Born in 1985, in Michigan City, IN, the artist now lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. From a family of creative thinkers, a young Orchard found her expressive outlet in drawing and remembers constantly pestering her parents for art supplies growing up. As with many of her peers, the support of motivational teachers early on proved central to both artistic development and instilling the confidence in self needed to persevere. The budding artist would go on to haphazardly apply for the Indiana University, principally as she puts it because “the application was less than one page”. Despite the somewhat blase approach, her time at the Midwestern institution taught her the prescient importance of painting and proved foundational in forming her distinct visual style.
Orchard’s work provides a refreshing contemporary take on classical imagery and form, standing in welcome contrast to much of the industry’s present focus. Female figures gracefully populate her work with an air of languid lethargy and ambivalence amongst relatable everyday scenery. Perfectly content in their subdued surroundings, they encapsulate the perfunctory attitude of today, while also projecting a sense of timelessness. The atmospheric qualities are so overwhelming that for a moment you feel at one with nature’s great idler: the sloth.
Clearly informed by the work of 19th century male artists, by shifting the focus to the female experience, the artist subtly broadens established painting narratives and even not her intention, contributes to the correction of past shortcomings.
