love painting portraits, still life, and landscapes (especially plein-air). Several of the portraits in the show were completed as part of a portrait challenge ‘30 Faces 30 Days’ (@sktchy) where the subjects have the most interesting faces and expressions. I have also included some nontraditional portraits of my grandchildren’s well-loved bunnies.

Performing as a musical artist for over 20 years under the name “Jamie LaPearle,” I explored different musical genres without limitations while manipulating different rhythms and tones to convey my intention and emotion. Free-Lance make-up enabled me to create temporary masterpieces on a wide range of diverse canvases known as the human face, serving as a steppingstone to the Fine arts. Paintings, being more permanent than make-up application, also parallel music in the way that I feel no marriage to any particular paint mediums such as watercolors, oils or acrylics, etc... to express an idea. I find the flow and ease of the oil enable me to emanate warm, soft, intimate, and inviting pictures — Painting the planes of the human face with oil is uninhibited and creates a lively, yet muted expression. Acrylic paint requires confident, bold strokes which create vibrant and dramatic pieces, and I often use watercolor for more atmospheric expressions which tend to exude an airy and almost naive quality.

I am passive to the medium and the paint leads me. I don’t usually know what I am visualizing until I see it emerge on the canvas, making me an intuitive artist. Capturing the “essence” of the subject matter can feel otherworldly. Much of my personality bleeds through the work as well; Impulsiveness and perfectionism keep me swinging back and forth between Realism and Impressionism. This combination guides me, yet I am still in control of the idea.

At the core, I am often inspired by organic forms. I enjoy brushstrokes that flow, and I tend to shy away from linear and rigid lines often seen in manmade structures. The roundness of human features to the flow of ocean water allows me to enjoy the freedom of continuous movement. Perhaps it is rebellious, but I don’t appreciate being restrained while capturing a form.

In regard to the subject matter, I truly believe that the eyes are the window to the soul. Human expression is very important to me, it is also essential right now. I seek to drive home the importance of seeing another's perspective, for we see everyone so differently in a unique way. I yearn to create art that serves as a basis for a connection between the artist, subject, and viewer. Portraits continue to be a principal part of my work because the human psyche fascinates me. I tirelessly crave to understand humanity. I have sought to explore this further intellectually while studying psychology at Wellesley College and experienced deep emotional connections while performing to various audiences and engaging with clients. With intention, passion, and creativity I aim to create pieces that showcase the sum of my experiences now and into the future that have depth and meaning while allowing my work to evolve.

My artwork aims to capture “sculptural snapshots” that reveal the transient internal experiences that are deeply embedded in the memory of an individual, without the limits of bodily endurance or the longevity of external blemishes and scars. The conceptual narrative within each of my sculptures explores the coexistence of guilt/weight and hope/buoyancy within a person, utilizing dance and underwater photography as references for the dynamic poise and gesture displayed in each piece. My sculptures are often constructed and fired upside down or at an angle that temporarily complies with gravity because I’ve experienced enough unforeseen circumstances in my life to recognize the value of changing my perspective and moving onward even when it seems like the ground fell out from underneath me. I’ve moved through ten different apartments and studios in the last eight years, and I surprisingly managed to find the best possible home & studio during the pandemic. My artwork often reflects the ability to learn from the past and find new routes to progress even after it seems that one’s firm foundations have shifted. Above all else, my art speaks of resilience, breakthrough, and new beginnings.

My study of portraits represents a confluence of emotion memory, and in the fleeting nature of human experience, these paintings are an exploration of humanity in the ways in which we relate to one another on a deep level through these portraits, I strive to capture the essence of my subjects, not just as they appear, but as I connect with their energy or the energy of the photograph Each piece is less about the photograph, accuracy and more about evoking the intangible. True beauty is rooted in the belief that it lies in imperfections. The brushstrokes in my portraits are deliberate, sometimes loose and very expressive echoing the way, our memories often blur the fine details of faces, leaving behind only the most vivid expressions. The process of creating these portraits is deeply intuitive. The finished work is a dialogue between the subjects external appearance in the internal world, they inhabit. I invite viewers to connect with the raw unfiltered experience of seeing and being seen.