Sometimes an idea takes quite some time to make it into paint (and not every idea does). I’ve previously done a rocky shore as a pencil drawing and in charcoal, as well as an etching. This version doesn’t have a sea/sky horizon.
I started by creating a dark ground, using a chromatic black mixed with texture medium. Once this had dried, I “drew” with various colours of Golden’s High Flow Acrylics. Once this had dried, I painted the sea and ‘tops’ of the rocksy, again using very fluid paint. I’m now, once again, waiting for paint to dry, and will then access whether I’ll be doing anything else to it. Right now I think not, but looking in it in different light tomorrow will tell me.
At the moment it looks amazing. A crowd of odd creatures. Are they Lost Souls to be! Soldgiers of the tomorrow war. I definitely can recognize Dart Weider with his Empire quards among them. Marion! This is increadible! How can you know every time my thoughts my concerns and fears. The day after tomorrow may bring us WWIII. And this is not a joke at all.
I exactey feel the same way! The “odd creatures” look like soldiers viewed from the front, with all their helmets filled with water: an allegory of the “landing beaches” in this year of commemoration? We can detect some tiny dashes of red, symbolizing perhats the terrible throes of our brave combatants of the Second World War. This impressive painting is full of heroism feelings. I stand up in front of that kind of work. With respect.
Alain, It looks like thr Third World War knoks at our door. Marions work has much in common with Vereshchagin’s “Apotheosis of War”. http://www.tretyakovgallery.ru/en/collection/_show/image/_id/183 But presense of Darth Vader makes it a scaring foresight rather then commemoration. http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-26882664
Natalya, That’s downright spooky!
Alain & Natalya, Thank you both. That this painting resonates so strongly with you is very special and moving. And unexpected. You’re making me see new things in it. Though I have been checking the news each morning with the thought “has World War 3” started yet, with events in the Ukraine echoing the past horribly, I hadn’t consciously been thinking of people when I was painting it. But did find that I kept making the rocks very round, so my subconscious was definitely working with some idea.
I love that there are interpretations of the work different to what I felt but are so profound in this climate . Being a child of Scotland – left when I was 8 years old (46 years ago) the colours, and depth of the feeling ,portrayed a sense of a deep understanding of the land and the sea , the smell and crispness of the sea air can be felt , the restless movement of the tide , the wildness , remotenesss, ach , you have unlocked my Scottish heart to a raw beauty I had all but forgotten. Thank Marion.