Art by Brock O'Brien

      Art has always been an escape for me, from the real world and all of its stresses. My paintings are driven by the most beautiful thing that can be used to create art, emotion. Emotion fuels my work, tears me down so I can build something new from it. With the use of emotions, I can relate to and find comfort in. Throughout this series I shine a light on Sexual Assualt and Rape. For me this project is personal. I aim to show how it affected me and the emotional progression surrounding such trauma.

      I drew inspiration from the concept of the Japanese art form of “Kintsugi”, the act of gluing broken things together with gold paint within the cracks. Using this idea of gold and this technique I want to express the idea of beauty within the broken, and show a sense of healing.

     In this series of paintings, I am using imagery of famous sculptures that were influenced by greek and religious figures, mainly from the Renaissance Era. The paintings tell a story of growth, trauma and real life experiences through my artistic lens.

      I want the viewers to find their own interpretation and meaning in the piece. I want my audience to have a sense of wonder with my work, to take the time and think of what I am trying to get across. Most of all I want viewers to be able to relate to my work no matter who they are.

     The ability to draw on my life is something I lean on in my work as a sense of catharsis, doing so helps me to get through rough areas of my life. By addressing Sexual Assualt and Rape through these paintings, I hope to address this heavy subject in a way that many people can relate to.