La Chiesa
Finally I get to use my gold paint! Italians love gold. (I remember my grandparents' living room.)
This was the interim stage. There was one between this one and the one below but I forgot to take a picture. It looks pretty good here, in the photo. I like it. But standing in front of the real thing today, it wasn't working for me. It wasn't cohesive.
I started with two coats of background colours, using a roller. What a trip to paint on a canvas with a roller! I've been missing out all these years.
I spent many hours hand stitching the fabric "collage" together, using lots of gold threads. I sewed it together probably a year ago, not knowing what I was going to do with it. I thought it would have to be a piece of textile art but couldn't find a satisfactory way of hanging it. I've also had two 48 x 36 inch canvasses taking up space in my studio for about a year. Recently the penny dropped: I realized I could beef up the original fabric collage with more scraps of material so that it would fill the large canvas, and use it for the Calabria Series.
I have to agree about rollers - something liberating about them..and I'm not Italian but like that gold ;-)
ReplyDeleteI love it! La chiesa I just found out means The church. It is beautiful - and I see it as a face. A face with a tiara. A face opening up and cheerful. Which is exactly how I see the church. You are becoming my favorite artist.
ReplyDeletemost beautiful. The background changed from a rust to blue. Nice with hints of rust underneath. I adore gold and also am not Italian that I know of.
ReplyDeleteHi Bill,
ReplyDeleteSuddenly I understand colour fields and striped canvasses. They're just bloody fun to do! My new motto: Roll on, baby, roll on.
Susan,
ReplyDeleteWow! Becoming your favourite artist. That's a lot to live up to (well, I don't know your taste in artists, so maybe not. heheheh)
So you saw the face. I like your interpretation of it. It was completely unintentional, and I was a bit dismayed when I discovered it, but your take on it makes me feel better about it now.
:-)
Hi Suki,
ReplyDeleteI'm always happy to hear that someone other than myself is drawn to gold. It's sort of a no-no in various art circles. But I don't belong to any, so what the heck. Moving from rust (actually red+gold) to blue was a big leap of faith (appropriate for the subject matter). I just work from instinct without questioning my choices--or at least I try to. I did raise an eyebrow questioningly when I found myself reaching for the blue. Go with the gut!
That underlying cross shape is very effective here.
ReplyDeleteHi Robin,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear the cruciform works. It came about subtly in the fabric sewn-collage and I decided to give it more emphasis in the final painted version. For once, doing something intentionally.
:-)
YES, I agree with the cross shape...very strong and the lovely blue in the background. I'm working large right now and it is both fun and challenging. Your piece is a great success...I like it very much, gold too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Blue Sky. I've noticed that you're working large these days and was inspired by you to follow suit! I find that working small is actually more challenging than large...but one only has so much storage space and/or walls for big pieces.
ReplyDeleteDo any of those little pictures feature hidously ugly christ childs? If so then I'm transported straight back to an art gallery in rome. ;)
ReplyDeleteI've missed seeing your artworks recently, glad to be back on the blogging horse.
Nice to see you again, J. I hear you're busy with your MA program and have been unwell. Both excellent reasons to rein in the blogovanting.
ReplyDeleteNo, no hideously ugly Baby Jesuses are being flaunted in my painting. Just some mediocre madonnas.
La chiesa! Yes, maybe even the Vatican with the famous portraits, icons, and symbols. I see a huge cross delineating the church, rosary beads along the side, a reliquat on the red velvet pillow? The overall feeling is so rich and elegant, muted colors of blue and cerise, old lace and embroidery. I could kneel at the altar right now. Lovely, Louciao. Love, me xx
ReplyDeleteAh, Margarita--benvenuto! Once you've finished with your prayers here at the painted altar, do join me for a glass of vino down the street.
ReplyDeleteCiao, bella!