Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Sister Scarlet

24" x 30" Acrylic on stretched canvas. 2008


I awoke the morning of Wednesday January 16Th, 2008 feeling my Artist within calling me back to paint. I've heard her brushes tapping about a few times in the past five years, her whistling and humming tempting me back into the world where she dreams in color.....A world where she dreams in red...... This time I did not ignore her. A confident woman cloaked in fur adorned by a background of inviting reds. It's a love-hate relationship, Sister Scarlet and I. she is stubborn, strong willed and demanding to come through a blank canvas with every stroke. The first sketch started with an Indian Chief, a virtuous strong character with the best of intentions. However, when I painted him I felt resistance. Unlike Scarlet, Chief didn't want to be seen. He doesn't like sitting for portraits. He sees an imitator, a counterfeit of his true self. Words to him are more important then colors. He would rather I paint his soul, not his face. I painted over him with 2 coats of white primer and one coat of a gritty neutral base. I attempted to sketch his soul, but a woman's face would come through. I spoke to the canvas, "No, I don't want a woman's face...Your supposed to be a man. I erased the face and started over only to see it happen again. Frustrated I began the battle one last time. The Artist, "Sister Scarlet," won...... Now we dream together.