Alayne Sahar is a contemporary portrait/figurative watercolor painter. She was born in Elizabeth, N.J., raised at the North Jersey Shore and currently resides outside of Philadelphia, Pa. She graduated with a Certificate in Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and continues to study privately with James Toogood, AWS,NWS. Her work has been exhibited at several shows at the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art and her painting titled Cloud Gazers is part of The Lunar Codex Project Nova 2.

Q&A

What concept or narrative is behind your work?

Similar to the Pre-Raphaelite painters, my paintings are about mimesis or an imitation of nature as a central theme. My narratives depict women in natural settings, focusing on their relationship to the outside world of gardens, backyards, starry evenings, and cemeteries as examples. In contrast to the outside world, women are also portrayed as part of internal structures be it a museum or a bath tub or spiritual space, accompanied with an almost mystical and certainly an emotional internal dialogue surrounding who and what they represent regardless of the setting. What is behind the facade that is presented for the world to see; who is the authentic self in moments of contemplation, isolation and solitude?

How true are you to your artist statement?

I am embracing and living my artist statement in every sense, in the present, to its fullest potential. Gardens and nature are my passion and I have surrounded my home with trees, shrubs, flowers and plants to create my own private sanctuary in which I can be inspired. This has been an ongoing process for the last fifteen years and one which continues to expand with my growing vision of what I need to thrive and be the best version of me that is possible. Many of my photo shoots take place in my backyard and/or nearby area gardens. Philadelphia is considered “America's Garden Capital,” with the surrounding area containing more gardens in close proximity to each other than anywhere else in North America, so I avail myself of all opportunities to take advantage of the beauty in my immediate environment.

Which was your breakthrough piece? Tell us more about it.

I was fortunate enough to have my watercolor painting titled “Gratitude” included in the Premier International Biennial Portrait Competition in 2019 at the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art in Wausau, Wisconsin. Margaret Bowland was the juror and I was honored to be included amongst the cadre of painters that were chosen to be represented in this iconic exhibition. The painting is a self portrait, which shows me amidst an array of oak leaf hydrangeas lifting my arms in gratitude to the beauty and wonder of that moment in time. This was a symbolic gesture for me as an artist, being in the presence of something that gave me so much joy and capturing my soul in that instant. Being validated and acknowledged by Ms. Bowland, whose work I so greatly admire has cemented my tenacity to believe in myself ,value my ideas and ideals and trust that others will want my paintings on their walls.

What’s hanging above your sofa?

Michael Parkes is one of my favorite Magic Realist painters and I have two large lithographs by him. I own two Jose Perez oil paintings which would also fall into the previous category and are full of whimsy and color. The only landscape painting that I own was done by James Toogood, AWS,NWS, my teacher and mentor. Other than that my walls are filled with paintings of women, envisioned through the eyes of other contemporary realists. I believe in supporting my community and purchase other PoetsArtists works as often as possible. I want to be encircled with imagery that is soulful, graceful, strong and unusual in its portrayal of said subject.

What influenced your art style?

Nature is and has always been my greatest teacher. The elements of earth, air, fire and water offer an infinite number of possibilities to explore with the figure/portrait as part and parcel of it. Historically, The Pre-Raphaelites, especially John Waterhouse and Edward Burne-Jones have left an indelible mark on how I wish to express these ideas, although my vision seems to be headed into creating backgrounds with more atmospheric perspective, which should become more evident in my upcoming imagery. I also love the decorative aspect of Alphonse Mucha and have explored incorporating gold leaf and variegated gold leaf into a number of newer paintings., as illustrated in my Gilded Women series. I would like to explore using gold leaf in a more three dimensional way going forward.

What role does your artwork have in society?

While the focus of my painting is about exploring femininity through the four elements, the goal of presenting women as soulful beings in natural settings is thematic in my imagery. I endeavor to portray and support the role of women through the lens of the sensual in the broadest sense of the word. My hope is that women will feel a universal connection to these ideas and can internalize and relate to those concepts as it applies to their everyday lives. Most importantly I want my paintings to uplift and offer a mental and emotional space for solace, grace and attitude...

What was your breakthrough peace; tell us more about it.

A number of years ago I was visiting a local botanical garden with an artist friend of mine and came across a grove of oak leaf hydrangea shrubs, which are one of my favorite plants. On a lark, I stood amidst them and she snapped a photo of me in my bliss. That photograph became the reference for my self portrait titled Gratitude. The painting got accepted into the Premier International Biennial Portrait Competition in 2019 at the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art. It propelled me into exploring further the concept of the figure in nature and more specifically through the four elements. The concept of the omnipotence of the forces of the natural world versus our role in it as human beings has always fascinated me and this opportunity solidified my values as a painter and artist. I realized that painting what was authentic to me as a person also had value to others.