Whistler's Symphony in White No. 3 - A Modern-Day Perspective by Valerie Syms Martin

Symphony in White No. 3 after Whistler by Valerie Syms Martin

Whistler's work is a masterly composition done with a limited palette.  His ladies occupy their space in a meditative way.  They appear to be perfectly happy looking dreamily into space.

Today's girls occupy their space in a much more assertive manner.  They are confident - happy in their own skins.  The default attitude of a twenty first century girl is to have a phone stuck to their ears, or to be messing around on Twitter or Facebook. 

I have kept to Whistler's composition, but in my version there is a lot more skin showing, and both the subjects are engaged in using WiFi devices.  To sit is not enough.  Their attention must be grasped and they demand 24/7 entertainment.  Their attention span is short.  Professional models sit still.  This is a painting of professional models.  The average person does not often sit still unless they are sunbathing, and even then their downloaded music and phone apps accompany them.

Symphony in White No. 3 by James McNeil Whistler

Valerie Syms Martin

Valerie Syms Martin, ANCAD, MA, MLIS. University College Dublin 2005        MA (Hons) in History of Art 2006        MLIS (Hons) 1978        Córas Trachtála Design Award National College of Art and Design 1978        Diploma (Hons) in Three Dimensional Design Scholarship Holder 1974-1978 1980        Principles of Art Teaching Diploma Exhibitions include: Royal Hibernian Academy            Watercolour Society of Ireland Dublin Painting and Sketching Club Dublin Art Society Kilkenny Arts Week Valerie's paintings in watercolour and oils are representations of her  surroundings.  She loves the ever-changing colours of nature, and the  rhythms and patterns that can be found there.  In particular, the  characteristics of water play an important part in her work.  She  look at the play of light on the sea, the dance of reflections, and  even how wet pavements and roads can totally transform a scene.  Much of Valerie's work is local, based on her surroundings  in South County Dublin, or in the Irish countryside. Depending  on the time of day and the weather conditions, a familiar place  can assume radically differing appearances. Details also change  between one visit and the next, and the whole colour and  feel of a place can totally change. People play an important if sometimes-minor part in Valerie's work,  walking along a beach or engrossed in some activity.  She love life  drawing so sometimes they become the whole focus of a study.  Each human pose offers a series of rhythms and lines of action.  The  hardness of bone is set against the softness of muscles.  Surprising flesh tones sit side by side.  Underlying all observation of the  human form is an appreciation of anatomical structure and the  wish to express it in paint.   Contact Valerie by email here.