At a glance
From celebrities to politicians to family members, Harnas has created many realistic portraits out of red wine, and from Aug. 29 through Sept. 30, the public will have a chance to view a series of 14 all-new wine stain self-portraits.
When it comes to creating portraits, some artists choose to work with more traditional mediums, such as acrylic, watercolor, or charcoal.
But for Amelia Fais Harnas, the medium of choice is a more unique one: red wine.
From celebrities to politicians to family members, Harnas has created many realistic portraits out of red wine, and from Aug. 29 through Sept. 30, the public will have a chance to view a series of 14 all-new wine stain self-portraits at the Hinkle Memorial Library.
About four years ago, Harnas said, her wine stain portraits began to attract a lot of attention on the Internet, though at around the same time, she started experiencing increasing trouble with her complexion. She was eventually diagnosed with rosacea.
“Of course, the irony was not lost on me, since red wine has long been thought to be the cause of rosacea,” she said. “So, taking inspiration from Monica Castillo’s brutally honest self-portraits, it is all too appropriate for me to finally create a series of self-portraits illustrating my plight using the very medium that many believe triggers it.”
Titled “#nomakeup,” the exhibit’s featured wines stains are all selfies on square pieces of white fabric with white prints, “intended to conjure up a sense of Instagram filters and format,” Harnas said. She noted that the title “speaks to the honest representation of my rosacea, as well as my dismay about how this hashtag is often used by women whose complexions and bone structure already highlight their innate beauty. For me, makeup is the only way I can attempt to conceal a stigmatizing medical condition.”
Harnas, who hails from Corning but has been living in Portland, ME for the last two years, holds an associate degree in liberal arts from Corning Community College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in graphic arts and arts business from SUNY Empire State College. She furthered her art education by visiting and studying the artwork in more than 50 museums in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland.
An artist, designer and performer, her exhibitions, collaborations, and performances have taken place in Corning; Binghamton; Portland, ME; Portland, OR; Brooklyn; Hammondsport; and Elmira. She is also the co-founder of a small collaborative arts festival called “The Hours Festivals,” and will have an artist residency from Sept. 3-10 at Hewnoaks in Lovell, ME.
When asked what she hopes viewers of her #nomakeup exhibit will take away from it, Harnas said, “Even though it is tempting and increasingly easy to present yourself in a self-serving flat light via flattering filters on Instagram, and Facebook posts that are biased toward the rosy moments of life, it is through the honest showing of our vulnerabilities that true connection occurs.”
The exhibit will be open for viewing during normal library hours. To inquire about exhibiting your work in the Hinkle Gallery, email library@alfredstate.edu or call 607-587-4313.
