Dark Symphony: The Paintings of Demetri Santiago-Broxton

So, folks keep asking me about my own work, and I just needed to get it out there. I am a museum educator by day and painter by night... perhaps one day I'll flip the script on that one... but for now this wild schedule works great for me.

My current body of work examines specific aspects of my spiritual and cultural background and attempts to unify them. I am especially drawn to saints and the divine moment of catharsis or enlightenment. The divine presence is represented by orbs of light which are either actively materializing or fading away. I carve grids into the surface of the painting to not only add depth, but also because it allows the image to fluctuate between deep space (transcendent) and a flat picture plane (profane). To further this effect, my painting ground is deeply textured while my subjects are rendered in multiple layers of thin glazes of paint.

In making my work I take inspiration from the Baroque masters of light (chiaroscuro) and the religious and cultural stories of my ancestry. My backgrounds are left formless and misty, creating the sense that the chosen moment could be happening at any point in time or space.





This painting is called Inner-Self. I had a dream about a tree materializing from a void. The tree just made its way into the painting, because it seemed so important in the dream. I now believe that it represents my origins and the physical world.













This painting, Unguarded, really speaks to my concept of the spiritual realm. This being is both physical and fading into the "landscape". What is the orb of light behind her? I love to hear what people have to say about this piece. It really depends on your own personal perspective....










Once Again, is so incredibly hard to photograph. I really carved deep lines into the surface and the surface is extremely shiny. The woman is lying in an unidentified field, reaching for something.... Is the time of day dusk or dawn? Black, moth-like insects float around her. Why is she lying on the ground and what is she reaching for?

Yep, I'm going to leave you with more questions than answers.


Stay tuned, I am currently working on a huge piece and will post photos of different stages of development.