"The Pure Love"
Oil on Masonite. This is my newest piece. I have been feeling a pull to return to oil and this is my first oil in 12 or 13 years. It is very much symbolic of the situation in Haiti right now, my own life and experience with adoption through Haiti, and quite simply, love. Doing this painting was a very spiritual experience for me. With everything that has happened in Haiti I have been very emotionally affected. I began each session with a prayer and felt a great deal of peace while I painted. I also feel as if I painted beyond my ability being that this is my first oil in a long time, and I am a watercolor artist not oil.
"Malian Textiles"
Watercolor. My second most recent piece. I did this painting for the Mali Rising dinner auction. My husband is on the board for the foundation which builds schools in Mali West Africa. I will likely put it up for auction again, or for interested buyers outside from the auction, a portion of the proceeds will go to the Mali Rising foundation. This was a fun piece to create. It took an enormous amount of time, but was very rewarding. The frame is my creation as well, but James helped me put it together. I wanted something totally unique which had the flavor of Mali. The artwork is actually mounted on top of a panel of boards. The paper is treated with an archival sealant. This was experimental whereas watercolors are traditionally mounted behind glass for protection. I tested the sealant by splashing water on a test piece and sure enough...like water off a ducks back.
P.S. This painting is of various Malian fabrics all of which I took from the foundations photos while on trips to Mali. Each one is of fabrics they were wearing. Beautiful clothing!
