I have no mouth and I must scream! ink, watercolour, gouache and gold leaf on paper, 75x50cm, 2020, POA. Another artwork created in lockdown. A reflection of and introspection into thoughts and feeling of living during a pandemic.
Painted original (watercolor on watercolor canvas) about 15 years ago. Wasn't satisfied and so I put away forever. Except, not forever. Have started a project of revamping old paintings that were not quite right, and that now seem salvageable. This was the first. Worked on it for a few minutes a few days a week for a few months, never going too far. Goal was to improve not recreate. Kinda having fun with this new project. Artists tend to do this, take a new tact, find a new route.
Found him sitting on a wall in the park where I go for a jog since pandemic started. Was so mesmerised by this magnificent beast. I couldn’t stop staring at him every morning. The contrast between the white fur and black skin. So shiny yet so peacefully he sat doing his job.
I first bought some cheap soft pastels back in 2018 and did a couple of sketches. I bought a nice set of Rembrandt pastels a few months later — didn't use them. I bought some pastel pads, none if which seemed right. September 2020, I bought a couple more sets of bargain pastels and tried a couple of pieces — no good, still couldn't bring myself to use them. Jess bought me pastel pencils for Christmas — I was too scared to use them. I even bought a pad of Pastelmat which is supposed to be THE paper to use for pastel paintings in January. I was too scared to use that as well!
FINALLY, after a few unsuccessful attempts at working with watercolour (brush issues), I cast aside my fear and thought I'd mess around with pastels. Some time later, and this was the result. I've finally broken through my pastel fear-barrier.
I've got to say, I love soft pastels and I'm excited about doing more pieces in this medium.
“Claire!” Elle woke up with her daughter’s name on her lips. Startled, she sat up and looked around the living room with her heart still beating loudly in her chest. A dream, she realized dazedly.
Slowly, she crossed the way to the back door. With unseeing eyes she gazed out into the garden.
She remembered waking up in the hospital six years ago and seeing her husband sitting next to her. She remembered how he took her hand into his and looked at her with eyes full of despair. He told her that the doctor thought Claire might not survive. That she might die before she was even born, die before she had a chance to look into her mum’s eyes, feel a kiss on her forehead, clench her little fist around her dad’s finger, hear them speaking to her without a belly barrier between them… It was a silent, terrible death. It was the death of someone so precious, so innocent, so tiny…
Elle took a shuddering breath.
hello:) the themesong of my favourite series is stuck in my head and i love it. drew this some time ago. love to sit under a tree drawing, reading or just look at the sky and this inspired this drawing hihi. have a nice day!:)
