Monday, January 2, 2012

A PAINTING OF A DIFFERENT SORT


What is this? 
Well, a photograph was printing out
and it printed incorrectly, merging 2 photos together, creating something visually interesting.  So I kept it
and then tried to paint some of the
things I saw in the messed-up photo. 
It needs some well-placed darks,
but I did have fun with the texture bits and the stamping (the butterflies). 
It's all watercolor on 1/4 sheet Arches 140# coldpress paper.


I hope your New Year is already turning into something amazing. 
Sweetie made me go out for New Year's Eve to a house party. 
We were the only 2 unknowns, the rest being neighbors who attend
every year.  It could have been awkward for me (I don't do well in a room
full of strangers) but the host was so gracious; he kept me talking
while admiring his new IPhone apps and telling stories (in fact, at one point
I was afraid we were hogging his time); the food was wonderful with lovely sparkly decorations throughout the house, and I had a really good time. 
I didn't drink much - although I took along a bottle of Buffalo Trace
Bourbon Cream to sip (yummy!!) and I did have a sip or two of that. 
At midnight everyone had wine or champagne with poppers and confetti cannons to shoot around the room while Happy New Year's were shouted.  The livingroom looked like it would take a week to clean and it may be a month before tiny bits of confetti or sparkles are no longer found inside the sofa or stuck under the coffee table!

I hope you had a lovely time,
whether you were on your own and quiet.
or with a crowd and rowdy. 

Now, let's all get back to work!

7 comments:

Carol Blackburn said...

This is quite interesting, Rhonda. One can read many different things into this piece. I like the hand looking like it is underwater and the fingertips reaching out as if she is still trying to grasp at life.
I just got my first commission of 2012. It is for two dog portraits and I'm given the decision of either putting them in one painting or doing two separte portraits. I better get started planning.

hw (hallie) farber said...

I like this. Happy New Year. Did you say get back to work?

Anonymous said...

What a surreal effect you've managed in this one! I love how you think outside of the box, Rhonda!

JANE MINTER said...

it's interesting when ideas develop like this rhonda ... happy 2012 !

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks, Carol. I like your take on this one :)

Hallie, thanks - and I meant our art work, of course - not our jobs!! ha ha

Thanks, Sherry and Jane :)

Harry Kent said...

What a great painting!! YES!

Such an invitation for the viewer to bring what's on their mind and in their heart too to the painting.

And love your quotes on the right. Ah, that Matisse.

RH Carpenter said...

Thank you so much, Harry! As this year begins, I find myself drifting, wanting looser and wet-in-wet blurs and perhaps even more abstracted things...we'll see where the year takes me.