not going anywhere (unfinished detail)
not going anywhere (unfinished detail)
j. nyla ink mcneill
2024
Acrylic and UV-reactive acrylic, newsprint on canvas
18 × 14 in.
Courtesy of artist: Originally published on patreon.com/c/inkmcneill. Full images of complete work on Patreon only.
This piece was the first time I had ever sit to learn to paint a self-portrait. It reframes painting as a practice of endurance and care rather than tragedy, as I’ve always been uncomfortable with the “suffering artist” narrative.
Created over approximately 20 hours at home and in a neighboring communal healing environment, the work is both process and record of collective witnessing. It holds painting as ritual.
The above detail is the original piece at about 70% completion, missing its left eye and an additional layer of smoothing and shading that came with further study.
UV-activated
