Featuring artist Grace Netanya
“Victory”
Dimensions: 22x30in
Price: $9200
Medium: Colored pencil on Bristol board
Date: 2022
Statement:
I believe that true victory is a psychological, rather than physical reality. It can be achieved through maintaining hope and emotional strength, in the face of great opposition. The unicorn and the dragon represent two sides of the human psyche, darkness and light. “Victory” has achieved true power, by remaining balanced between the two aspects of her personality. Her strength comes from her self-awareness.
“Medusa”
Dimensions: 10x13in
Price: $3300
Medium: Graphite, colored pencil, charcoal, alcohol ink
Date: 2022
Statement:
Medusa is a complex character who’s identity as a villain or hero is ambiguous, varying based off which version of her myth you hear, and based off who tells it. Medusa is the only one of the gorgons- powerful female demigods-to be mortal. The cost of this vulnerability is that she is ultimately slain- her head used by a male “hero” as a weapon. Similar to a dragon guarding treasure, Medusa’s destruction is justified simply by being of benefit to the protagonist of the story. Medusa, although often portrayed as beautiful, is also consistently painted or carved as screaming with rage. Her terrifying visage is deeply imbedded in our cultural subconscious, associated with iconic works of art. I wanted my interpretation of this myth to humanize Medusa. Instead of using Medusa’s mane of snakes to demonize her, I instead aim to depict her “monstrousness” as beautiful and glamourous. I used over a dozen custom varnishes in order to give each snake a unique texture.
“Thumbelina”
Dimensions: 11x12in
Price: $2500
Medium: graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, alcohol ink, acrylic and glitter
Date: 2023
Statement:
This portrait is inspired by one of my favorite stories, “Thumbelina”. The floral composition is a reference to her being born of a flower, as well as a hint to her future as a princess of the flower fairies. The pattern on her scarf tells the tale of her travels to find a home, with each of her animal suitors and friends being featured.
“Poison”
Dimensions: 13×16.5in
Price: $3300
Medium: graphite, charcoal, alcohol ink, acrylic gloss and glitter
Date: 2022
Statement:
“Poison” is about facades, and the danger of taking things at face value. Our culture associate’s youth and beauty with goodness. This creates a dangerous opportunity for predatory and toxic behaviors to go unchecked, both on an individual and institutional level, so long as it is masked by a “pretty face”. The monstruous butterflies and flowers are a reminder to turn a critical eye towards what we may easily accept as the natural order of things.
“Melinoe”
Dimensions: 7.75x10in
Price: $2100
Medium: colored pencil, alcohol ink, and acrylic gloss
Date: 2022
Statement:
Melinoe is an example of a current series of work, where I distort idealized representations of young girls from 19th century paintings. The goal is to question and dissect the overly digestible presentation of these female figures. I have tried to create visual armor around Melinoe, by portraying her as otherworldly, strange and intimidating- a contradiction to the unguarded sweetness otherwise endowed to young girls in 19th century figurative painting.
“Melinoe” is a reference to the ancient Greek goddess of death. The daughter of Persephone, Melinoe is known as the bringer of nightmares and madness. I have chosen to portray Melinoe, because of how contradictory her darkness and power is to the traditional meekness of young girls in art.
“Dorothy”
Dimensions: 24x30in
Price: $8000
Medium: graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, alcohol ink, acrylic and embellishments
Date: 2023
Statement:
“Dorothy” uses the narrative of Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, to explore the theme of confronting change. Our heroine’s familiar world is being violently uprooted. Although she is distressed, when we look at the broader composition, we can see that she aims her gaze towards the Emerald City, where she will ultimately find her way home. As adolescence is the most extreme period of change for many people, I thought it was fitting to have the work portray the character of Dorothy, who gains maturity through her own hero’s journey.
Change is a dichotomous force. While in the midst of it, it is remarkably destructive. However, by destroying what we knew, change presents us with the opportunity to experience a new reality. Ultimately, it is our own courage and resilience that determines the nature of change.
