This past Thursday I went into Jamian's to help celebrate local artist Travis Redcliffe's solo show. He's an incredibly talented artist and an all around awesome dude. He's also the person who set up my March art show at Jamian's. So naturally upon learning about his show, I really wanted to show up and support him in his awesome achievement.
While there we talked for a while, specifically about the artist I shared my show with, Keith Feldman, and how we both bought a piece of his art. This is the one I bought and makes me extremely happy to look at:
Painting by Keith Feldman
I saw it the first night our of show and knew I wanted it. I tried to resist as I didn't quite have the money for it, but 2 weeks after our show was over it was haunting me, and I need to make it mine. So I did.
After Travis and I gushed about Keith's artwork, he mentioned that in November Jamian's was going to be holding a group art show where past artist's where invited to contribute pieces of artwork based on Bob Marley and the principals and ideals he stood for. Having recently hit a major art block, I liked the idea of having a theme. It was also a theme that was very specific: Rastafarian art. I already had the colors for the background- red, yellow and green. I just needed the rest of it.
So I hit up Google, the best search engine ever. I typed in Bob Marley and after surfing the net I had my idea already. I immediately set up in my room and did the background.
As can be seen to the right, I did the traditional fading colors of green to yellow to red.
Thus far, I am EXTREMELY pleased with the outcome. Honestly, I could walk away from the painting now and I think I would be happy. But this took me literally 20 minutes to do and what I plan to add to it will only make it more awesome. (I know what you are thinking, how could this possibly get more awesome, right?)
Anyone who is familiar with my art, or anyone who takes 20 seconds to browse my galleries, can tell I like doing black outline and black swirls. My plan for the painting is to do a black outline of Bob Marley's face with a bit of black splattering in the bottom right corner. Then, in the upper left corner painting black swirls, hearts, music notes, and possibly a peace sign. Basically all things that I think uphold the theme of peace, love, happiness, and freedom.
This is proving to be an exciting project. I feel this is an entirely new imagination of any art related to Bob Marley. It's also exciting to have a project that I am excited about. Waiting for this to dry in order to move on is proving torturous.
Luckily I have some kick-ass friends who came over to hang out with me in the pool. Now I am so tired from all the sun, swimming, and diving, that I can just type this up and then take an awesomely satisfying nap and then watch some NCIS.
Tomorrow, I will wake up refreshed and excited about my Monday off from my day job and dive head first into this painting. I think it's going to be awesome. I think it is going to be one of the pieces that, come November, blows the audience away and scores me some moolah. I also hope it is a piece that my peers, Travis and Keith, think is awesome. I love both their artwork and want them to love mine. Or maybe I just want to be as cool as them and have a Bob Marley painting in my repertoire. Either way, I think I'm off to a good start to achieve both.
(Note: It also adheres to the theme of me only painting awesome things while upset. I had a bit of my first fight with my current boyfriend last night. As a self-proclaimed Cry Baby, I was crying while painting this. Finding humor in my own life and turmoil, I listened "No Woman, No Cry" while painting. Laugh amongst yourself now.)