Edwin McNair

Artist Statement

Working with oil pastels allows me to bridge the gap between the tangible world and the fluid landscapes of my imagination. My practice is centered on the belief that there is always a deeper narrative beneath the surface of a person or a place; my goal is to strip away the external and reveal the internal essence of my subjects.

Heavily influenced by the Surrealism of Salvador Dalí and the evocative, atmospheric depth of Garel Edelweiss, I utilize color as a primary language for emotion. I don't just aim to depict a scene, but rather to construct "mental landscapes" where reality is distorted by feeling. The tactile nature of oil pastels allows me to blend and layer these emotions directly onto the canvas, creating a rich, textured dialogue between the subconscious and the viewer.

As a student at Norfolk State University, I am constantly evolving my technique to better capture the complexities of the human psyche—transforming abstract thoughts into vibrant, visible truths.