Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Koi triptych


This is a large triptych I'm working on for a client friend of mine, Susan Flowers, and I thought I'd post the progress. It's actually well underway, but I haven't downloaded the current pictures. I will try to get that done later today. Each panel is 30" x 46" (7 1/2 feet long!) which makes it the largest painting I've done so far.

Susan and her husband lived in Hawaii for many years, where they were greatly influenced by the the beauty and peacefulness of the Japanese culture. Now they have a wonderful home in Birmingham and she asked me to create a piece of artwork that conveys those same feelings. Susan wanted a painting of koi swimming in a pond, so we mapped out an area on her wall to decide on the perfect size. And since the final is so large I wanted a fairly detailed sketch to use as a guide - maybe that's a crutch, but I needed it. I wanted the fish to move gracefully around the canvas, and also be calm and still, if that makes sense. I can't tell you how much fun it has been for me to work with someone like Susan, who loves and appreciates art and is so encouraging and supportive of my work. This whole process has been a joy.

2 comments:

  1. This will be beautiful. Can't wait to see the progress. Good luck!

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  2. Absolutely stunning! The line and the movement are better than real. I can't wait to see the color. I think that Susan is going to be a very fortunate lady!
    Au Revoir,
    ♥Danette

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