Artist Justine Bassani

    I distinctly remember the first time I glimpsed Ms. Justine Marie Bassani's paintings in her artfully cluttered downtown apartment. That she was abundantly talented was obvious, but perhaps less obvious were the emotions she was trying to convey through her work -- or rather the emotions they evoked in me. Most of Justine's paintings were marginally distorted portraits of women often appearing lost in thought, on the brink of revelation, or embroiled in some sort of inner turmoil. I remember feeling vaguely disturbed when I studied her paintings closely; almost as though I was intruding on the subjects' most vulnerable, intimate moments. However, I also felt empowered by the strength and defiance the characters seemed to exude.