Ruthless Iterations #2 – Original
Acrylic on canvas, 30" x 30" x 1"
"Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time." – Ruth Bader Ginsberg
This painting began as a “30 Day Painting Challenge” where the object of the challenge was to paint on the same canvas for 30 days. Day by day, the painting went from watery swooshes and pencil marks to brightly colored splotches to a finely detailed abstract mishmash. I incorporated a dancing figure and then another and only to paint over them again. There were times when I hated the painting and was happy to paint over it. Other days, I loved it and hated painting over it.
In this way, the painting took on a new direction each day until I had the idea to overlay a portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsberg over what had become a colorful city-like landscape. It seemed almost foolish to try and add a portrait over such a chaotic scene, but I was fearless because I knew I would likely just paint over it again. Little by little, a face began to appear through the colors and shapes, growing more defined with each day until day 24, when I realized I could no longer paint over her. Instead, I simply continued to refine her.
This second version of Ruth came about when someone requested it after seeing the first one at Fogue Gallery in Seattle. This time, I decided to work with the color in a different way than in the first one.
Ruth wanted to be remembered as “someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability. And to help repair tears in her society, to make things a little better through the use of whatever ability she has.”
This artist hopes that I have somehow captured that spirit to the best of my ability.
Acrylic on canvas, 30" x 30" x 1"
"Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time." – Ruth Bader Ginsberg
This painting began as a “30 Day Painting Challenge” where the object of the challenge was to paint on the same canvas for 30 days. Day by day, the painting went from watery swooshes and pencil marks to brightly colored splotches to a finely detailed abstract mishmash. I incorporated a dancing figure and then another and only to paint over them again. There were times when I hated the painting and was happy to paint over it. Other days, I loved it and hated painting over it.
In this way, the painting took on a new direction each day until I had the idea to overlay a portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsberg over what had become a colorful city-like landscape. It seemed almost foolish to try and add a portrait over such a chaotic scene, but I was fearless because I knew I would likely just paint over it again. Little by little, a face began to appear through the colors and shapes, growing more defined with each day until day 24, when I realized I could no longer paint over her. Instead, I simply continued to refine her.
This second version of Ruth came about when someone requested it after seeing the first one at Fogue Gallery in Seattle. This time, I decided to work with the color in a different way than in the first one.
Ruth wanted to be remembered as “someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability. And to help repair tears in her society, to make things a little better through the use of whatever ability she has.”
This artist hopes that I have somehow captured that spirit to the best of my ability.
Acrylic on canvas, 30" x 30" x 1"
"Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time." – Ruth Bader Ginsberg
This painting began as a “30 Day Painting Challenge” where the object of the challenge was to paint on the same canvas for 30 days. Day by day, the painting went from watery swooshes and pencil marks to brightly colored splotches to a finely detailed abstract mishmash. I incorporated a dancing figure and then another and only to paint over them again. There were times when I hated the painting and was happy to paint over it. Other days, I loved it and hated painting over it.
In this way, the painting took on a new direction each day until I had the idea to overlay a portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsberg over what had become a colorful city-like landscape. It seemed almost foolish to try and add a portrait over such a chaotic scene, but I was fearless because I knew I would likely just paint over it again. Little by little, a face began to appear through the colors and shapes, growing more defined with each day until day 24, when I realized I could no longer paint over her. Instead, I simply continued to refine her.
This second version of Ruth came about when someone requested it after seeing the first one at Fogue Gallery in Seattle. This time, I decided to work with the color in a different way than in the first one.
Ruth wanted to be remembered as “someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability. And to help repair tears in her society, to make things a little better through the use of whatever ability she has.”
This artist hopes that I have somehow captured that spirit to the best of my ability.