56 X 44 Inches
Oil On Canvas Over Sculpted Foam
The idea here was to paint the figure as if the viewers line of site was at the level of the figures naval, straight on. Normally we look at a figure directly in the eye. To view the torso and limbs one looks down. To eliminate the feet and head was unexpectantly exhilarating. So many difficult details, the net advantage of inclusion?…. nonessential. It is tempting to discuss this painting strictly on the basis of color.It would not be unusual for me to paint the background first as was done here. All of my paintings begin as abstraction. The figure is introduced later via, hallucination, accident or preconceived intent .The delicacy of pastoral blue and zinc yellow background would create inevitable difficulties with the foreground figure color. Alchemy and thinking in reverse, were useful in determining colors which did not alienate the background of WALKING FEMALE .Cutting up the canvas, three-dimensional-izing the pieces, resembling all of the pieces askew, introduces a whole new set of surfaces, which turn out to be very useful when backed into a color problem .The new surfaces provide a location for subordinate colors which allow not quite complements to cooperate .A group of colors can be as so many dominos you alter one, and you know what happens.An artist may have a emotional steak in a given color I’m very fond of the blue/yellow background,the edges which are turned outward give sensation of scratching the retinal nerve, when discussing paintings where theres pain theres pleasure.