Performance Painting

 Angels In Worship
Painted at a Tweefontein Church Service, South Africa
March, 2011

Happy New Year! I thought today would be a good day to look back on 2011 and share some of the other paintings I have done this year that were created outside of my studio, on stage and at a variety of locations. While I love working with oils, I am equally passionate about acrylics on stage. Each painting experience was inspired and intentional -  making all of them unique and rewarding in their own way. I was fortunate enough to be invited to paint eight different times this year - each time in front of an audience - in worship
What a privilege it has been to work with incredibly gifted musicians and vocalists;  accomplished artists that are not afraid to say yes to the call.

The Cross
Painted as part of an Easter series.
Woodmen Valley Chapel
April, 2011

Significance
Painted as part of an Easter series.
Woodmen Valley Chapel
April, 2011

Hope
Painted at a conference for military wives.
Glen Eyrie Castle
April, 2011

Amazing Grace
72x72", Acrylic on canvas
Painted during the Chuck Limbrick Concert
Woodmen Valley Chapel
November 4, 2011

Madonna and The Christ Child
30x40", Acrylic on canvas
Painted during the Shannon Wexelberg concert
December 15, 2011
Woodmen Valley Chapel

Awakening the Artist Within
30x40", Acrylic on canvas
Painted at Solid Rock Church
December 18, 2011

South Africa: Portrait #2

Enchanted II, oil on canvas, 16x20,
Rita Salazar Dickerson (c)2011

There is always a sense of relief when I get to this point in a painting. I've signed it and right now it feels done though I really won't be sure until I wait a couple of weeks and then go back and look at it again. The variety of textures and contrasts in this painting made the experience of working on it so enjoyable. My hope is that the interplay between this young woman's colorful, detailed costume and the rustic South African landscape will tell an entertaining story.

South Africa: The Bracelet And The Skirt

Ah, yes. The bracelet and the skirt were just as fun as I imagined them to be plus they had the effect I was hoping for. The skirt adds contrast and visually anchors down the fantastic yellow shawl; it also balances out her black hat and hair. And the bracelet simply enhances the entire outfit. But before I allowed myself to paint them, I had to do her right hand. Underneath her hand she is cupping a yellow flower that is attached to the shawl. This poses a bit of a problem for me because right now I feel like it is hard to read visually. (Or maybe I'm just tired.) I'm not sure I will keep it in the painting. I'll do the background first and then decide.  

South Africa: The Yellow Shawl

When I painted the first twin's red shawl I knew it was going to be powerful because it was red. This yellow one seemed alright but definitely not as dramatic. Now, I take it back. I cannot believe how this color of yellow makes the painting pop. The hat and the earring are exciting yes, but where would they be without this yellow shawl to compliment them? I can hardly wait to paint her skirt and bracelet.

South Africa: The Yellow Earring

Even though she and her twin sister were dressed similarly, it is also interesting to take note of this young woman's individual taste in accessories. I had fun painting this predominately yellow, beaded earring that is blowing slightly in the gentle breeze.

I could sense her anticipation. She faced the setting sun, taking a moment, with eyes closed, before she made her entrance to waiting guests.

South Africa: The Other Twin

 This painting is the second in my series of paintings inspired by South Africa.  After searching through all of my photos from my trip to South Africa I finally found the one I was looking for: a strong reference photo of the twin sister. Even though painting the first twin (see earlier posts) was such a pleasure and challenge for me, I somehow felt like I wasn't really finished until I did a portrait of her sister. She could not be ignored since she was the other half of the story.

The minute I started this second painting it brought back memories of that warm day in March (South Africa's early Autumn) when we were invited to their family birthday party and treated as honored guests. It was late in the day. The soft light was beautiful. There was anticipation in the air. Everyone was waiting for the birthday girls to arrive. I had no idea what to expect and assumed they would look like everyone else who was there, dressed nicely and ready to party.When the young women arrived, modeling  incredibly detailed, colorful costumes, it was breathtaking. Their contrasting colors enhanced the scene. I was not expecting this. It was enchanting.

South Africa: Her Skirt

Her skirt was my final pleasure in this painting.  As I painted it, it felt like I was completing an important part of the story. Like the hat, I enjoyed the detail and the striking contrast it created next to her shawl and grass. Once I was satisfied I moved on to the final details of her hair, the grass and even added a bit more shimmer to the shawl. I decided that some of the edges on the canvas needed to be left undone and so they remain as they were from the beginning. Her surroundings  accentuate her striking countenance. I wonder if she realized how amazingly beautiful she looked that day.

