Annette Giaco says of her work, "My signature 'style' as a figurative artist is to distort the figure.  I read somewhere that disfigured representations of the human form are often interpreted as an artists individual expression of frustration,  anger or fear. I draw from an ongoing narrative based on old family photos and stories; my vintage photos; and photos I've personally taken.  And while I admit that I do distort the figure, sometimes beyond recognition, the intent is not centered in fear or anger, but a need to express what I see in their eyes and facial expressions.  Old photos help bridge the gap between the past and the present supplying the human connection we all need. I find a great deal of peace in the narrative and the form it takes on a clay-coated surface or canvas using oils,  inks, liquid graphite and acrylics. After a series of drawings focusing on the eyes and their facial expressions,  I distort the image as my way of representing the essence of each individual. In some cases, the surrounding background encroaches on the  figure to illustrate environmental influences. This is my 'expressionism'."

statement courtesy of the artist