Pastel over Watercolor

“The world has been amazed by Nelson Mandela’s power to bring people together, so when he died I wanted to create a painting to honor him. I tried showing his spirit transformed into a butterfly, with wings made up of his dream to form a Rainbow Coalition that included all races and all nations coming together in peace and harmony. I wanted the drips in my watercolor underpainting to represent the sweat and tears that were endured by himself and his people for their freedom.

I decided to add some miscellaneous creatures to accompany him on his journey as a gesture of his all-encompassing nature. He is about to lift off on a joyous adventure with his choir of voices singing in harmony as one!”