Acrylic on red leather stretched over wood panel, with upholstery tacks, bottle caps, feathers, silk flowers, gold bulls, vintage neck tie and wrecking yard bling.
I looked up the definition of a Rogue and found this:
"Operating outside normal or desirable controls"
Yep that pretty much sums her up.
I think the reason that I have never painted
Frida (besides the intimidation factor) is because her image is so
iconic, and already done to perfection by her. I wasn't inspired to
paint the classic image that can already be seen everywhere.
I wanted to go a different route and paint the reason I admire her, and
try to capture the bad-ass rebel she was in spite of all her pain and
suffering. This was my first time painting a portrait on leather and I
really like the way the texture lends a sense of grit and strength. This
is not a tender or vulnerable depiction, this is the bitch who did it
HER way!
“I was born a bitch. I was born a painter.” ― Frida Kahlo
My portrait of Frida is less about her eyebrows and more about her spirit and determination to live out her passions and pave her own road.
Maybe it was a bit too subtle, but I spent the whole evening (after the art opening)
in a unibrow and mustache and NO ONE even batted an eye!
Just getting back from an amazing 2 weeks touring the Midwest - that's right I called it "amazing" and NO we don't have family there, we went because we wanted to. It doesn't really matter WHERE you go as long as you GO! Just get the Hell out of dodge every now and then and see someplace new. Gain a different perspective on things, it's good for the senses, even if it is Indiana. I always feel richer after a road trip (despite the credit card bill!). I'm fortunate that my husband and son are good sports about all the museums I want to visit and we visit A LOT! This trip took us to:
We saw Cave paintings, Outsider assemblages, American Folk
Art, Mexican Art, a Goldsworthy installation, Impressionism, Expressionism and
Contemporary Masterpieces! I was utterly knocked out by the Street Art I saw on Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago! It seems IMPOSSIBLE to pinpoint what
inspired me the most. I'm still absorbing it all. I can feel it percolating through my veins, trickling into my subconscious recesses. Not sure how this will all play out (in my own
art) but I hope I can make something of it.
It's never cut and dry. Art rarely follows a well organized path.
As soon as I got home I was eager to get back to work again. Just had a few days to make the deadline for The Carnival Show at People's Gallery. Couldn't miss this one! I set out to make a fun, twisted, risque folky piece. I wanted to be a little bolder with this one, take it some place new.
I cut out some long sexy legs for a cool relief effect.
Then I smoothed out some contours with a new knife I bought.
Carving out new ground.
I like my new tool!
The initail idea was to create a Tunnel of Love.
But then she took me to Rio instead!
So I chose to aim for the Brazilian themed 'Carnaval' Show
Sometime around 3am the night before the deadline, I decided the legs needed to be able to OPEN and that it would be much more fun if the piece could be interactive! But HOW to do that? Hmmmmmm. I called the best resource I could think of and Stephanie Brockway showed me the way. I backed the legs with black felt for smooth, gliding action and Viola, she came to life!
YES it's supposed to be stylized and symbolic.
YES I hope it's like nothing you've ever seen before.
and
YES it's supposed to make you a little uncomfortable
in a good way!
Bold IS Beautiful.
I can't help but giggle when I make art like this.
I have the most fun when I can push the boundaries,
I don't see the point in making it unless I do.
I get excited when my art takes me some place new
and part of it is not knowing what to expect or how people will react.
It is a powerful feeling to exercise my right to make whatever the Hell I want!
This piece took me someplace I needed to go.
I don't really care if it wouldn't look good above your sofa.
I also made a headdress to wear to the opening
Here is a little Samba for you!
We KNOW it is now Post Lent, but as a companion show to PEOPLES' ART OF
PORTLAND Summer "CARNIVAL" show celebrating American "carny" culture,
right next door, the MARK WOOLLEY GALLERY decided
to tweak the concept and present "CARNAVAL", a celebration of the
scores of Latin-inspired events (think RIO). So please join us, dress
brightly, and join in the fun on
SATURDAY, JULY 20 from 5-9 and forward
this to art and fun loving friends!
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