The Egg & The Horsehead

China painted porcelain egg

Today I'm adding just a quick blog entry with images. I've been working non stop on this egg and for the most part I am very pleased with the way it came out. I was shocked at how easy it was to paint humans on porcelain. I loved the way the paint felt going on and my brain and hand were one. That usually never happens on bristol or canvas. I love things smooth and blurry almost and one crit I continually received on my paper work was that it was too smooth and "dreamy" but on porcelain its ok to explore such techniques. Of course the house and my son have been patiently waiting for me to return and tidy up and play

So that is the plan today to dust very quickly and then play. Late tonight I'll be at the fashion show watching them auction off the egg. I hope it is received well. I'll leave you with a few more images of the egg and a new medallion that was also completed in the studio this week.

Close up of Madonna and Child

. Egg slightly opened to show inside

New medallion

Wait! What?

Slowly layering in flesh tones

As you can see I have been working diligently on the porcelain egg box and I have made some really nice progress. It's by far the most adventurous and beautiful china painting I have produced to date. So, I was of course very excited to show it off and left the upper portion of the egg sitting on the kitchen table. Hubby walks in after work, picks up the egg, examines it and says, "It's too religious" then walks away leaving me speechless and feeling rather defeated.

Three days of non stop, solid work were seemingly squashed in three words.

Layering hair

Too religious? Wait! Did you say it was too religious Mr. "HURRY we are going to be late for mass?" How on God's good green earth is this box too religious for the school association of SAINT Bernard's? Should I seriously be worried about my box offending about a hundred Catholic women attending a fashion show in support of the school they are sending their children to?

Defining the veil

The Madonna gently holding her baby is the epitome of a mother's love. A quiet moment of innocence and nurturing. Aren't we as moms and dads always striving for that quiet moment of love between our children? How could the Madonna, the ultimate mom in the Christian religion, or for those non religious- the most ultimate "mom" icon of high art be too religious, too over the top? Whether you are religious or not, it is still a beautiful image, no? Did I miss the memo?

Layering color on infant

Slowly detailing Mary

I know it's become rather fashionable and easy to forgo religion, to forget your manners, to be apposed to anything Conservative these days, and to poo poo any form of gentleness in our rough society. It's quicker and more fashionable to type "Xmas" instead of "Christmas" and any slight mention of Christ brings some to a halt with a snicker. That's OK. I get it and normally keep my religion and religious thoughts to myself, but this idea, this seemingly perfect theme for a huge fundraising event held by women at a religious organization that lands right before the big religious holiday seems right. No, wait, its seems absolutely perfectly SANE in EVERY respect.

Visualizing entire piece together

If this idea truly is not sane, or it is too religious and most of all unfashionable to present a Madonna and Child to a religious association hoping for a rather large turnout to their event with, of course, nice four figured profits at the end of the affair in order to support a RELIGIOUS school, then the whole world has truly gone mad.

Diversify

Beginning stages porcelain painting

Diversity is key in my studio. I love having many things to work on and I actually enjoy juggling between those projects. It keeps me on my toes and I feel my eye stays sharper and fresher. I'm also never bored.

As you can see today I've added another item to the juggle. I was invited to attend a fashion show in Brooklyn and hence asked if my small business had anything by way of donations in order to help support their cause and although the request comes last minute the group that asked is an association that I had been hoping to show off my work to (one goal of 08) but never had the opportunity. When opportunity knocks you answer and so I added this lovely porcelain egg to the mix.

Adding figures lightly

My vision for this piece is to see the Madonna and Child painted on the upper portion of the egg. The lower portion, near the legs, will have beautiful red roses circling the area and there will be 24k gold touches here and there. I have decided to leave the inside white. Perhaps I'll place a small rose inside the box. I haven't decided. Right now my focus is on the Madonna and Child and is always the case with me when I am painting humans my hero Tamara de Lempicka is there in the background inspiring.