“Opalescent”
Dimensions: 10x13in
Price: $2800
Medium: graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, alcohol ink, acrylic and glitter
Date: 2023
Statement:
Opalescent is a celebration of glamorous femininity. I challenged myself to portray a variety of materials and textures, using multiple mixed-media techniques to create her hair and necklace. I was also interested in integrating strength with femininity, through the combined use of sharp lines and angles, and rounded shapes with soft values. I choose a contrasting palate of soft pink and cobalt blue, to further represent this dual femininity and strength. I wanted to portray a woman who is equally as decorative and soft, as she is assertive and confident.
“Eclipse”
Dimensions: 18x27in
Price: $9200
Medium: graphite, colored pencil, alcohol ink
Date: 2022
Statement:
Eclipse is about justifying harmful actions or values in order to fulfil a “higher” degree of morality. The insects are intended to incite a feeling of repulsion in the viewer, similar to that experienced by those who have been indoctrinated with malignant shame. The bright colors and textures of the insects are intended to cause the viewer to second-guess whether their initial response is justified. On a closer glance, we see that the insects are beautiful and dreamy.
The composition is intended to remind the viewer of the process of decomposition, a parallel to the loss of self-experienced when we sacrifice who we are, for who we are taught we “should be”.
“Little Red and the Wolf”
Medium: graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, marker and acrylic
Date: 2021
Statement:
Little Red and the Wolf is a tribute to one of the most well-loved fairytale heroines- Little Red Riding Hood. The tale of a little girl preyed upon by a wolf on her way to her grandmother’s house, is immortalized in both medieval story-telling and pop culture across the world. The most well-known variation of this story climaxes with poor Red and her grandmother having been devoured, outwitted by the clever wolf. The story concludes with a huntsman saving the two victims by cutting them out of the wolf’s stomach. I have chosen to re-write this conclusion so that Little Red is the one who ultimately overpowers the Big Bad Wolf.
Power and justified violence are characteristics reserved for the male hero who swoops in to save the day- not only in Little Red’s story, but for a plethora of other fairytales and myths. The morality of the female protagonist is often tied to her naivete and helplessness. I have chosen to turn this trope on it’s head- depicting a female protagonist who has embraced her agency to the point of becoming wolfish herself. Not only a Little Red who is a hero, but a little Red who is powerful, vengeful, and dangerous. The Big bad wolf has more then met his match.
“New Alice”
Medium: graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, marker and acrylic
Date: 2020
Statement: New Alice is a play on Lewis Carol’s world-renowned character, who has come to represent an escape from everyday life. Instead of a character who is passively pulled into an adventure, this Alice has found empowerment through destruction of the escapism represented by Wonderland. She has brutally murdered the white rabbit so that there is no longer any guide to Wonderland.
The treats Alice has brought from Wonderland look delicious, but on closer inspection the viewer will see insects and a poisonous snake hiding among the tasty morsels. Alice pours her golden tea into the shattered face of the White Rabbit’s pocket watch, a spit-in-the-face to time. However, while these more obvious signs point towards the danger of idealism, a closer look will reveal another side to the story. Alice’s cup has inscribed on its border a quote from George Carlin that reads, “scratch any cynic and you will find a disappointed idealist.” This is a reminder that Alice’s sense of power comes from a loss of hope. In the window behind Alice, a fire burns unrestrained across the woods that contain the rabbit-hole. Alice appears totally unperturbed, but whether she will ultimately survive her own disillusionment remains yet to be seen.
“Fairest of Them All Sketch”
Dimensions: 7x9in
Price: $900
Medium: graphite, colored pencil
Date: 2023
Statement:
This is a sketch exploring a potential interpretation of the Fairytale Snow White. I have chosen to align Snow White with the mythological figure of Persephone, who rises back into life after having been abducted into the underworld by Hades. In this way, I am exploring Snow White as an allegory of the rotating circle of life and death.
“Hansel and Gretel”
Dimensions: 15.5 x 9.5in
Price: $4200
Medium: graphite, colored pencil, colored pencil, marker and acrylic gloss.
Date: 2021
Statement:
Hansel and Gretel is a interpretation of the Grimm fairytale that describes the adventure of two children, following their abandonment by their family. The original tale has the starving children stumbling upon the witch’s house unsuspecting, initially lured in with the promise of sweets. Hansel and Gretel instead, depicts both children spotting the witch’s house in the distance and responding with hesitation, suggesting that they know they are in danger ahead of time. If they face the witch, they will do so as heroes prepared to face evil and overcome, instead of unsuspecting and naïve victims.