Enchanted
 oil on canvas, 16x20"

South Africa: Golden Grass

I've enjoyed every step of this painting and once I get to this point it seems extra special because I am seeing my vision become a reality. There will be a lot of last minute adjustments toward the end - but it is still exciting because the colors are in place and the mood has been set. It was early fall when I was there in March and so the tall, golden grasses  provided a perfect background that added texture and contrast  to her dramatic  costume. This grass, like everything else in the painting, has been more challenging than I thought it would be and I still feel like there's more to do. Yet, I am ready to move on to the final blank section of the canvas, her skirt.(Wait until you see it. It really completes her outfit.) I've been painting late into the night (sometimes I wish I didn't have to sleep) and enjoying every minute of it. This painting is so much fun! 

South Africa: Candy Apple Red

I realize that I was attracted to painting this woman for many reasons - one of them being, she was wearing red. And not just any red - but bright, shimmering, candy apple red! In addition to her red shawl, she was wearing this wonderful bracelet that added just a touch of color and detail to her wrist while casting a shadow on her arm. Everything she was wearing seems so right to me. If I could have had a say in how she dressed that day, I would not have changed a thing. The excitement is mounting for me as I progress with this painting. Once I get this far into it I begin to have trouble sleeping because all I really want to do is paint or think about painting. I cannot get her out of my mind. There is also a deadline coming up: the Fireside Gallery intake and installation for the South Africa exhibit is this Thursday. I love and hate deadlines but they keep me on task. I can't wait to paint tomorrow!

 

South Africa: Fresh Eyes

I stayed up painting until 11:30 last night. Her arm, like everything else, took twice as long as I had imagined and I still wasn't happy with it. So, the one good thing about staying up late to paint is that I can get up early in the morning to continue painting and it feels like I only took a short break. My paint still feels fresh on the canvas, nothing has gotten sticky or dried out and I can continue where I left off - painting wet into wet. The one advantage to this break is that I had fresh eyes; I could see things this morning that I could not see last night. And now I am moving on to her red shawl. I can hardly wait!

South Africa: The Hat

After publishing my first post I received several comments from those who said, "Sign it. It's finished." I took it as a nice compliment given the fact that my approach to this painting is to paint it as efficiently as possible. By this I mean to paint each stroke deliberately and with the purpose of completing the painting with as few strokes as possible. Paint to finish.( My method, for years, was to block in a painting with thin layers of paint laid down in the general area of where I wanted it to go and then go back in with a second, third and sometimes fourth layer to finally arrive at a point where I felt it was completed.) And here I must quote the great master painter Richard Schmid who writes in his book, Alla Prima
 "When is a painting finished? That is indeed the question! Some paintings are finished after only a few brushstrokes, others seem to take forever.The strength and clarity of the picture you envision at the start will tell you when you are done. You are finished when you have said what you wish to say, when nothing added can make it better."
 And because I started with a specific vision in mind of what I want to say with this painting, I cannot sign it yet. So, I paint on.

 My goal on Saturday was the hat. "This hat will surely take only a couple of hours," I told myself. It was such a magnificent hat in so many ways...the unusual shape, the bold, black color and all of the incredibly detailed beading. I wanted to tell the story of this hat. In retrospect, I must have been afraid because I kept putting off the steps I had to take to get it done (like walking down the stairs to my basement studio and picking up a paintbrush). Finally, when I could think of nothing else, I decided to lure myself downstairs by putting in a movie to watch and mostly listen to while I painted. This "trick" has worked on me before. A good movie is always so tempting. I thought an "Easter-ish" movie would be appropriate and so I chose "Chocolat".  True, it is not on the same level as "The Ten Commandments" or "The Passion of the Christ" but the story line involves the Lenten season, chocolate and the arrival of Easter morning at the end. Perfect.

Five hours and one more movie later, I have this to share.

Inspired by South Africa

I was told, more than once, that I would come back from my trip to S. Africa inspired with new ideas, new motivations to create, and that it would be life changing. Turns out, everyone that told me this was right. But what I did not anticipate was the unexpected beauty in the most unpredictable places. The contrast was incredible! Since I cannot ignore what has happened to the inside of me it is going to have to come out in several different ways and the first will be this painting. I am certain that it will be the first in a series from my trip and I am excited to share it with you - in stages.

As we neared the end of our stay, we were privileged to be invited to a private birthday party. The guests of honor, twins, were treated with the fanfare of an American wedding reception. The white tent, white covered chairs, the music, the dinner, the large pink and white birthday cakes - one for each, all made quite an impression. I was not expecting this.

After we enjoyed the honor of having dinner in the tent, guests waited for the arrival of the birthday girls. It was so hot and I began to feel physically drained. So, instead of standing, I decided to retreat to our van with a few others in our group. The van door was open and as we visited, a car pulled up and I immediately thought of a line from the movie Tombstone, when a beautiful woman stepped down from her stagecoach and  Doc Holiday (played by Val Kilmer) notices her beauty and says, "Well, an enchanted moment". Only in this case, it was several beautiful women. I immediately took advantage of the camera I held in my hands and started photographing this enchanted moment. Most of the time they had their backs to me as they prepared themselves to make an entrance at the party. But in this moment I captured the reference photo for this.

As the painting progresses I will update you.