The Valentine Dress
Thu Nguyen

"Thu Nguyen’s landscape and portrait paintings are inspired by such artists as Thomas Eakins and Andrew Wyeth. She is especially interested in studying her subjects’ emotional states. In this portrait of her daughter, Nguyen depicts “the contrast between the stereotype of a carefree, sweet childhood with the reality of a life often filled with anxiety.” The girl is represented as being detached from her environment, and her rigid pose contrasts with the whimsical, heart-shaped patterns on her dress."

❤️

“This painting portrays the contrast between the stereotype of a carefree sweet childhood with the reality of a life often filled with anxiety, confusion and loneliness. While the girl is wearing a cute sentimental valentines dress, her entire posture is self contained and rigid. She is standing in a typical kitchen but seems physically and emotionally detached from her environment.” – Thu Nguyen