Shanna D'Antonio

This body of work is surreal in the very real sense that it began as a dream. I dreamt of an unnamed catastrophe that sent civilization as we know it into ruins, and reduced humans to their animalistic essence. I dreamt of homes returning to natural habitat, and a resurgence of oneness with our natural world.

A body of work, mostly encaustics, celebrating the renewal of life through traditional bird and bee symbols.

This work began as contemplation on the definition and idea of home as both a physical place and an emotional reaction. For many years home was the city of New Orleans, a city defined both by its cultural strengths and its crippling vulnerabilities. My paintings strive to convey the conflict of enjoying the sense of place that home brings versus the societal problems that we perpetually seek refuge from. The symbolism is often subtle; the image of a fragile bird placed in a stark environment, the juxtaposition of a soft cloud and a collaged element, the struggle between maternal instincts and emotional attachments. The resulting paintings are wistful, longing, and vaguely lonesome, hinting at the personal experience.

This work began as a speculation on the myriad definitions and associations with the idea of home. My encaustic collages serve to turn a critical eye to the society in which I’ve found myself and others caught in, trapped between fear and love. While we may experience the comfort of a physical home and the ebullience of living within a unique community, we find crime, poverty, and corruption are ever present factors.