Monday, February 11, 2008

Illustration Friday - Choose


"Choose" - what a challenging theme for IF this week. My first thought was that I wouldn't be posting for this topic, but it wouldn't leave me alone. I kept thinking of all the choices we make every day. As artists, we make millions of choices with the accumulation of the marks we make. What subject? What medium? What support? What color? etc. etc. etc.

As a jewelry designer, it gets even harder to choose. If you don't believe me, just attend a bead show sometime where there are thousands of items to choose.

It occurred to me to take a more literal interpretation of the concept "choose" for an artist. Maybe paint/draw a palette of paint, a box of pastels... Another thought was more abstract - a door, a place you choose to go through or not.

But I decided to use one of my favorite subjects, the bird of paradise. I chose to work with Col-erase pencils, a fairly new choice for me (I got a set for a bargain $1.39 because the packaging was ruined!). Inspired by an artist I found last week, I chose to work on black paper. That was a new experience for me, too. While working on my sketch, I remembered another time I chose to paint a bird of paradise. It was a couple weeks after Dad died and I was feeling so very sad. In a moment of inspiration, I chose to paint instead of sink into that sadness. I wasn't sure what I would do as I headed for my art area, but it just came together for me. I painted that one in bright colors. In fact, the painting isn't done, or maybe it is. Maybe it's as far as it was meant to go. I don't know. But somehow it makes me remember Dad's sense of humor. He was known for his goofy puns. I don't have a photograph now, but I am posting a digitally altered photo that inspired that painting.

So as much as possible, I try to remember to choose to do something uplifting.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was told that the Bird of Paradise was always male-inspired! Wonderful tribute and beautiful work!

www.indigeneartforms.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Thank you Regina for the link to my blog!

I'm hoping to do a tutorial in a few weeks about working on black.
It's really one of my favorite surfaces to work on.

Lovely Bird of Paradise....

Leah said...

beautiful work! i think it's always wonderful to take your sadness and turn it into something creative. it's a wonderful way to work through the sadness while honoring it. oxo

Anonymous said...

Regina,
this is just beautiful, and the sharing about choices and your Dad... it just adds to the beauty.

Yes, let's choose something uplifting!

xoxox

Kstyles said...

Beautiful work!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful work Regina!

I love the colors, and so much texture comes through... not easy to do digitally!

:)
Brandie

Fannie said...

Thanks for sharing your insights into "Choose." Great illustration submission.