Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
A Rose For Mr. Griffith
The piece below was commissioned by my close friend Ralph Negron for his friends and bosses Rose Apodaca and Andy Griffith.
At first, I had a challenge with finding a photo to work from, but after spending some time on her blog, I came across a photo of them on their wedding day. I was immediately taken by it. Not only did she look beautiful, but the joy on his face as he looks at her inspired me. She mentions in her blog that even though she goes by her name, she would be okay with being called ‘Mrs. Griffith.’ This inspired me to name the piece which is in honor of both of them especially since I don’t paint male images in my work and they appear solely as silhouettes. And so the idea is that he allows her to be the beauty in his life, his joy, his ‘rose.’ And she’s okay with belonging to him, hence the title of the piece- “A Rose for Mr. Griffith.”
At first, I had a challenge with finding a photo to work from, but after spending some time on her blog, I came across a photo of them on their wedding day. I was immediately taken by it. Not only did she look beautiful, but the joy on his face as he looks at her inspired me. She mentions in her blog that even though she goes by her name, she would be okay with being called ‘Mrs. Griffith.’ This inspired me to name the piece which is in honor of both of them especially since I don’t paint male images in my work and they appear solely as silhouettes. And so the idea is that he allows her to be the beauty in his life, his joy, his ‘rose.’ And she’s okay with belonging to him, hence the title of the piece- “A Rose for Mr. Griffith.”
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Little Girls for February
In honor of the award season, which has always been of great inspiration I have “Kate Wins-A-Globes.” More importantly, in honor of our new president and first lady, I have “Fist Pumping First Lady…He’s Seeing Stars, Seeing Stars.”
Soon after Titanic, I had the opportunity to wait on Kate Winslet while working as a pool attendant at The Bel-Air Hotel. She wore a one-piece black bathing suit to the pool area and she looked absolutely gorgeous. As one of my favorite actresses, I was happy to finally see her win not only her first, but also her second Golden Globe in the same year. As an A-List star, who’s done a wide range of roles, I mostly admire her for her courage to bare herself unlike many others. And so in honor of her 2 wins, I gave her 2 ‘golden boobs’.
Prior to viewing the inauguration on TV, I knew I would be emotional… I was. Mostly, I cried as I watched the thousands of people gathered around to see him sworn in and I imagined the millions more watching around the world. I felt inspired to paint a second ‘Little Girl.’ Throughout the election, I loved the emotion and show of affection the Obama’s displayed in doing their little fist pump gesture. “Fist Pumping First Lady… He’s Seeing Stars, Seeing Stars” is in honor to her, to him, and to every woman who has stood behind her man. Because as the old saying goes, ‘Behind every great man is a great woman.” In this case, a great ‘Little Girl.”
On a lighter note, I found a little sense of humor in the fist pump and the cartoonish idea of him seeing stars from being playfully hit by her and in doing so seeing his own dream of becoming President.
Soon after Titanic, I had the opportunity to wait on Kate Winslet while working as a pool attendant at The Bel-Air Hotel. She wore a one-piece black bathing suit to the pool area and she looked absolutely gorgeous. As one of my favorite actresses, I was happy to finally see her win not only her first, but also her second Golden Globe in the same year. As an A-List star, who’s done a wide range of roles, I mostly admire her for her courage to bare herself unlike many others. And so in honor of her 2 wins, I gave her 2 ‘golden boobs’.
Prior to viewing the inauguration on TV, I knew I would be emotional… I was. Mostly, I cried as I watched the thousands of people gathered around to see him sworn in and I imagined the millions more watching around the world. I felt inspired to paint a second ‘Little Girl.’ Throughout the election, I loved the emotion and show of affection the Obama’s displayed in doing their little fist pump gesture. “Fist Pumping First Lady… He’s Seeing Stars, Seeing Stars” is in honor to her, to him, and to every woman who has stood behind her man. Because as the old saying goes, ‘Behind every great man is a great woman.” In this case, a great ‘Little Girl.”
On a lighter note, I found a little sense of humor in the fist pump and the cartoonish idea of him seeing stars from being playfully hit by her and in doing so seeing his own dream of becoming President.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Lost In Grapes
The piece below was done for my best friends wife. On their first date they went to wine country. He took the photo of her looking out into a vineyard. As he sat looking at her, he thought about how he wanted her to be his wife. She told me, she was taken with him immediately. Within a year they were married. There are two glasses in the piece, Hers and his. So even though he is not in the piece, it is what he saw, her.
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