Fragmented Libya

I was inspired by an oil painting by the great artist Ashby Reed, Jr. at the Onyx exhibit I took part in last year.  Something about his painting of a chair on the porch just spoke to me and made me look close at the technique he used, oil painting with a knife.

Intrigued about oil palette painting, having never done it before, I contacted Mr. Reed by email to ask for some tips on how to start. 

He sent me some excellent video examples in a lovely return email, and after a stop at my local art store, Danielle Smith in Bellevue which has the best staff ever, I got started learning a new art technique. I documented the process along the way on my Instagram account, taking photos of my taping and painting.

After months and layers and newly acquired paint splotches on my studio Turkish rug, I finished the piece last week.

I then contacted my local community Buy Nothing Project to ask for help in professionally photographing my finished artwork, Fragmented Libya.

A wizard behind the camera, Quintin Doroquez, contacted me and offered his camera services for free.

I will be forever grateful to these two men for helping me create this piece. 

This artwork has allowed me much cathartic release during these last few months. It has been a tiring, emotional  winter while I listened to the news of what is happening to my beloved Libya, watched helpless as people were being prosecuted because their religion after Charlie Hebdo, and then unfriended over 600 people on Facebook.

I have submitted this piece to the ryan james fine arts gallery upcoming exhibit called cARTography: Personal Metaphors and Mindful Maps.

This exhibition invites artists to use the art and language of maps, to create personal geographies that locate their place in the world, and include the real or imagined boundaries that define them.

I'd love to hear your feedback on it.

Fragmented Libya, oil on hardbord, four pieces, each 11x14.