Tara Mastromihalis

From a Distance

“For a knowledge of intimacy, localization in the spaces of our intimacy is more urgent than determination of dates.”
― Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space

Artist Statement

Over the course of my studies in painting, I’ve uncovered my interest in architectural subjects and how they are observed and function in everyday life. I approach painting with a formal, observation-based process that incorporates the complexity and manipulation of color and contrast. I’ve found that this method has evolved into my own visual experience while working with geometric forms.

My work embodies a collaborative standpoint through the source material. In the last few months, I’ve compiled a series  of imagery from those willing to provide me with their scenic and architectural discoveries, as I was seeking views of the world outside of my own. Since the beginning of this series, I’ve reached out to both strangers and friends for material with the intentions of creating a range of site-specific content that speaks to their aesthetic interests. Each individual was assigned to capture moments of architecture that took the form of color or contrast  their surroundings. Once presented with these photo references, I found myself responding visually to the content, following each with sketches and the manipulation of color, temperature, and flatness. These preliminary steps have ultimately structured my decision-making through repurposing each composition. My studio practice has developed as a space in which I can further analyze and appreciate the places we call home.

Tara Mastromihalis

Laurie, September 2020, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 9”x 12”

As I reflect on our current state of isolation, I’ve constantly found myself referring back to the visual material that generates a sense of place through memory. The ways in which life has shifted over the last year has encouraged me to redefine the purpose of my work, as I’ve become fascinated by closely observing a time before my own. My piece features a candid memory of Laurie, a woman present in only the earliest stages of my life. Though this image is sourced from decades ago, I find that observing people, places and objects of history serves as an opportunity to re-imagine them. This piece was inspired by my interest in repurposing both family photography and analyzing the individuals of my own history, granting the viewer a gaze into the people of the past and the moments in which they existed.