When we seek answers we often forget this age old adage. Well, here’s a reminder. That little voice inside that sometimes whispers and sometimes yodels; that gut instinct; that unexpected … Continue reading Listen to your heart
Tag: paint
Spotted
Oil on canvas (2011)
Upon getting the itch to paint shortly after lending my collection of acrylic paints to a friend, I pursued the opportunity to expand into oil paints…and what an opportunity it has been! This first piece illustrates wonderfully what I have found to be oil paint’s greatest qualities. The vibrancy of the colours, as well as the capacity to layer them simply cannot be matched by acrylics. I chose to stray from my usual model of the wolf to another majestic and elusive hunter, the jaguar. I like that the animal appears alert and curious, yet relaxed, perhaps not aware of it’s silent observer.
Exhilaration
Acrylic on canvas (2011)
“Accept the challenge so that you may feel the exhilaration of the victory.”
This piece was inspired by a motivational plaque I’ve adored since my childhood. Like my self portrait, it is a product of the dark; the rough brush strokes and colour conglomeration alludes to the vigorous and instinctual act of it’s creation. I recall sitting in the dark room at night, hunched over the canvas, furiously highlighting where a setting sun glistens on fur and rocks, deepening shadows, and emboldening the unique markings on each individual animal. Along with vitality, I appreciate the depicted sense of camaraderie among the three wolves, perhaps reflecting that between my sisters and I.
Self portrait in the dark
Acrylic on canvas (2010)
Recognizing early in my art career that I can easily obsess over fine details, I decided to paint in the dark to silence my inner perfectionist. A lamp was arranged to light a side of my face while obscuring the surface of the canvas. I worked to replicate the light and dark tones that I saw in a mirror, realizing upon completion that I developed a bold contrast while staying within a fiery spectrum. Though I have been told the resemblance to my appearance is lacking, I am quite haunted by this silenced looking glass version of myself, a girl with a story to tell.
Gold Soul
Acrylic on paper (2009)
This piece is testament to the old saying “less is more”. One day my university roommate and I found the time to sit down to paint. I began quickly copying a photograph of a wolf onto a piece of paper that had been inadvertently adorned with some green paint earlier in our art session. The resulting lazy, self-indulgent, gold stare highlights what has become my personal favourite wolf portrait. The spontaneous and effortless layering of brush strokes offer just enough depth and clarity, and I love the way the green lines show through, suggesting a lifetime of survival.
