Imogen Jones
Warners Bay High School
I STAY BEHIND THE LENS
Painting
Oil sticks on wood
My body of work represents my family as I see them, examining the emotions, relationships, and shared experiences that shape us. Each portrait conveys moments of joy, conflict and connection, while my own image holding a camera communicates my role as both observer and storyteller. This work invites audiences to consider how identity is shaped not only by what is on show, but by what we choose to see.
My artmaking practice is influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: George Gittoes, Affandi.
Marker's Commentary
I Stay Behind the Lens is dynamic multi-panel portrait series exploring the intensity and complexity of human attention, emotion, and perception. Through expressive mark making, bold colour choices, and cropped framing, the artist has captured and depicted a range of psychological states, from concentration and curiosity to boredom, distraction, and frustration. The rich textured surfaces of the oil sticks intensify the immediacy of each expression, while the repeated format establishes a rhythmic flow throughout the body of work.
By capturing brief moments of human and animal experience, the artist invites the audience into the narrative, to subjectively contemplate how we as a family interact, capturing each sitter and their unique, expressive personalities. The work showcases a confident mastery of colour, gesture, and portraiture, turning everyday emotions into a playful, yet powerful and relatable visual story.