Hi, I'm Noelle!
I’m from Sacramento California. My art background is in realistic painting, although I used acrylic paint for many years before switching to oils which made it much easier to achieve an end result closer to hyperrealism. In highschool my painting teacher loved surrealism and his opinions have influenced my work far more than I would care to admit.
Can you tell us about your work?
My recent work has revolved around nostalgia. I’ve been exploring the objects that hold a lot of significance and sentimentality, which for me are my childhood toys. These still lives I’ve staged to create a playful narrative are rendered with intense care for detail, I love including a lot of detail in my paintings.
Toy Horse, 2020, oil on paper, 16h x20w in
What would you like your work to articulate?
I feel like this is a difficult question to answer because really I paint for myself. The subjects in my work obviously have significance to me and the viewer is open to speculate what it means from their own perspective. The hope is that a viewer will find something interesting they respond to, but there’s no one message I’m getting at. I guess if anything, a realistic painting gives significance to a thing and demands you to be more observant.
Giraffe Beanie Baby, 2020, watercolor on paper
What artists are you currently looking at or inspired by?
Recently I’ve been looking at Lola Gil, Wayne Theibaud, and Mike Kelley. Some of my favorite painters are Gerhard Richter, Lucian Freud, Alyssa Monks and Andrea Kowch’s figurative work. I often look at their work for inspiration.
Happy Face, 2019, oil on canvas, 9h x 7w in (top)
Sad Face, 2019, oil on canvas, 8h x 7w in (bottom)
What intrigues you about painting? In an interdisciplinary program like SAIC, how did you land on painting? Was it always a love or did you find a passion for it at SAIC?
I have always loved painting. I’ve explored other mediums but I feel most comfortable translating my ideas through painting. I really love looking at paintings in any gallery or museum too, it is so interesting to imagine how another painter approaches painting their subject.
What has been your favorite class at SAIC?
I took painting materials with Richard Deutsch and loved it. Richard was very open to different styles of painting and so genuinely supportive and interested in his students. I’ve had a lot of painting professors at SAIC that have subjective opinions on painting “uptight” and super detailed, which is how I like to paint, but Richard encouraged me to trust my own taste. I really respect him.
Do you have an Instagram page you would like us to share?
My instagram is @noelleberexa.
How has the transition to a home studio affected your practice?
I flew back to my parents’ home in California and had to leave the larger paintings I was working on in Chicago. Luckily, I have all my paints and a couple small surfaces, but I’ve temporarily abandoned the subjects I was working on at school. It’s a little more difficult to find motivation currently, but I’ve been working in small amounts.
Have you been able to maintain a fruitful practice in a new innovative way?
I’m honestly just proud of myself for doing any new work during this time. I’ve been painting a lot smaller, something that takes less time that I’m able to complete so I can still feel a sense of accomplishment. Nothing innovative, just working in little spurts.
How long have you been in Advanced Painting?
This was my first semester in Advanced Painting.
What has been your favorite part of being in Advanced Painting?
Definitely seeing other students work and their process. I’m always super curious how other painters work and enjoyed walking past everyone’s studio.
Has your work changed a lot through your time in Advanced Painting?
My work used to focus a lot more on figures but I’ve been painting more objects or still lives while in Advance Painting. I still love figurative work but I’m enjoying the new narratives I can create through an object’s associations.
Memory Fog, 2019, oil on canvas, 32h x 28w in
Thank you!