In honor of Bukowski's struggle, I painted a man instead of a woman. It wouldn't surprise me if "bluebirds" were the reason that a lot of men drink, and a lot of women, too.
Monday, January 12, 2015
30 Paintings in 30 Days: Bluebird (Day 11)
Before this week, it had been many years since I had read anything by Charles Bukowski. A Facebook friend suggested that I look at "The Bluebird," and as soon as I started reading, I knew I had to make a painting. (For my part, I swear I have a pair of bluebirds in my heart, courting and canoodling when they can, and when they can't, mourning every sorrow that their love can't heal. If I had not met my husband, there's no telling what I would have done over the course of my life to quell them, silence them, keep them cool and still.)
In honor of Bukowski's struggle, I painted a man instead of a woman. It wouldn't surprise me if "bluebirds" were the reason that a lot of men drink, and a lot of women, too.
I'm not sure this is an especially strong painting, but there are things about it I like.
In honor of Bukowski's struggle, I painted a man instead of a woman. It wouldn't surprise me if "bluebirds" were the reason that a lot of men drink, and a lot of women, too.
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It's super, Ann! I love the mixed media elements here and the highlights on his face.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sal! I was excited about the light on his face, too. And the mixed media worked in pretty well, even though (cough, cough, cough) I didn't plan it in advance. *Hangs head in shame*
DeleteYou've been doing such an amazing job with creating action in your paintings. The angle of the bottle and his head thrown back are wonderfully dynamic! What strikes me most about this painting are the details: the contours of his right arm, neck, and shoulder; the shadows in the armpit against the brightness of his chest; the highlights on his forearm, bicep and face; and the coloration of the bottle and makes it look three dimensional! Perching the bluebird on his ribs (and giving us just that small cutaway inside) was sheer brilliance. The bird looks amazing and I love your decision to make the drinker and his immediate background almost monochromatic in orangey browns. Finally, your smudging of the green as though it were liquid washing down and over the music of the bird's singing to drown it out is such a cool visual!
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