Interview with Paige Greeley

“My current research examines my experience as a Western woman and analyzes my previous adherence to the concept of beauty-as-currency. Feminine beauty is culturally defined and has always been a form of wealth in the West. In my current body of work, I am examining the biological argument for the evolution of this behavior, the overwhelming social pressure to conform to this behavior, subjection by the patriarchy, women’s complicity, and the many forms of exchange involved in utilizing beauty currency. Combining my advocacy work on a rape crisis hotline and my own exploitation, I create visceral, figurative, large-scale oil paintings that examine the perennial dangers of beauty-as-currency and the abuse it inflicts on women.” - Paige Greeley

Interview with Wayne Marcelli

I went to an arts magnet school for 11th and 12th grade which was the first time I’d ever really painted. Before that it was all violent comics and drawing in textbooks. Painting felt right so I took a bunch of portrait and figure painting classes in undergrad at Coastal Carolina University (2010). It took a few years to realize I actually hated painting representationally (just use a camera) so everything from grad school onward (University of North Carolina 2017) has been real pared down and muted (and angsty).