Saturday, January 3, 2015

FIRST 2015 PAINTING: PRAYER FLAGS



For a while, I've thought about creating something using my prayer flags.  I sketched out a simple idea and then didn't paint it.  I did cover some watercolor paper with gesso to prepare for a class lesson so gessoed a long piece of paper (full sheet torn to be wide and long).



Now, for the first time in a month or more, I've picked up a brush and started something.  I wanted the prayer flags to look tattered at the bottom, like they've been out in the wind and rain (using my own as models pinned to the top of the cork board).

This is a work in progress.  








I am not sure I'll lift the prayer words or use white ink to write them...

































8 comments:

Unknown said...

You have such creative, beautiful ideas with your art! This piece looks exciting!

Carol Flatt said...

Very creative, Rhonda! Love the sky behind the colorful prayer flags. This painting says so much with a few elements. We just rewatched "Seven Years in Tibet" so this is very timely.

Ginny Stiles said...

Thanks for reminding me about "prayer" flags.
I saw some once in a Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine and thought how beautiful they would be in our art room here at Hawthorne Park. They would be a wonderful New Year's project…everyone could put a prayer or a quote they particularly like on one and we could string them up and they would make the room so lively. I was wondering about using cloth? Or would it better just to use paper. These will hang inside so they could just be paper.

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks, Katherine. This idea has been in my mind for a while.

Thanks, Carol. I, too, enjoy that movie because the Dalai Lama is shown to be young and innocent and learning still as he grows into his role.

Ginny, give the students some history of the prayer flags and where they come from, originated, etc. - you can search Google and find out lots. I will post a little history later...you can use cloth or paper, printed or drawn or painted on by each student, if you choose. I've seen this done (online) by children's groups. The flags are meant to be outside - the prayers fly outward as the wind takes the paper or cloth and blows them about. In photos of Tibet, you seen thousands of these tied to trees, on hilltops, etc.

Anonymous said...

I'll need to google prayer flags--had not heard of these. I do like the painting

Anonymous said...

Hi Rhonda--that "anonymous" was me. My finger sometimes misses the mark on my iPad.

RH Carpenter said...

So funny, Anonymous - I still don't know who you are! ha ha

hw (hallie) farber said...

Sorry, Rhonda--I'll try this again. Anonymous is me--hallie farber. I'm anxious to learn how I'm mis-commenting. Hopefully, I do this one correctly.