NEW 'on my EASEL' PAINTING FEATURED 'THE FIRE FLOWER'




'THE FIRE FLOWER'        24 x 30   oil on canvas        2011 (c) Loren Fidalgo

Hey guys...  a new 'on my easel' painting featured. This painting is from the archives and I thought it would be an interesting one to write about.

The title of this painting is 'THE FIRE FLOWER'.  It is 24 x 30 and oil on canvas.  I wanted to feature this painting since my last post was about the small scribble drawings that I have been doing lately in one of my painting classes.  This painting was created from a small drawing with graphite pencil on paper.

SKETCH FOR 'THE FIRE FLOWER'
5 1/2 x 8 1/2 graphite on paper
2011 (c) Loren Fidalgo

 When I was sketching out this drawing on paper, I was letting my hand just scribble away.  I didn't know what I was going to create or see in the lines.  Eventually, I began to see a face that was coming out of a flower. I was thinking that I wanted there be no difference between the face and the petals as if the face was actually a living part of the flower. The features to the face are very minimal and some what human like and some what not. I chose them to be this way to not dominate the flower.  The face almost looks as if it is a lion or some kind of animal maybe a cat and I wanted them to be painted just as the drawing was done.

  When I began the painting from this drawing, it was a challenge to unify the petals and face so it was as if the flower petals and face had no separation.  I knew I had to do it with color and I love the colors of this painting. I started with this bright orange and yellow color for the background. I then decided to make the flower in orange and yellow to create this illusion of integration.  I didn't want too much contrast from the petals to the background. The painted edges are soft.  I placed the flower off to the left to have a more pleasing composition and show off the bright colored background.

I painted the stem of the flower in shades of greens, yellows and blues. The tips of the stem are accented in Cerealan Blue which is like a turquoise color.( I used a brush for this painting to blend the colors which is rare for me. I usually use a palette knife.)  I added the stem tips as if they are coming out of the bottom left corner to give some weight to the loosely painted flower and large stem.  It filled the space and gave the flower more mass because I didn't like looking through the empty orange space there. Since I wanted the flower painted as if it was emerging out of the background, the stems really worked. I didn't want to draw my eye in that direction.

Well, what does this painting mean?  What is it all about?  I think it might be about hiding in plain sight?  Possibly, it is about trying not to be seen or not wanting to make oneself more visible to others? It might be about concealing one's identity?  I think it is also about being able to see everyone else while at the same time not been seen by them.  When I did the drawing and painting, I was in a place where I was kind of feeling this way.  Part wanting to be open and out there and part not wanting to be obvious and noticeable. Now I think that I am glad those days have passed for the most part.  Every so often, I feel this thinking and emotion trying to emerge but thank goodness, I handle it better now. Have you ever felt this way? 

Well, that wraps up another 'on my EASEL'. This was a long 'on my EASEL' but I think a good one. I would love to hear back from you guys to see how you interpret this painting?  What do you see in it?  Have you ever felt this way?  Please feel free to leave a comment.

Cheers,

Loren