Home » The Gallery »
Dad’s Portrait
Charcoal on Grey Tone Paper
20 x 28 inches
Completed 2024
Portrait Created at 15 Years Old
In Giselle’s Words
Capturing The Love In His Expression
I remembered how big my father seemed to me when I was very young. I drew him larger than life because that is how I saw him when I was a little girl. I wanted to share the memory of looking up into his gentle, loving face; he was always someone I could depend on.
It was very important to me that I captured the love in my dad’s expression; but I also wanted to express how, without any spoken words, his expression told me I was loved. So, while this piece is about him, & capturing his essence, it’s also about how I felt loved while looking back at him. This is why I wanted to convey this piece from my point of view; I wanted viewers to connect with my memory & emotion.
— Giselle V. Brown
One Expression Represents Thousands of Memories
Dad’s Portrait By Giselle V. Brown
Giselle’s drawing reflects both emotional closeness and childhood perspective. The large scale of the face gives the portrait a strong sense of presence.
The extreme close-up representation is integral to the impression Giselle wanted the viewers to feel. She wanted to allow the viewers to feel a sense of closeness; and bring back memories of when they were young. Giselle remembers how her father’s face seemed so big, & she wanted to give that impression to the viewers and hopefully bring back their own memories of a loving parent’s face. This piece isn’t just about the love in his expression, but also the love Giselle felt when looking back at his face.
This piece shows Giselle’s ability to move beyond likeness. She is not simply recording features. She is capturing essence: the warmth of his eyes, the grounded strength of his presence, and the love that is apparent in his expression.
Giselle V. Brown Is Honored To Be A Lunar Codex Laureate
Images Of Two Of Her Works Are Being Included Into The Lunar Codex And Sent To The Moon!
The image of Giselle’s charcoal piece, Dad’s Portrait, will be included in the Lunar Codex. She created this piece to represent her love for her father, and his love for her, as seen in his expression. Now this meaningful piece will have it’s image archived in The Lunar Codex; an incredible time capsule used to preserve a reflection of our humanity, and sent to the moon. These archives are meant to last for a billion years! This representation of love will now endure across the ages.
You look at the skill that this artist has … not just in reproducing the subject matter, but also in creating a character and creating an emotion with that figure. It’s not nearly a photograph. It’s also creating a circumstance where there’s emotion, and I think that was what captured me particularly about those works.
-Samuel Peralta, quoted in
https://www.phillyvoice.com/lunar-codex-south-jersey-teen-artist-giselle-brown/