Pastel
“These are dancing trees that have become separated by an ever-changing river. The males toss their fall leaves to lure the females on the other side, who twist and shake to attract a partner. It’s dusk, and the creatures of the woodlands begin to warm up their vocal cords as the orchestra of rippling water plays on…nothing can keep these dancers apart now…no river can hold them back…and so these river dancers dance!
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Pastel over Watercolor
Pastel over Watercolor Underpainting
I AM PRESENTING THIS PAINTING AS A GIFT AT THE FEBIOFEST FILM FESTIVAL IN THE CITY OF PRAGUE – THE HOME OF MY FOREFATHERS
3/19/2015: I painted “After the Reign” to honor what was known as the VELVET REVOLUTION, a time when the people of Czechoslovakia lived under the control and rule of the Russian Communist party.
I was there visiting family with my Mom and Dad in the 1960s and was impressed with their fantastic puppet shows.
While preparing my early sketches I realized that I was reliving my own experiences of what I was feeling while under contract and control of the Hollywood studio system. Although it is not to be compared with what they endured, somehow I felt the need to bring my puppet out from the cloud and the rain and get free from my brain. Enjoy!
Pastel over Watercolor
“A young mother of faith and her child play by a stream at a time of crisis in her life. The image of a white winged bird appears as a messenger of hope in the rushing waters. She takes it as a sign from God, and it gives her renewed courage to follow God’s path.
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Pastel over Watercolor
“I first got the idea for this painting while I watched my uncle’s expression of awe and wonderment as he gazed, spellbound at the love of his life – my 100 year old aunt. It was as if she was being transformed before our eyes. Every color of the rainbow seemed to transpire through the melting layers of her translucent flesh. It was like witnessing a rebirth! I was able to see her, through his eyes, become a rare and magical butterfly from their own secret garden…and as my eyes filled with their garden’s dew, the mystical being fluttered and flew.
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Watercolor
“I have a friend who lives in her own special world. I am very fortunate to have been allowed to see inside. This is what I saw.
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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!”
