Peeking in on the new Frida series...

Well, I am twelve pieces into the series and it has changed quite a bit and is still developing.  When I first started I was working more with my fashion illustration style, using a red dress and stylized Frida motif as the unifying elements. 

​And then...my book arrived in the mail;

This book is unique because the majority of the book is her actual diary- sketches and doodle, musings and stream of conscoiusness writing...but in SPANISH.  Luckily, the back of the book is all the translations of the material.

What happened next was...I started to do portraits of Frida and stopped with the fashion illustrations. You know...I had thought in January that I might work with the idea of fashion sketches all of 2019 but truth is...it didn't fit for Frida.  I wanted to create images that included more of her face.  

This was the first piece showing the change in direction;

And something just kinda clicked.  When the art flows from my brain to my hands more fluidly...then I know that I am on the right path.  If I find myself sitting and thinking too much instead of 'doing' then I know that it is time to switch it up.  And it was.  

​So I kept making portraits;

The thing with painting is...for me at least...it is more of a push-pull relationship.  When I work in watercolors, which I often do, the watercolors are less forgiving...so I make the work in 'one pass'.  I either get it right or I don't, I don't keep re-working the piece.

When I work with thicker paint I always go with acrylic.  I love how fast it dries, so if I want to change something I just let it dry then paint right on top.  I love the smell of acrylic paint- I love the way it glides on the surface.  I just love it.  

But...I also had fun spray painting last year with some of my themes, and I still had spray paint and stencils so...this happened;

​...and that is where I am right now with the series.  Frida portraits on colored backgrounds, spray paint, her words scribbled on the surface- then sometimes sanded back...that is what I am doing- for now.