Neither of Us Was There – Original Mixed Media Painting by Erin McGrath Rieke
About this Artwork
Neither of Us Was There, from my Turbulence Behind Tranquility series, depicts two figures who are physically close yet emotionally absent, exploring the distance that can exist even in shared spaces.
The figures emerge through expressive, partially obscured marks. Their faces and bodies dissolve into the surface, suggesting two people unable to reach each other or remain present within themselves.
The title reflects a loneliness that develops when exhaustion, depression, trauma, or silence makes connection feel inaccessible. Two people may share space while retreating into separate worlds.
The painting considers disconnection without blame, holding the quiet tragedy of mutual withdrawal—both struggle to remain visible, but neither can bridge the distance.
Artwork Details
Artist: Erin McGrath Rieke
Title: Neither of Us Was There
Year Created: 2023
Medium: Mixed Media on Paper
Image Size: 8 × 10 in
Presentation: Professionally matted and framed
Frame Size: 11 × 14 × 2 in
Style: Contemporary Abstract Expressionism / Expressive Portraiture
Subject: Emotional disconnection, depression, isolation, relationships, psychological abstraction
Series: Turbulence Behind Tranquility
Original Artwork: One-of-a-kind
Additional Information
The series explores mental illness, trauma, recovery, and resilience through abstraction and intuition, creating space for experiences often hidden or hard to express.
The two figures create tension between physical proximity and emotional distance. Their obscured forms suggest identities altered by silence or suffering—together, yet each suspended in their own disappearance.
The series explores mental illness’s complexity without reducing people or relationships to suffering. Disconnection isn’t always indifference—sometimes withdrawal comes from carrying more than one can express.
As with much of my work, Neither of Us Was There invites viewers to bring their own experiences of intimacy, absence, and connection.
Collecting Original Artwork
My paintings explore mental health, identity, trauma, healing, and relationships through expressive abstraction and intuition. Each piece is handmade and unique.
Collectors interested in contemporary abstraction, expressive figurative painting, or art exploring emotional distance and the human condition may connect with other works from the Turbulence Behind Tranquility series.
Neither of Us Was There – Original Mixed Media Painting by Erin McGrath Rieke
About this Artwork
Neither of Us Was There, from my Turbulence Behind Tranquility series, depicts two figures who are physically close yet emotionally absent, exploring the distance that can exist even in shared spaces.
The figures emerge through expressive, partially obscured marks. Their faces and bodies dissolve into the surface, suggesting two people unable to reach each other or remain present within themselves.
The title reflects a loneliness that develops when exhaustion, depression, trauma, or silence makes connection feel inaccessible. Two people may share space while retreating into separate worlds.
The painting considers disconnection without blame, holding the quiet tragedy of mutual withdrawal—both struggle to remain visible, but neither can bridge the distance.
Artwork Details
Artist: Erin McGrath Rieke
Title: Neither of Us Was There
Year Created: 2023
Medium: Mixed Media on Paper
Image Size: 8 × 10 in
Presentation: Professionally matted and framed
Frame Size: 11 × 14 × 2 in
Style: Contemporary Abstract Expressionism / Expressive Portraiture
Subject: Emotional disconnection, depression, isolation, relationships, psychological abstraction
Series: Turbulence Behind Tranquility
Original Artwork: One-of-a-kind
Additional Information
The series explores mental illness, trauma, recovery, and resilience through abstraction and intuition, creating space for experiences often hidden or hard to express.
The two figures create tension between physical proximity and emotional distance. Their obscured forms suggest identities altered by silence or suffering—together, yet each suspended in their own disappearance.
The series explores mental illness’s complexity without reducing people or relationships to suffering. Disconnection isn’t always indifference—sometimes withdrawal comes from carrying more than one can express.
As with much of my work, Neither of Us Was There invites viewers to bring their own experiences of intimacy, absence, and connection.
Collecting Original Artwork
My paintings explore mental health, identity, trauma, healing, and relationships through expressive abstraction and intuition. Each piece is handmade and unique.
Collectors interested in contemporary abstraction, expressive figurative painting, or art exploring emotional distance and the human condition may connect with other works from the Turbulence Behind Tranquility series.
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