For Sharon & Jason
8x10 acrylic on panel commission
How thoughtful of your friend to think, remember, and want to celebrate you. Her requests were to have your name and the word ‘love’ in there.
As this was your anniversary present, I felt ‘love’ had to be big and enfold your names.
The idea of something simple and to the point evolved, transformed, and got some extras added. It started as a work on paper, but for ease of displaying, we moved it to a wood panel, ready to be hanged or stand anywhere.
Visually, this is how it happened:
Once we decided on the surface, I tinted the base with a warm orange (the complementary of blue) to give it all a warm tone. In the process of painting, sanding, and repainting, some fun textures started to appear. Sanding it down, revealed the tinted and white layers underneath, it was like finding light and clarity. It had ‘the sun is trying to peak through a cloudy day’ effect.
I thought that was a magnificent backdrop set, to give ‘love’ the main stage.
Personally I think ‘love’ is the best feeling ever and the strongest of bases; so it had to be big, bold, and strong to be well represented.
Then the main characters, you, how do I make them readable? contrasting but not confusing? So the letters are simple and tall, like hardy tree trunks.
The piece has a zoom in and out result: from the universe, to love, to the individual or vice versa.
I hope this is a treasure for you, as making it was for me.
Happy Anniversary!