All Dressed Up with Nowhere to Go is a series of watercolors I started at the beginning of the pandemic, during the first stay-at-home orders in New York City. Without having access to my studio and my principal method of oil paint, I began exploring themes of femininity through watercolor, a less workable medium. Instead building upon the canvas using multiple layers and creating an atmospheric haze of a bustling scene, I had to be exact with each brushstroke. Mistakes are much less forgiving with watercolor. The process of watercolor for me became a reflection of my current lifestyle, moving in a meticulous and careful manner.
However different the two processes are, themes of femininity and independence remain a central focus in this series. The subject women, seemingly unaffected by the chaotic world around them, are still able to exude their femininity and power.
- Carly Silverman 2020
