Sable by Sandra ter Horst

*Sable* is part of the *STILL* series, in which I explore moments when the outside world briefly fades into the background.

The woman turns her face away and appears to be completely lost in her own thoughts. Her closed eyes and calm demeanour lend the work a tranquil air. The face is painted with great refinement, whilst her body gradually dissolves into loose brushstrokes and abstract planes. If you look for a little longer, you’ll discover subtle nuances of dusky pink, aubergine, olive green and warm earth tones amongst the darker layers. My inspiration does not come from any one specific person, but from inner moments we can all recognise: moments when we don’t have to explain, prove or show anything. In *Sable*, silence therefore does not represent vulnerability, but a calm, natural strength.

The work is built up from an intuitive acrylic underlayer, after which I continue working with oil paint. In the final layers, I also use oil pastels and chalk. This creates the contrast between the refined face and the rougher, almost abstract surroundings.

Thanks to its understated colour palette, *Sable* brings warmth and depth to an interior, whilst the combination of figuration and abstraction keeps the work engaging, both up close and from a distance.