The colorful matting in this work represents the sticky-sweet illusion of the witch. The viewer is privy to the bigger picture, seeing the danger surrounding our heroes, while they, confined within their own story, do not realize that they are already within the witch’s grasp…
“Never Land Portal”
Dimensions: 55.5 x 20in
Price: $3200
Medium: digital art and photography on metal, mounted on painted wood.
Date: 2021
Statement:
These two portals celebrate my favorite imaginary lands- Wonderland and Neverland. Wonderland and Neverland and their prospective works- Alice’s adventures in Wonderland, and Peter Pan, have both been instrumental towards developing my body of work, and the aesthetics associated with both worlds continue to fuel my imagination. Using a combination of photography and digital editing, I have created little “peeks” into these two fantasy worlds. I invite the viewer to imagine themselves being welcomed to open these doors and step into another world…
“Medea”
Dimensions: 18x30in
Price: $8900
Medium: graphite, charcoal and marker
Date: 2020
Statement:
This work explores themes of sacrifice, and dissonance between identity and reality. I use visual symbolism to weave a story inspired by the mythological Medea, wife of Jason (of Jason and the Argonauts). The pose of the figure is directly taken from the sculpture housed at the Met, which depicts a darkly contemplative moment before Medea makes the decision to murder her children to enact vengeance on her faithless husband. The composition of the work is meant to suggest that we are looking into a mirror, as Medea. I ask the viewer to consider what their decision would be, when choosing whether or not to destroy a part of themselves, out of bitterness.
This contemporary re-telling of Medea’s story does not depict any physical violence. It is instead about self-hatred, as I am using Medea’s familicide as a metaphor for the desire to destroy one’s own dreams and ideals. (Our psychological “children.”) In this case, the “faithless husband” would be the mind, which has turned on and abandoned us. This Medea contemplates self-punishment, as vengeance against herself.
“The Great Traveler”
Dimensions: 13.5 x 20in
Price: $4800
Medium: Colored pencil on Bristol board
Date: 2021
Statement:
It’s a long held tradition in the West for high-status individuals to use portraiture as a means of bragging about their accomplishments. Prior to our age of being able to take a flight across the country in six hours, traveling was a privilege reserved for the very wealthy. Because of this, an individual’s portrait would often include references to the many exotic places they had traveled to. Now, with our wealth of technology, and this new magic called “the internet”, anyone is capable of “traveling” across the full spectrum of human knowledge and experiences.
The Great Traveler is a commentary on how our technologically evolved world has changed the definition of accomplishment. Our daily access to technology is, in its own way, an adventure into a new world.
“Wolf Portrait Study”
Medium: graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, marker and acrylic
Date: 2021
Statement:
This is a preparatory study for the larger work Little Red and The Wolf. I had a very specific vision for the type of Little Red Riding Hood that I wanted to illustrate. I knew that the success of the portrait element was crucial towards communicating the themes and narrative of my work. This study was an exploration in mixed-media technique, as well as a means to determine how I would portray my interpretation of the well-loved protagonist.
“Snow White and Rose Red”
Piece size: 17×13.5in
Price: $4800
Medium: colored pencil on Bristol board
Date: 2021
Statement:
“There was once a poor widow who lived in a lonely cottage. In front of the cottage was a garden wherein stood two rose-trees, one of which bore white and the other red roses. She had two children who were like the two rose-trees, and one was called Snow-white, and the other Rose-red…The two children were so fond of one another that they always held each other by the hand when they went out together, and when Snow-white said: ‘We will not leave each other,’ Rose-red answered: ‘Never so long as we live.”
Snow White and Rose Red is a tale of familial love. Snow and Rose are two very different little girls, but they see their differences as complimentary rather than a cause for strife, as in the cases of so many other fairy-tale siblings. Their story centers around their ability to offer unconditional kindness to an ornery dwarf, who rebukes them every time they extend a helping-hand. However, the sisters do not need praise from the dwarf in order to do the right thing and help him; they are instead validated by their relationship with each other. The sisters ultimately are rewarded for their goodness by becoming princesses, possessing in spades the wealth that the dwarf desired.
In this double-portrait, I have attempted to illustrate what I imagine these two heroines would look like. I wished to explore the concept of a shared set of features, while expressing two different personalities.
