Thee Painting Evolves....

This is actually a recreation of the last watercolor painting I created in college. It was a response to a car accident I was in shortly before September 11, 2001. As a result I created this piece, called "Comfort." (When you're in freakish pain you need comfort, you know?)...Unfortunately the original watercolor painting was stolen off a gallery wall while I was in a group show in Madison WI, circa 2003...or was it 2004?.... As of that date, it was my most cherished piece, so I was very upset when it was suddenly gone. I had one crappy photo of it, and from this photo I began recreating it in oils this February, and with more color. It was originally monochromatic and in Payne's Gray.

It is evolving into something slightly different now. It is still about feeling pain--the emotion is similar, but the cause is different. It is not about physical pain now as much. The tear drops are new. They were not in the original. Not sure how this one will end up, it keeps changing...I'll have to keep posting new pics until it is complete.

Keeping on keeping on...

I started oil painting in February. This is something I hadn't done in years...I completed a few chickens and told myself I woudl go back to the same old, same old (watercolor/mixed media) etc...

But suddenly I am enjoying this oil painting thing..I am loving the exploration of a new medium...something "clicked" in a good way. For some reason, oil paintin is freeing...(I'm not as much of a perfectionist in this media perhaps)...

If anyone out there in cyberspace is contemplating trying an new artistic medium I would highly recommend it! It can be both rewarding, freeing...and lead to new ideas..and stuff....

The Never Ending Painting....:D.....

So I began this painting in the fall of 2001....(yeah...2001)...Octoberish to be precise. It was the last painting I did (er...began), while in college. (I was an art major at UW Madison)....I did graduate that December, but I never finished this painting :)....so I have been working on it lately...(on and off anyway, in between my handmade paper projects, and other artwork :)....

I tried to pack this painting with symbolism...I was really into symbolism when I was in college...In this one I have some astrological references related to that time...there was some VERY screwey stuff going on in the cosmos during the fall of 2001...like 911 :(....If I recall, I think Pluto and Mars had some significant scariness going on...I'd have to go back and look....

I do know that a lot of people, including myself, were having accidents and other problems during that time-- I had a very bad whiplash injury that screwed up my neck and back...and ulimately my legs...LONG story...I put a little bit of that "chronic pain" element in this painting as well....So I kind of have this mystical wish that once I finally finish this painting I will be able to run again!-- I was a runner before the accident :) I know, I'm kind of a dork- but you never know! :)