Maddie Aunger
Region: Midwest
My paintings walk the line between expressing sensation and capturing the reality of the everyday.
Each piece begins with an excitement about a specific formal quality—a shape of light, a hint of color, a repetition of form, or a composition of layered spaces. They are quiet, crisp, orderly, and controlled representations of places around my home, executed on an intimate scale in acrylic on panel.
Light and color are constantly shifting around us; they act as a reminder of the present moment, if we pause to observe it. Light that briefly touches a spot, shadows that stretch and disappear within minutes, and shocks of color catch my attention and narrow my vision.
I idealize the scene through a distillation of form, a removal of imperfections, and a heightening of contrast. These compositional and design changes extend the brevity of the present moment and hold the viewer in place before they snap back into seeing every detail.
My work encourages the viewer to slow down and recognize that these moments can be found within their own worlds.