Stephen Mackey’s soft, dreamy, charming paintings are reminiscent of 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century portraits. Animal-headed ladies and bow-lipped children pose enigmatically in idyllic, sumptuous settings, all enmeshed in an atmosphere of mystery, whimsy, and subtle eeriness. With an avid historical awareness and deft skill, Mackey creates little worlds within the edges of these paintings.
Wow! These are brilliant, so eerie and evocative, would be great inspiration for a shoot! I think my favorite is Madame Esper. What a great find!