Share:

Santa Monica native to Echo Park resident, PCC art student Shannah Bupp can be seen as the real deal by eventually reaching her goal of breaking into the art scene, having her unique style of dark figure paintings appear in gallery shows. This 22-year old art assistant has a tendency to evoke dark emotionality in the work of her figure paintings. She starts each piece by taking the basics from a single photograph.

Much of Bupp’s influence comes from the late Austrian expressionist Egon Schiele.

“I deal primarily with figures such as people’s faces and bodies to show the relationship with oneself,” said Bupp. “I have an endless fascination with the human form since people look so different.”

Her current art teacher, Rebecca Morris, describes Bupp’s artwork as, “figurative, interesting and emotional works of figures.”

“It’s a very sophisticated thing she does naturally,” said Bupp’s former art teacher, Jim Morphesis. “She has a macabre mist in her work. It’s not grotesque, yet it’s a little spooky. It’s unusual composition that is very well rendered,” he added.

In June, some of her work was displayed in what was formerly known as Mariposa’s on Sunset, an exhibit right next door to Café Mariposa, which showcases art, music and book signings.

Bupp started creating art at a tender age and became a serious painter five years ago. She has transformed her bedroom into an art studio, sacrificing a bed for the living room couch.

“I used to paint realism,” said Bupp. “From there I moved to abstraction.”

She also sketches and has an interest in photography.

Both Morris and Morphesis say she will go far with her appetite to learn and get better.

“She is a sophisticated thinker,” Morris said. “She’s hungry and she loves to really be involved.”

Aside from showing her unique work off in gallery shows, Bupp also hopes to teach painting to college students in the future.

To view more of her artwork, visit her website: www.shannahbupp.com.

Follow: