Band 6 Response Low
Masking the Beauty of Age is a series of emotionally powerful and technically accomplished pastel drawings. Emotional pathos is communicated to the viewer through suggestions of face painting as an unnecessary blemish to already beautiful faces. The close-up view of the hands and cosmetic purse emphasises the concept. Empathy is conveyed through the choice of sad, withdrawn facial expressions and subtly dissonant strokes and areas of colour, with high-key background colours used to emphasise the isolated sadness of the women's faces. The technical skills evident in the drawing are considerable. The use of the blended pastel remains fresh and in parts beautifully suggestive of the surface qualities of hair, jewellery and lips.
