Brittany Varcoe is an Australian artist whose work explores the emotional depths of the human experience through portraiture. Specializing in oil painting, Brittany integrates a variety of mixed media—such as acrylics, shells, wool, and beads into each piece, adding a tactile dimension to the exploration of inner reflection. The portraits capture moments of profound pause, freezing the emotional intensity of a subject in a quiet, almost blank space.

 

“I don’t have much on my mind while I paint, I kind of go into autopilot, and somehow they all end up with the same vibe, they are silent; even the harsh bold ones feel quiet regardless of how l paint them, its like you’re invading the privacy of the people in the work, peaking into the things they don’t want you to know or feel, this is not my intention, I have no agenda… art is weird like that”

 

The deliberate use of materials like shells contrasts with the simplicity of the faces depicted, suggesting both the richness and vulnerability of human emotion. Through this careful balance of stillness and texture, Brittany conveys a kind of inner landscape where time seems to stand still, allowing viewers to connect with the quiet complexity of the portrayed individuals. The eyes in Brittany’s work are of paramount importance, with hours spent perfecting each gaze. They serve as the emotional focal point of the portrait, offering a direct and intimate connection to the viewer.

 

“As a child, I would spend hours drawing just one eye until I was satisfied, only I was never satisfied! I would continue with another the following day, it wasn’t until later I began drawing the whole face, the goal was to make it better each time, I think almost all of my school books were filled with eyeballs! This is why I have made my logo a single eye, which you will also see stamped on each piece of work as my signature”

 

Through these meticulously crafted eyes, Brittany conveys moments of pause and inner reflection, capturing the delicate balance between vulnerability and strength. The subjects in these works are often frozen in time, as if caught in a fleeting pause of emotional intensity. With a bachelor of fine art degree and having exhibited in various galleries and competitions with success, Brittany continues impress and push the boundaries of portraiture, seeking to evoke the sensation of emotional pauses in the viewer—moments of introspection and contemplation.

 

“I want to create something modern and different, something that would sit well in a modern home, I don’t think it matters that you don’t know the people in the work; its about simplicity and beauty. Ide love to hang some in my own home, but I think that would be weird, instead I try to support other artists by buying their work, its not easy to make it as an artist, so I try to support others like me”

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"I used to paint in an extremely realistic way, I would spend months on just one portrait, straining my brain to its absolute threshold, as you can imagine this became very exhausting, time-consuming and it swept the joy away from art completely; you might say that my current work is realistic, but to me, it is the farthest from it; I have slowly but intentionally developed a looser hand and textured brush strokes until it became second nature, I focused on letting my mind be free rather than leaning over, squinting and breaking my mind. the process is now enjoyable, raw and a true reflection of my soul rather than perfect lines, blends, and hues."

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The portraits present themselves with a similar feeling yet they remain unique from one another speaking to those who seek beauty in stillness and find meaning in the spaces between thoughts and reaction, serving as a quiet meditation on the intricate layers of what it means to be human.

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