art making & exhibiting 2023

chelsea aherne

Chelsea Aherne Calm in the City intention was to explore the aesthetic qualities of calm and peacefulness, so when viewers are looking at the painting they feel out of touch with the ‘real world’ and zone out from all their stressors in life. Aherne achieved this through her subject matter of a vast landscape of all greenery and plants spread out, with some still water circulating in the centre of the middle ground. As the water is quite still, it adds to the idea of calmness and peacefulness through the stillness. As well as the bench seat on the right side of the foreground which symbolises the idea of individuals sitting there, taking in their surroundings, and getting away from life. Aherne also wanted to explore the idea of how powerful nature is and how its presence is life is so vital, and how an individual can go to a place, like the one that’s depicted in this painting, and just feel calm surrounded by nature. Aherne wanted to explore the idea around how nature is such a powerful force which will always be such a big part of our lives, no matter how many buildings and urban areas that get developed. This painting links in with Ahernes’ previous two landscapes in unit 3, as it’s exploring the same aesthetic qualities of calm and peacefulness through subject matter of nature and its impact on individuals.