Moving on....

I am now ready to move on. My latest work is the third attempt at this piece and I feel the happiest with this one. Previous attempts had too much detail and didn't quite portray what I wanted. I have kept this one simple. It is still based on the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (1907 - 1954) and acknowledges the way she painted leaves with the veins running red, red with blood signifying the health problems she had throughout her life. This piece, along with her lino-cut portrait (featured here) is part of a proposed series looking at women artists and their work. I now feel ready to start on a second artist.

I am up and away to visit family for a few days so the long drives will be conducive for the thinking that pre-empts the hands-on.

1943 Frida Kahlo, Roots, size 30.5 x 49cm / 12 x 19½in) Note that the leaves are 'bleeding'.

2009 Diana Parkes, untitled, dye and pigment on cotton, size 32 x 25cm / 12½ x 10in.

Films, progress and tree

I have been to two movies in the last five days. And a bigger contrast I can't quite imagine. Avatar is the BIG 3D film, nothing spared, full-on-life in 2154 with aliens, the invaders from planet world, and the Avatars who move between the two societies. The visual and sound effects are stunning. It is of course the universal cops and robbers scenario and guess who wins! So much is parallelled in today's world. Total entertainment, don't spare the horses, especially when they each have six legs! Go see....
Morris - A Life with Bells On is a mockumentary on Morris dancing and is as subtle as they can get. The talent that wants to re-invent the Morris dance is 'rusticated' by the traditionalists, but it turns out all right in the end.

Another layer about to be screened on to my latest Frida Kahlo piece. Note the F clamp used to secure the frame so that I can use two hands on the squeegee.

Almost finished.....

For my overseas readers, this tree is a Pohutukawa. It is commonly called NZ's Christmas Tree for obvious reasons. This one in my garden, still fairly young.