Representational Paintings

# 14. A Gift of Light

34"x44" 3/02 (began 3/99) Oil on Canvas

I had been working on and off on "Welcome", when one day a faint new image entered the outer edges of my consciousness.  I didn't pay much attention to it at that time.  The next day, the image was stronger and more insistent, and I had an "Aha!" - "Oh! That's the next painting!"  The image that came to me so strongly was a brilliant light in the center, with 4 spirits' faces behind it, looking at the viewer lovingly, with the title of the painting written across the top left in script, "A Gift of Light".  I went right to work getting this image down on paper, and it immediately expanded into 4 full-figure spirits.  I had a great rush of energy and excitement.

But with this new idea came a great responsibility to actually carry it out - it really stretched my abilities, and I re-worked it over and over as I figured out the color combinations.  I put it away for months when I got stuck, then got it out again, several times.  I restretched it at one point (you can see the ridges at the sides) to a wider frame for better composition.  It got so many layers of paint that it got to be like painting on stucco, so at one point, just before this final color scheme, I scraped most of the background off just so I could work on it easier.  But it is still heavy and a bit rough in places. I still don't know whether or not this final image works.  I sure learned alot!   And from this image I have many versions in mind to do...