36x48 in.

Charcoal, India ink

The inspiration:

My final drawing project for ART 103 was a modern reimagining of Mary Cassatt's "The Tea." I had studied this work in my introductory art history class and decided that I wanted to recreate the scene in a 21st century setting to commentate on how social interactions over the dinner table have changed. The cultural phenomenon of sharing (between posts, memes, and the like) has become essential for young people's connections (or perhaps lack thereof) to each other. 

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The adaptation:

In my rendition, I wanted to continue Cassatt's focus on interactions between women, as well as utilizing patterns to rework these motifs in the decorative costume from the original. I was also intrigued by the sharp table edge in Cassatt's piece that further exaggerates the awkwardness of the afternoon tea, so I decided to use Vassar's dining hall as my setting due to the unusual architectural design of the wooden tables. Finally, I had my friend Lydia hold up her tea cup as a direct reference to a figure in Cassatt's piece. I restarted the final drawing several times before rearranging my figures to have the composition of the final.

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