The Forager

by Alexis Avlamis

“The Forager belongs to my Sacred Feminine series, which is suggestive and focuses on wax portraits of women, which resonate with themes of introspection, transformation, resilience and spirituality. They are painted with molten pigmented beeswax: the ancient encaustic technique which imparts a lifelikeness to the figures. Its longevity and durability contributes to a sense of timelessness. The multilayered brush strokes of color, texture and volume build up a low relief on the painting's surface. These women are unknown to me, they are usually set in natural, historical or abstract backdrops and represent archetypes such as the dreamer, the visionary, the guardian, the seer, the forager, the warrior and finally points to a personal vision of what's to come in the near future. My influences are drawn from world mythology, the Symbolism movement, science fiction and indicate a dialogue between the past and the future, the tangible and the imagined. They can be seen as a visual representation of complex inner lives, filled with dreams, memories and unspoken emotions. Through this narrative exploration, I seek to portray the depths of human psychology, particularly female experience through an interplay of vulnerability and strength, imbued with a sense of mystery and reflection.”