Lexi Pasternak
(804) 647-0963
lexipasternak63@gmail.com
My work explores the geography of my imagination—landscapes and creatures that create a sense of wonder and make people consider “what if.” I have long been inspired by science fiction and fantasy world-building in print and cinema, and specifically the work of entertainment industry concept artists who are able to bring life to alternate beings and worlds. To me, art is a tool to comment on reality but also escape from it. I focus on achieving a cinematic sense of fantasy and beauty, which invites the viewer to step into and explore my art’s story with both mind and eye.
I work digitally, combining painterly style with a graphic edge. I begin by laying down flat, abstract colors to explore composition and tone. Then, I start to describe the forms within the scene with a combination of soft and hard brushes, bringing the subjects into focus and pushing a sense of depth and grandeur with atmospheric layers. As I move from broad strokes to fine details, I work towards a kind of realism that makes the fictional more authentic and compelling than before.
I find myself endlessly curious about the worlds I depict; my mind travels as I paint. My hope is that when people see my work, they are also transported—and perhaps awed—by the taste of an alternate reality.