A Soft Light Falls by Stephanie Rew

“This painting was inspired by the morning light that comes into my studio. As the model relaxed into the pose of her choosing, Manet’s ‘Olympia’ sprung to my mind. I choose for her to keep her glasses on (she automatically removed them as is standard for life modeling), as it placed her in a modern time frame which I felt lent contrast to such a classical composition. There are very few life paintings that depict spectacle wearers and as a person who has worn glasses since a child, I felt maybe it was time to redress the balance. The reflected light on the floorboards are a nod to my love of the work of Lucian Freud and Gustave Caillebotte.” – STEPHANIE REW