“The Secret Garden”
Dimensions: 11x14in
Price: $4200
Medium: Colored pencil on Bristol board
Date: 2020
Statement:
“The Secret Garden” is a reference to Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel about personal growth through the discovery of a new environment. The gate is a universal symbol that marks the entry-point between two realms. Our heroine looks back at us with both hesitancy and hope as she prepares herself to enter the mysterious new realm. This work illustrates the feelings we encounter as we prepare ourselves to face change, unsure of how we will find ourselves transformed when we “pass through the gate.”
“The Gift”
Dimension: 18x24in
Price: $4300
Medium: graphite, charcoal, marker, colored pencil and acrylic
Date: 2020
Statement:
This work depicts the story of a little boy who carries a powerful gift. Although he appears as a small child, he holds a resolution unusual for someone his age. And there is something strange about his eyes…
I was inspired by stories such as The Green Children of Woolpit, in which children of mysterious origins disturb the status quo.
This work is meant to serve as a reminder not to assume weakness in someone merely on the basis of age or size. Each child contains the power of potential, their own gift to give to the world. We should keep this in mind before we underestimate the young.
“Masquerade”
Dimensions: 10x13in
Price: $2700
Medium: Colored pencil, marker and acrylic
Date: 2018
This work explores the concept of “true beauty”, that beauty comes from character rather than appearance. To achieve this, I was inspired to create a portrait that expresses personality through props, rather than the face itself. I have used jewel-tones and rich textures to express a feeling of majesty and luxuriousness.
“Selene”
Dimensions: 10.5×7.5in
Price: $2100
Medium: colored pencil, marker and acrylic
Date: 2021
Statement:
Selene is an exploration of our perception of feminine beauty. I have intentionally chosen to distort a painterly style reminiscent of 19th century oil portraits. The goal is to take an otherwise pleasant and familiar subject and portray her as otherworldly and strange. We can’t quite place what culture or time-period our subject represents, or even if she is human. And that is the point, to take something easily accessible and “safe”- a beautiful young girl- and shroud her in a cloak of ambiguity and fantasy.
“Selene” is an homage to “The Tale of The Bamboo Cutter”, a 9th-century Japanese Fable about a mysterious girl named Kaguya, who was discovered as a baby in the stalk of a bamboo plant. Kaguya grows more desolate and withdrawn, until she eventually reveals that she is the princess of the Moon and must soon leave her human life to return to her home world.
“Paradise Regained”
Dimensions: 10x13in
Price: $2700
Medium: colored pencil and marker
Date: 2019
Statement:
“Paradise Regained” is a reference to the hope that even after destruction and tragedy, the human spirit rises from the ashes. I was inspired by the myth of Persephone who descends to the underworld and inevitably resurfaces again, bringing a new Spring with her. The myth of Persephone was used to understand the changing of the seasons. I explore that further to evaluate the cycle of life. Our lives are capable of plunging into the depths of despair, yet perseverance will see the regeneration of life. Symbols in the work, such as the bird falling into the fire and the cracked clock charm, are representative of the inescapable fatality of time. Our heroine, however, looks directly at the viewer with intense confidence, completely unafraid.
Grace Netanya is an artist and storyteller whose art combines contemporary and traditional ideas to create an art fusion that is both Avant-Garde and introspective.
At a very young age, Grace taught herself to draw in order to communicate stories and characters from her imagination.
A childhood of homeschooling in Florida provided her with the time and isolation to become engrossed in her imagination, and today she is interested in pulling the magical and surreal out of the ordinary and banal.
Grace is interested in putting unique spins on existing styles and finding new ways to push a medium past the conceived limit.
She prefers to use mixed-media techniques with ink, graphite, colored pencils and acrylics. However, she loves to discover new mediums and is constantly expanding her repertoire.
Grace’s unique combination of colorful fantasy and realism has caught the eyes of the art world both at home and internationally. She had her first exhibit at the age of fourteen, at MOAS FL, and has exhibited with such prestigious organizations as The ARC Realism Salon and The Colored Pencil Society. She has won many awards, such as The Copic Award Grand Prize 2019, Martha Vineyard’s Drawing Prize 1st place, and most recently, Boyne’s Emerging Artist Prize 2022 Second Place.
Her work has also been published with imaginative art magazines such as Infected by Art.
