Category: paintings

This painting takes on a more colorful, vibrate approach. While the underpainting is still at play, there is less emphasis on a monochromatic underpainting, but more on a spontaneous splashes of highly chromatic colors using direct painting technique. Of course, as usual, the face is treated with realistic precision, and outward towards looser brushstrokes. The relationship of values is still the most crucial, but there is more of the high and low values in the surroundings, whereas the midtones are closely assembled for the face to create a separate area of focus. These factors make this particular painting deviate from my previous portraits.

I have always wanted to paint a portrait of Jesus. It’s a portrait that is recognized by all. He is worshipped by billions. Yet it’s a face no one knows exactly. This monochromatic portrait of Jesus Christ explores a portrait of the most recognizable face known to man, and its effect on the viewers through the lens of history, academic, emotion, and spirituality.

36″x36″ oil on wood panel

The golden ratio encompasses aspects of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and the topology of space-time. The aesthetically pleasing appearance of this law translate our perceptions of the natural world into art, music, and structures. The Fibonacci spiral of the golden ratio is the configuration of least energy path of movement in nature. This energy flow reinforces the individual purpose in life and spirals towards others and the surroundings. As an artist, I’m inspired by beauty of our natural surroundings in the form of lines, shapes, and the interplay to create harmonious flow and unity. This painting explores the aesthetic harmony of the golden ratio and the Fibonacci spiral and the interplay with the human subject. When energy flows well, happiest, passion, and beauty are realized.

First color pass over dead layer. 36”x 36”, oil on panel.

Joan of Arc is arguably the most famous and celebrated woman in West European history. She led the French army to victory over the English during the Hundred Years’ War. Her world was one of conflict, tragedy and turmoil. Known as Saint Joan of Arc and the Maid of Orleans, the young maiden reaches a level of legendary status today that truly cannot be depicted in a single piece of art. “Joan of Arc, the immortal Spirit” is a portrait that embodies the divine visions and the holy voices in form of chaotic colors of darkness, heaven, and blood descending upon her short life. Joan’s holy calling and relentless determination merge her with the cross. The painting fragments Joan as a soldier of a physical being with flesh and blood; the collective of self-confident, innocence, emotion, and beauty; and the abstraction of a saint, a spiritual being, and a higher power. With constant and palpable company of divinity, she achieved extraordinary things in form feminine strength and authority that was lacking in medieval women. She took a moral path of ignoring her social rank and her gender that was ahead of her time. Today, she serves as potent paragon of the human subject at its most truthful and radical embodiment, a visible manifestations of our aspirations as well as our limitations, and as the center of endless stories that transcend her spirit to immortality.

During the long human struggle for existence, freedom has been rare, and its triumphs have fallen upon just the minorities that prevailed. No obstacle has been so constant throughout history. From the first gathering of ancient people to the modern political complexity of our time, the natural drive embedded in our genes for liberty is not always apparent. It is a momentous step in the progress of the principle that every interest should have the right and the means of asserting itself, and to commit to the republican principles of individual liberty and equality. Regardless of when, who, or where, lighting the torch of liberty comes from the fire that burns from within, and those with the relentless determination will ensure that the torch stays lit.

She works in the field all morning with the soft cool light. The days are dark behind her closed eyes, but there’s light when the sun shines bright. From within, there is light, there is hope, there is sweetness to be discovered, and most important of all during that hard day, there is a dream.

The artist carries her secret, hidden in her work, revealed only through her eyes for those who can part the disguise. She mixes with her warm colors of merging ardor. Her view imprints a blushed passion on her in hues she welcomes, and she indulges in the moment of continuous glaze that stirs passion in her heart. Her skillful hand executes the vision that passes from her eyes, interprets in her mind, and softly engraves in her heart. The story she wants to tell is carefully constructed in colors on the canvas, but in her heart, it’s a story of a secretive love.

First color layer on top of grisaille layer. Closeups of the an eye and nose. Stay tuned.

 

Psyche, Resolute

In Greek Mythology, Psyche overcomes the forth task placed upon her by jealous Aphrodite in order to regain the love of Cupid. She must obtain a beauty ointment from Persephone, queen of the underworld. Psyche is well aware that no mortal ever returns from such a journey. In despair, she believes that the only route is to kill herself. She has made attempts before after losing the love of Cupid. But there is another path, one that tests her focus and devotion to the cause. Three times in the underworld she must harden her heart to pity and rejects pleas for help from creatures of the underworld. She strengthens her soul and maintains her focus, and loses all earthy attachments and overcomes the fear of death. She returns to the living with a rejuvenating spirit, a renewed soul, and feeling resolute. At times, to push pass our own “underworld” we need to maintain our focus in healing, achieving, and transcending to a state of strength.

Psyche opens the box to obtain the beauty and deep sleep envelopes her….but that’s another part of the story with a happy ending.