Thanks to George, the ladybug, and Ultramarine Blue....
My husband was not used to the quiet demeanor I sported at dinner last night, our 20th dinner out since "the big crunch" began. I was reticent and contemplative, experiencing the kind of rare, deep regret that makes you replay childish scenarios, "If only it was five hours ago...", or "maybe it was a dream, and I will wake up and have my white dress back...". I had come out of the green glaze dilemma with a victory, maybe I could do the same with the blue glaze, but I was dubious. Mostly I was in mourning... visualizing the subtle white cloud of puddled skirt over the background clouds over and over.
Doing the kind of painting that I do requires an incredible amount of faith. I spent a lot of time getting colors just right in the Wal Mart, for example, then put a green glaze over the whole thing. If it doesn't work, there is no way to take it back or undo it. I usually glaze a small amount on the side of the painting to test, but that only gives you a rough idea about how it will look over one color.
I spent last night glazing white (for highlights) on the blue dress. When I went to bed around 1, I had a dream where I saw my friend George, who passed away last year. I don't remember what happened in the dream, but I awoke feeling that the painting was going to be ok. I got up this morning, and decided that the one glaze that I had time to do would be ultramarine blue, like the Marys in the paintings of old. I got started, and a ladybug flew on to my painting.
It has been freezing at night, so I don't know how it survived and made it into my studio, but I took it as another good omen. As I put down the blue, I kept stepping back to look at it, and felt increasingly better: the figure has more "punch" now, the hair and sash are not the only dark values, so the grouping is more unified against the clouds. I think the clouds have lost some impact, as the blue dress is stronger than the blue of the clouds. Her dress is more "Mary-like". Pluses and minuses. I worked through the morning, and now I am declaring it finished: (click on image to enlarge)
"Blessed Art Thou", 2006, 88" x 60", acrylic & oil on linen.
My husband was not used to the quiet demeanor I sported at dinner last night, our 20th dinner out since "the big crunch" began. I was reticent and contemplative, experiencing the kind of rare, deep regret that makes you replay childish scenarios, "If only it was five hours ago...", or "maybe it was a dream, and I will wake up and have my white dress back...". I had come out of the green glaze dilemma with a victory, maybe I could do the same with the blue glaze, but I was dubious. Mostly I was in mourning... visualizing the subtle white cloud of puddled skirt over the background clouds over and over.
Doing the kind of painting that I do requires an incredible amount of faith. I spent a lot of time getting colors just right in the Wal Mart, for example, then put a green glaze over the whole thing. If it doesn't work, there is no way to take it back or undo it. I usually glaze a small amount on the side of the painting to test, but that only gives you a rough idea about how it will look over one color.
I spent last night glazing white (for highlights) on the blue dress. When I went to bed around 1, I had a dream where I saw my friend George, who passed away last year. I don't remember what happened in the dream, but I awoke feeling that the painting was going to be ok. I got up this morning, and decided that the one glaze that I had time to do would be ultramarine blue, like the Marys in the paintings of old. I got started, and a ladybug flew on to my painting.
It has been freezing at night, so I don't know how it survived and made it into my studio, but I took it as another good omen. As I put down the blue, I kept stepping back to look at it, and felt increasingly better: the figure has more "punch" now, the hair and sash are not the only dark values, so the grouping is more unified against the clouds. I think the clouds have lost some impact, as the blue dress is stronger than the blue of the clouds. Her dress is more "Mary-like". Pluses and minuses. I worked through the morning, and now I am declaring it finished: (click on image to enlarge)
"Blessed Art Thou", 2006, 88" x 60", acrylic & oil on linen.Labels: and Ultramarine Blue..., Thanks to George, the ladybug
posted by Kate at 1:42 PM
3 Comments:
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I guess some people might think the picture blasphemous, and yet it is definitely a "thinking" piece about how celebrity worship seems to have displaced what once belonged exclusively to the cult of the saints and worship. During the season of Christmas, one of the themes is how every child is a reflection of the Christchild and how every mother symbolises something of Mary. That also comes to mind as I look at your picture. It is also striking how the upper scene seems apocalyptic and sensational while the lower Walmart setting is every bit ordinary. It is quite a painting and I love the attention you have given to small details.
As iconography, it seems to depict a stationary image of Jolie (Mary) much as one would expect in a visionary apparition. This differs from the usual depiction of Mary in the Assumption with cherub-angels (representing Christ's power) lifting her into heaven.
Thank you for sharing the picture on the Blog. I have nothing near $50,000, but would love to have a print if they should ever come available.
I will make a link from my Blog.
PEACE!
Father Joe
http://fatherjoe.wordpress.com/
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