"The Outwin 2016" Finalist: Tim Okamura
Out of over 2,500 entries in the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, 43 artists have their work shown in the exhibition “The Outwin 2016: American Portraiture Today.” Read more about one of the finalists, Tim Okamura.
What about the sitter inspired you?
This sitter, Lee, was someone who I had not known previously. She contacted me through my website and asked if it would be possible to consider her as a model for a painting.
How did the sitter inspire this specific portrait?
She was extremely polite, and had a great look, and she told me in detail how important it would be to her in building her confidence and self-esteem as she was going through a somewhat turbulent time in her life.
I agreed to meet with her, and found that despite being quiet, perhaps a bit shy, she definitely radiated a positive energy and inner strength that I became determined to capture in a portrait.
What made you decide to depict this sitter as you did?
She came with some wardrobe options, and being that she is of Jamaican heritage I thought it would be fun to go really literal and have her wear her Bob Marley t-shirt ( I'm a huge Marley fan myself, so decided to seize the opportunity to incorporate him in a painting for my own gratification as well).
How did your work develop from idea to execution?
The timing of our meeting was serendipitous as I had the seed of an idea for a new portrait painting that I had conceived the previous week. A friend had posted a simple meme, written in black and white, on her Instagram that said "Trust Your Dopeness" – I wanted to make a piece to celebrate this affirmation and Lee was perfect fit for the concept. I wanted to portray strength, self-confidence, and a knowing look, while on a technical level experimenting with a color palette and application outside of the norm in my studio practice. I wanted to include some very thickly painted moments in the background, that became symbols of "heart" and courage, and also mark-making that captured energy in a more unconscious, almost accidental way. I applied in a very impasto way, but also allowed for washes and stains to dictate how they would move on their own. I also allowed myself to grab anything that was lying around – including ballpoint pens – to make very crude, expressive marks on the canvas. It is equally important to me to let go of the 'editing process' sometimes and let impulse take over in certain stages of making a painting. I love finding a balance in the work between very deliberate construction, guided by academic principles, and then very organic, unpredictable passages, that take on a life of their own.
What relationship do the materials have to the meaning?
This relationship is important in bringing a more profound energy to the piece, and to my process, but I think also serves as a metaphor for our conscious and unconscious mind. How we project ourselves to be viewed by others on a visceral level, and the light in which we view ourselves in our mind, often without realizing it, are very fascinating aspects of the deeper meaning portraiture can discover.
How does the piece fit within your larger body of work?
I think this piece fits in well with more recent portraits I have done that contain affirmations such as "Love Your Self" and "Feelin' Your Vibe" but also is a bit of a step in a direction in terms of some of the technical things I experimented as well. I'm happy that I have the opportunity to create what I hope is experienced as meaningful, positive, and up-lifting portraiture while still challenging myself to push my artistic boundaries ... I look forward to continuing the journey.
You can see Okamura’s work "I Love Your Hair" in “The Outwin 2016: American Portraiture Today,” up now through Jan. 8, 2017. Also, be sure to vote in our People’s Choice Competition.
