Don’t Ever Love Me, Kay X. Acrylic Painting On Canvas
This is a companion piece to Don’t Ever Love Me, Gill. Kay, another of Doug’s village muses, also points a pistol directly at the viewer, though this time there is no wry smile. In its place is calm resolution.
Unlike Gill, there is less ambiguity here. The format suggests a photographic portrait, signed in the image by Kay herself, as if the picture has been given rather than taken.
A disguised warning
It might be read like a warning disguised as an ironic joke, even sealed with a kiss. Once the initial shock of the pointed gun passes, this immediate threat gives way to something more personal and deliberate.
Kay’s checked jacket hangs slightly loose, perhaps borrowed, while its oversized shoulders recall the power dressing of 1980s fashion.
Artist Doug Kemp with Don’t Ever Love Me, Kay x painting
Afection and defiance,
Her free hand holds the jacket closed as the other extends forward, with perspective enlarging the gun and intensifying its presence.
The plain red background reinforces the feel of a studio portrait, like a photographer’s backdrop, while adding strong contrast and vibrancy.
Doug captures a moment balanced between affection and defiance, leaving the viewer with the distinct feeling that their next move should be a careful one.
