Wanderlust
Acrylic on 36" x 36" x 1.5" wrap canvas
Commissioned Painting
Preliminary sketches
This was such a special painting to make as it was created as an anniversary gift for a first year of marriage. It was unique in that I was contacted by the husband inquiring if I would be interested in creating a work in which I envisioned and was also encouraged to paint freely. Rather than supplying a photo or a another painting of mine to work from, he would rather supply me with a few details and pics about themselves. Upon reading this initial email I thought to myself..."oh, no way". Within minutes, though, the artist's imagination went to work and an idea had sprung forth. It was then that I realized, yes, this is doable and such a wonderful challenge.
And so was born the inspiration for this painting. The couple in celebrating their anniversary both had a love for the international life, having traveled to four continents and six countries within there first year of marriage. They had been engaged in London, married in South Africa, lived in China the majority of the time and had a home in San Antonio, where this painting was to be hung. The only suggestions given were that they both loved colors in the blue range.
I guess you could say that the first strokes of a painting actually begin in my head, rather than on the canvas. With this one, the first idea was that of rectangular/square shapes linked by lines as land masses. I tossed many ideas around, but kept coming back to this. Ready to paint, I was held up by having to wait for the canvases to be shipped in. As I waited, I decided to take these ideas to paper which you can see in the above pic. The bottom left was the favored idea. A high horizontal with warm colors mixed in to provide contrast plus the idea of sunsets and sunrises all over the world.
I also decided to take the ideas for the color palette to another canvas while I waited....just to see. That will be my next post, as it too became a painting! The color intensified (surprise, surprise) from the original beginnings, but it laid the foundation for a blue color palette. Once finished with this painting, I went back to that original canvas and finished it as well, which turned out to be very much akin to this one.
"Wanderlust"....
a love for traveling. The completed image was sent for the client's approval with the reply being exactly what I always love to hear. "LOVE it!".....actually there was more to it than this, but you get the idea.
Two hearts are hidden within this painting to commemorate it as a first year anniversary. Click on image zoom... Can you find them?!
This painting will be exclusive to this couple, never to be reproduced.
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All images on this blog are copyrighted and may not be used without the written permission of the artist Elizabeth Chapman)
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Elizabeth Chapman
Contemporary Abstract Painting
