Jamie Ewen

In this body of work, I have illustrated a barren dystopia, rife with violence and devoid of meaning.  This constructed world serves as an allegory for our own world.  Inspired by melancholy, fiction, and political philosophy, I am exploring themes of exploitation, abuse, anger, and longing through drawing.

I find that drawing is the most effective way for me to communicate my ideas.  My chosen material is graphite.  I use a mechanical pencil with an HB or 2B led for fine lines and small details, and cotton which I use for blending and blocking in with graphite powder (2B or 6B), all on Bristol paper.  Though I am limited to shades of grey, I don’t see this as a downside.  I find that there is a “matter-of-fact” quality in my work because of this, but with enough left to the viewer’s imagination to allow for different interpretations. 

The subjects of my drawings are the people who live in this world I have constructed.  My drawings are informed by photo references and influenced by my imagination.  By drawing human figures my work has an innate relatability.  I also find that the human body is an interesting subject as even in still images they can tell a story.