Hustontown - Karen O'Lone Hahn

Karen O'Lone-Hahn

Snapshots: Black and White Paintings

Fifteen years ago, when Karen first began painting, she painted black and white paintings derived from photographic snapshots of her family and friends-- her childhood. This choice of subject matter enabled her to explore her recollections and unresolved feelings, and to bring mature resolution to personal problems. The first three paintings below are from this period. With the second group of primarily black and white paintings-- all completed within the past year-- Karen has moved from photos of her own family and friends to the found photos of anonymous families and friends. Throughout, her images evoke a sense of familiarity: you know these people. Indeed,upon repeated viewing, her new friends become your new friends. But familiarity is tinged with mystery: an atmosphere of silence pervades the people and interpersonal relationships frozen by the " decisive moment" of the snapshots which she has selected and painted large (several of the paintings are 3'x5'). This mystery -- the setting, the unsaid words, the hand gestures, the facial expressions and body language-- invites you to make personal meaning of the black and white moment : a large, beautiful Thematic Apperception Test.