11.08.2008
I have recently been asked to participate in Xnihilo Gallery's "Stations of the Cross Exhibit" this spring. I am going to make a painting for station #7. Stay tuned to see what I come up with!
(This is what they gave me to work with:)
Station #7:
Jesus Falls a Second Time.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
But as for
me, I am a worm and no man,
scorned by all and despised by the people.
Psalm 22:6
12.11.2008
The stations of the cross painting begins... I decided to do a landscape with an olive tree in it. It will rotate round and round and thus the viewer will hopefully feel like s/he is in Jesus shoes as he falls the second time.
Sidenote: The olive tree is said to symbolize faithfulness and steadfastness.
12.31.2008
I've been neglecting my painting a bit lately... is getting married a good excuse? :)
I worked on the sky and the mountains and the hill on the left today. I like how I got some warmer tones in the mountains so that it starts to look like slopes.
1.02.2009
I added more green to the hill on the right and I started adding brown grass to the yellow hill.
1.04.2009
I started adding the olive tree today. It takes a lot of thought figuring out which way the branches to go to make the best composition. I have to keep in mind that the final painting will be spinning too... hmmm...
1.06.2009
I added some more branches today and I added an orangey color to the tree bark. It is difficult to tell in this photo though I suppose.
1.12.2009
I started working on the path and the hill today. I have a lot more work to do but it is starting to take shape which is exciting. Also, I added some red to the tree.
1.14.2009
I worked on the path and hill more... I added a lot of orange. My battle with the colors officially begins.
1.18.2009
Goodbye orange! I changes the colors on the hill and the path today. On the hill I worked on making it look like there is grass on it. I still have more work to do though.
1.20.2009
I added more pinky orange to the path and more reddish brown to the plants on the right and left. I thought a lot about Van Gogh's Cypress tree painting and also his painting of wheat.
1.26.2009
I added some red to the tree and also made the path more yellow than pink.
1.27.2009
I added a light green on the path and added a lot more red to the plants. I like the idea of having red accents in the painting as it is talking about Jesus walking to the cross.
1.31.2009
I added some lighter highlights to the path and some rocks in the foreground.
2.01.2009
I added some reddish hues to the left grass and I also added the two crosses for the thieves.
2.02.2009
I added some more branches at the top. I also made the front branches and the crosses in the background darker.
2.03.2009
I decided that the rocks in Israel are more white-ish looking. There is a lot of limestone there I think. So I am changing the color up again. I really like the foreground better now though. Though the front hill still needs tweaking. More to come...
2.04.2009
I added more light gray rocks to the hill and I also added the green plants to the left of the path. (I really like those.) I still need to work on the hill in the foreground more... the green isn't quite right yet... getting closer... but not yet.
2.08.2009
I added more dark green/ contrast to the right side of the painting. I think that it is more harmonious with the other side of the road now. Also I added more contrast to the rock cliff in the background. I like how the rocks are starting to look like teeth or bone.
2.09.2009
I added more little branches. They remind me of broken glass which is fitting for the subject matter.
2.11.2009
I added a light yellowish color to the rocks as well as some light green to the front hill. I also got rid of some of the red plants on the right side.
2.12.2009
I forgot to take a photo... I added more red to the tree.
2.13.2009
I added more light green plants in the foreground and made the rocks a bit bluer. I also added a dark line of contrast all the way to the background along the path.
The Bible says that the wise person seeks counsel so I asked Van Gogh what he thought I should do about the colors in my paintings. He said more light greens, yellows and blues in the foreground. (That's why I like art books ya see...)
I think* I am almost finished...
