30 Paintings in 30 Days: Dickinson (Day 6)

It would seem I'm on a serious poem kick.  Here's a 6x8 canvas panel inspired by my favorite Emily Dickinson poem, "I heard a Fly buzz - when I died."

In case you don't remember the poem (and want to), here she blows:

I heard a Fly buzz - when I died -

The Stillness in the Room

Was like the Stillness in the Air -

Between the Heaves of Storm -

The Eyes around - had wrung them dry -

And Breaths were gathering firm

For that last Onset - when the King

Be witnessed - in the Room -

I willed my Keepsakes - Signed away

What portion of me be

Assignable - and then it was

There interposed a Fly -

With Blue - uncertain - stumbling Buzz -

Between the light - and me -

And then the Windows failed - and then

I could not see to see -

30 Paintings in 30 Days: Neruda (Day 5)

Keeping with my theme of literary canvases, I chose another poem to inspire me today.  I admit, "inspire" might seem like an oddly upbeat word since the poem I chose is a mildly creepy sonnet meditating on the lover's death, but it captivated me all the same!

If you die, Neruda entreats his beloved:

"Matilde, my love, leave your lips half-open
. . .
I will die kissing your crazy cold mouth,
caressing the lost fruit buds of your body."

Hey, I warned you: Mildly creepy, but also beautiful.

30 Paintings in 30 Days: ee cummings (Day 4)

I discovered ee cummings very early in high school - or possibly even junior high - for which reason, I felt like I truly discovered him, as though he were America, and I were Columbus, as though I could plant a flag and call him mine and feel possessive whenever anyone else got too near him.  (Just like Columbus, of course, I didn't discover him, don't possess him, and can't in any way claim him.  Alas.)  To this day, in any case, he has a very special place in my heart.  This piece was inspired by one of his better-known poems, "i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)."

30 Paintings in 30 Days: Raven (Day 3)

Today, I finally settled on my theme: The literary!  Hooray!  All of my canvases from here on out will be connected in some way to an author, a book, a play, or a poem. 

I paint Poe a lot, so as a challenge to myself, I decided to paint his raven instead.  I don't really paint birds, so um, SCARY.  Way scary.  But I did it.  Go me.

Except for the part where I was so scared I forgot to take progress pics.  Zero points for Ravendor.

30 Paintings in 30 Days: Yorick's Revenge (Day 2)

For Day 2 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge, I went straight for a color palette that's comfortable for me while tackling a subject that's uncomfortable for me: Skulls!  I like them.  I am fairly nervous to paint them.

So I challenged myself to paint one.

And then I decided to make a Shakespeare joke.  I confess I love the result.

On the way to the computer to post this, I asked my 14-year-old son if he got the joke.  He said, "Instead of Hamlet holding a skull, the skull is holding Hamlet."  Success!  I mean, I think of him as Shakespeare, who is also depicted holding a skull, but whatever.  Details.

30 Paintings in 30 Days: Emerging Figure

Happy New Year!

I know a lot of people who struggled with depression in 2014, so here's a figure emerging from the mist.  She's not completely in focus, but she'll get there!

Fancy Animals: ATCs

I did these animals in fancy outfits for an ATC swap.  The critter on the lower left is a Slow Loris.  The Fast Loris, obviously, was too quick for me to bundle up in Renaissance garb.