anthropomorphie

new work – underpainting in progress.

A laboured day’s painting yesterday.  Spent hours on the naked lady (Saturday morning)  did the final touch ups on Sheepish, and in my last explosive 2 hours of freedom before picking up the kids I did 2 underpaintings for my Anthropomorphie series.  One is a mermaid, which I’m quite excited about, the other is the chick above holding a kitten. I’m thinking of calling this one – playing with fire.  It’s a long narrow canvas and will be in the company of a few others of similar proportions.

I’m quite conscious at the moment with such young children, that things their volatile friends do and say, can have a lasting effect on their psyche and the way they approach the world.  It scares me knowing there is little I can do but provide a safe and loving environment to come home to, and to try to teach them to be resilient. This painting is about that fear and vulnerability.

The chick painting was like coming home for me after the naked lady.  Not sure if it’s because I have spent so long on it, or if it’s because it’s a bit more traditional than I usually do, but I’m not sure I’m liking that one completely.  It seems a bit too literal and illustrative.  I won’t paint over it without showing it, but I’m just resting with it before I say it’s finished, and will turn its back to the room for a week or so before I touch it again.   It’s hard to trust your own judgement when you’re spent so long on something.  It would seem logical that more time would mean more love and attachment, but it often doesn’t.  I usually love the ones that come fast and furious the most.  They seem more generous somehow….