Adventures in Wonderland, Done!
- Linda H. Post
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
If you've been following me (either here, or on Instagram, Facebook or Substack) you have viewed stages of this painting since early last fall - nearly a year. It’s a complex painting but very playful, with those striped cabanas lined up on the horizon, the juicy peach, and a girl practicing handstands on the sand. Summertime, indeed.
As usual, I made a rough sketch of the full painting on a primed wood panel, before starting to lay on the first layer of paint. I found myself somewhat intimidated by the model's wild hair cascading down her back, and by portraying the act of eating a peach.
I took a separate 12" square panel and concentrated on just this part of the painting. The “eating” part wasn’t hard at all, actually. But her curls, especially the ones falling over her shoulder, weren’t that easy. I’m so glad I worked it out on this one first! I titled the square painting Temptation.
LOOKING DEEPLY AT ART
Every section of each of my paintings is conceived as a complete composition, almost like a story told in chapters.
This one, Golden Days, is a personal favorite. It currently hangs in my own living room, until it finds its forever home. There are so many mysteries concealed in this piece of art, it could take you a lifetime to discover them. I always attempt to create work with the kind of depth and detail that keeps the viewer or collector coming back to it.
Who is the young, quizzical girl? Think about the secretive, glowing figure silhouetted inside the big tent, the empty golden sands, the striped, circus-like tents, the time of day. Consider the time of year. What does Golden Days say to you?
UNPACKING ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND
The look of bliss on the woman’s face as she bites into a ripe peach is the essence of summer. But let's click on each section of this painting as its own vignette.
An overall interplay of stripes and patterns creates a hypnotic rhythm. The phalanx of pelicans soaring above the coastal flats of Cape Cod, and the little oystercatcher stepping toward us, ground this painting with a seminal sense of place. The model's blue-and-white sundress and her leaping rabbit tattoo, reminiscent of old book illustrations, give the impression of a modern Alice in Wonderland.
The gaily striped beach cabanas of Chappaquiddick - which magically morph into circus tents and minarets in some of my other paintings - hint at deeper stories beneath the blue sky and sunlit surface.
IN OTHER NEWS
I rarely work in pastels these days, but I brought a traveling set with me to Honduras. Minerva's Owl is from that trip. It is available here through 33 Contemporary Gallery for $950.
The Owl is the sacred companion of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, strategy, and the arts. She is one of the powerful ruling triad of ancient gods; her Greek counterpart is Athena. Minerva is the embodiment of intelligence that governs effectively, builds soundly, fights strategically, and crafts beautifully. The Owl possesses the quality the Romans recognized as wisdom in its most essential form: the capacity to see clearly when clarity is hardest to achieve.
I talked about the international show WOMAN in Pouch Cove, Newfoundland in my last blog post. The paintings have now arrived safely at the gallery, and the exhibition opens September 26.
The Future Is Now and Singing at Dusk are both available through James Baird Gallery - just follow the links. This is an invitational exhibit which includes about 200 paintings from all around the world. I am honored to be showing two of my most recent works, in the excellent company of some amazing artists.
Now that Adventures in Wonderland is finished, I'm looking forward to the kind of relaxation and sunshine pictured in that painting. Blue skies, good books and juicy peaches. I wish you much of the same for the rest of your summer.
See you in September...
Linda
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