The art of portraiture was by and large the dominant strain in 17th, 18th, and 19th century painting.  Angela West continues her study of the subject and revives this art form seen in her unique series “Sweet Sixteen”.  Recruiting models from her hometown of Dahlonega Georgia, Angela asked each girl to wear their favorite dress and pose for the camera.  Seated in front of a vintage wallpaper (from the artists personal collection) each subject literally emerges from the background, awkward yet beautiful.  This stunning work is an example of perceptions: the way the sitter would like to be perceived, the way the camera perceives her, and the way the two different sets of perceptions play out for the viewer.  As all of the portraits gaze direct and stern, one conjures emotions of ones-self sitting for a portrait, where you, the viewer, become the object of their gaze.  There is simply no escape.