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'Anastasia Hours' are a collection of 24 paintings commemorating the life of Marion's late mother. They are inspired
by Medieval Books of Hours and Anastasia's love of gardens and flowers which she herself sometimes painted. They
are an ongoing project.
| Hour 1 of 18 in the series |
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| Anastasia Hours |
Marion's mother Anastasia painted as well throughout her life and her 'Flowers' is an inspiration for
the 'Anastasia Hours'.
| Flowers - 1995 |
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| Painted by Anastasia (Oil On Wood) - 1995 |
Following on from the 'Sacred Series' - Marion is producing a new series of canvases based upon
the style and techniques she developed for the 'Sacred Series' and entitled 'Memories, Dreams and Refractions'.
The theme will be light and its refractive, reflective, and diffractive nature within our perception.
This will not necessarilly imply an historical or ethno-mytholgical perspective nor an attempt at the depiction of comparative
mythologies but nor will it rule out references as diverse as biblical, prosaic and poetic.
The overall impact of the 'Memories, Dreams and Refractions' series should create an individual artist's representation
and impression of light through the ages.
| Brahms 111 |
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| Mixed Media On Canvas - 2011 |
The Dolls House
'The Dolls House' is a collection of female persons who have been in Marion's
life at various points. They comprise her daughter Samantha O'Brien and daughter in law Simona Lotito among others. All of
them have had connections with dolls either through collecting them or working for doll companies. The collection is both
very personal and reflective.
| Samantha O'Brien (circa 1990) |
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| Prior to attempted suicide and incarceration |
| 04.03.1965/1 |
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| Drawing on canvas with paint |
04.03.1965/1 is a portrait of Marion's daughter Samantha O'Brien just before
she attempted suicide in Whistler, BC, Canada in 1993. There will be several of this subject alone depicting graphically Marion's
response to what she witnessed. Samantha was ironically dressed as a doll that evening and the effect of the blood on her
white dress made a nightmarish vision for all those who saw it. She had many years earlier worked for a doll exporting company
in Bexhill On Sea, England - exporting porcelain dolls to Germany.
04.03.1965/2 is a sketch to be re-worked with acrylic on canvas. The still-life depicts the same subject of the
series incarcerated in the psychiatric ward of Vancouver General Hospital resting in a straight jacket awaiting assessment.
Details to be added in final version. Once again the 'doll' theme is extrapolated with the almost innocent doll like figure
now within the framework of larger hands. The sub-theme of institution as 'dolls-house' is to be suggested rather than implied
with icons including a serpentine stethoscope on the table and an inverted cross within the window frame.
| 04.03.1965/2-Sketch |
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| Samantha in straight jacket in Vancouver Hospital |
The final version of the second painting in the series reveals Samantha as she was sitting on the hospital table
bound and restrained with her blood soaked dress. The blood is painted not only to depict the grotesque nature of the subject
material but further alludes to fallen flower petals symbolizing the artist's own emotions at witnessing her daughter in such
a dramatic condition. The puppet like element was also emphasized through the starkness and cellular quality of the hospital
environment as Samantha was manipulated no longer by her own desires but by a very real and all too nightmarish doll
house.
| 04.03.1965/2 |
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| Acrylic on Canvas - 2011 |
The facial expression conveys the anger and confusion within Samantha as she realizes the mutability of life's
vagaries when toyed with. Her demeanor reaches outward and inward to oscillate between swiftly altering and fleetingly perceived
realities in a crisis situation. All the time to reflect upon a recent past upheavel but frightened as to the immediate future
outcome. A brush with death that both shocks and grounds the subject.
The use of caricature for the nude of Simona reveals not only a visual pun upon the relationship that has existed
between Marion and her daughter in law but reflects the artist's prior training as a registered nurse. Although the treatment
of the subject matter might at first seem unusual it must be borne in mind that Marion's training as a registered nurse and
later near acceptance of a post in psychiatry lead her to believe that the 'reverse psychology' postulated and practised by
Viktor Frankl can still be used to great effect. The evident conditions of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia can be satisfactorily
conveyed using caricature to stimulate the patient to re-perceive themselves from a more accurate and externalised viewpoint.
Frankl was careful in his use of humour and Marion hopes that her 'shock' tactics do not offend but rather promote reflection
upon a truly debilitating condition that families often struggle and ultimately flounder with.
| Preliminary Caricature of Simona |
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| Sketch utilizing graphite and paint on canvas |
| Caricature with more detail |
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In all of Marion's work one sees many layers. The preparation of a piece before the ultimate composition can
be anywhere from 5 to 20 layers including washes, painting and glazes. Thereby creating a structure for a composition with
its multi-faceted and layered statements.
This work will depict Simona Lotito (Marion's daughter-in-law) devouring a barbie doll. The work is as much a
commentary upon Goya's work 'Saturn Devouring His Son' as it is an annotation within the familial struggle previously
alluded to in the caricature of the same subject. The Saturnal element illustrates the destructive and self-destructive components
latent within the two illnesses: Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia. The consequence is an auto-cannibilistic orgy of lying, emotional
and psychological violence/trauma which everyone involved is forced to absorb and share in.
Simona's inability to face up to her childhood traumas resulted in her early adolescent development of the aforementioned
illnesses. She was treated professionally from the age of about fifteen for a series of years by one of Italy's most renowned
gynecologists and then discontinued and sought to self-medicate. The resultant lapse in her behavior she later projected on
to other family members including her father, husband and others; not to mention her daughter Chiara. The lack of professional
intervention continues to this day further exacerbating the situation and ever distancing Simona from not only others but
herself and her illnesses.
| Simona Devouring Barbie - 2011 |
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| Washes and primed layers prior to painting |
| Saturn Devouring His Son - 1819-1823 |
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| Oil Mural Transferred To Canvas |
| Simona Eating Barbie - 2011 |
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| Sketch prior to painting (Graphite On Prepared Canvas) |
| Simona Eating Barbie |
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| Detail |
| Simona Eating Barbie |
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| Close Up |
 
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