I worked some more on the new piece-finessing the details of the skull in layers, repainting the dolls face to give it that more Victorian look of the lips placed virtually beneath the nose, and developing the hare (brain) character.
I decided it was time to work the background, in the past the skulls have all been floating platforms in a turbulent sky, but this piece felt like it needed to be compressed into a space, the horror of confronting something larger than life in a claustrophobic setting, and so I've placed it in an old attic playroom. As this painting evolves, it becomes more and more of a statement as some requiem for childhood-a loss of innocence.
I'm liking the process of working on the heavily primed surface more, although I'm still not convinced-there is something to be said for the way I was working before, a smoother finish, darker and muted from working on virtually raw canvas, which no doubt, Francis Bacon would contest with a screaming pope or two, were he still alive.
This is my third stab at this piece, which originally found itself as almost a throwaway concept, about the absurdity of dressing death up. Of course I felt I'd said it much better with Axiom, so this was my satirical approach, almost an Alfred E Neuman version from MAD magazine. Of course, whenever I'd show the piece at events, it got a lot of attention, so I've finally decided to work it up properly, with the exception that I've developed it to a further level, and may include an additional dimension to it.
Anyway, here is the sketchbook version, with the rough markings on canvas below. Incidently, when my daughter-Emma-first saw the piece, she said the little bunny characters painted on the skull looked like something called 'Miffy'. My intention had been to do a Hello Kitty style character, but thought I'd create my own . Apparently someone got there before me. How bizarre.
Following on from Sundays Exhibit at Thumbprint, there was a very nice video which popped up on my Facebook from the event. Thankfully, I appear in the background, for a few seconds (although I was interviewed that day, which should surface sometime soon) its a lovely momento.
The Video is Here
It has been noted-and not just by myself-that if their is any art scene at all in San Diego, then it is largely driven by tourists looking for souvenir tat. However, if the turnout at Thumbprint (arguably, San Diego's premier gallery for emerging talent) is anything to go by, then there is an audience out there for something more than diluted seascapes and blooms, because I am glad to report that the patronage was healthy and enthusiastic throughout the day./
My indebted thanks to all of the lovely people who stopped by to meet and greet, I am always grateful for the support, the interest and encouragement.
In particular, my thanks to Johnny, Nomad, my wife Lani, Christine and her family, Carolyn, Mark, Earl and Ernie,Katinka, and especially to our new friends, Diana and Jeff for the lovely company during dinner.
I am however duly exhausted, and barely capable of another syllable, so I shall leave you with the inevitable picture post.(Apologies for the blurriness, my camera spazzed on its setting.)
