Theresa DeSalvio

Allegorical and Narrative Paintings
 
 

Paintings

Life Patterns

My images of everyday life speak to the resilience of the human spirit. For me there is no separation between life and art. Once these images are realized, they become memories of a moment, a season or an event. In this way, I create a history of optimism and hope.

Casa Primavera

These paintings, rooted in everyday life, memory and the natural world, are inspired by life at home.

13x20 inch paintings

Chickens, gardening, family, fantasy, fun.

Home

In these paintings I use the iconic symbol of the house as both a physical and symbolic object, to hold, to carry, and to reflect upon.

The Life and Times of the Blue Fairy

In this narrative body of paintings I've personalized the character of the Blue Fairy to reflect my own thoughts and actions. In this work I explore her daily life, girlhood and travels.

Girlhood

These unsentimental paintings explore the freedom and physicality of girlhood.

Travels

These images were inspired by travels near and far.

Tales

Through allegorical images I have reimagined Pinocchio as a boy who experiments with drugs, becomes addicted to heroin, and the devastation it causes on his life.

In Treatment (Working Toward the Cure)

These paintings represent a transitional time that encompasses many feelings including sadness, anguish, discovery and hope.

Monoprints - Transformations

The process of creating mono prints is freeing and spontaneous allowing me to focus on the beauty of the gesture, color and emotion of my images.

Vignettes

These brief, evocative images are fluid expressionist commentaries on loneliness and the complexity of human relationships.

Black & Whites

Black & White oil paintings on paper and sumi ink & graphite work provides an interesting counterpoint to the Expressionist Portraits.

Chinese Zodiac

In the spirit of traditional Chinese art I have incorporated a written personality trait as well as the numeric place of each animal in the zodiac cycle.

Inside China

I began these large scale oil paintings following a trip to Beijing in November 2009. The work attempts to capture the culture and spirit of the people as China transforms.