“Fatal Fetal” 9×12 pastels
I’ve also added a section for a charcoal drawing I did for EBSQ and I will be adding more as the year progresses. 🙂
It seems Karin Jurick’s Portrait Challenge in the Different Strokes by Different Folks blog got me embedded in portraiture mode for the month of January. I’ll also be working on a self-portrait or two. Oh boy, more images of me for the wall! I thought for certain I had enough of those!
The cheerful pastel drawing above was done for an EBSQ show “Conversations with Dead Poets” It received Juror’s Choice Award and it’s also sold. This is how the piece was inspired:
This show exposed me to more poets than I’ve ever encountered in my life!
One of the first poets I responded to was the late Anne Sexton who lost her battle with mental illness and committed suicide in 1976 at age 46. My 9″x12″ mixed media entitled “Fatal Fetal” was inspired by “Wanting to Die”. The whole poem was powerful but these two stanzas were the ones that inspired my art:
“…To thrust all that life under your tongue!–
that, all by itself, becomes a passion.
Death’s a sad Bone; bruised, you’d say,
and yet she waits for me, year after year,
to so delicately undo an old wound,
to empty my breath from its bad prison…”
The poet seemed alone and hopeless. The figure in my piece seems cold and appears to lack comfort from clothing or human contact. Taking the fetal position and her fingers in her mouth, she appears to be regressing into a dark direction like a deep depression.
I remember finishing it and planning to paint it in oils on canvas at some point. I still might. I was proud that I made up the figure lol Anyway, as I said this piece sold but I am selling prints in Imagekind where you can also order it in your preferred surface and even framed. Well Red, glad you brought it up since I never touched it since last year lol!
If you need a happy fix, let me show you a video of my bird Joey in case you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing him! He’s been quite popular on Youtube!
Oh Erika …what a delight Joey is. His partner is quite pretty too!
I love your pastel Fatal Fetal….wow. That is image is the soul of art. Evoking emotion and making the viewer feel the raw pain and loneliness of the subject. I am AMAZED you didn’t have a model for that position. You go girl!!!!
I love your birds. They are so cute! I would love to have birds, but they will not be happy in my household for sure. 😉
Congrats on the sale of your beautiful pastel work and on winning award! It is filled with deep emotions.
I like the new look of your blog! It makes me feel like doing some work on mine too.
Greta birds and great pastel…I love the title!
Congrats on your new blog look, which is inviting and professional! Can’t wait to see your self portraits! The pose of this pastel is so sweet and sad all at the same time. I love the top foot swinging underneath again! A very intimate pose. I also appreciate your versatility in such varied media!
Urh-oh…tried to post and it disappeared! said all blanks must be filled. was just saying how i might have to snitch a few ideas for me own blog!
Let’s try this again!
What a pastel, wow I like the fact that even though she seems in despair and regressing she is still positioning herself in the light coming through the window.
The movie of Joey was such a nice addition to your blog ,which I like the new format a lot. Your feather friends are beautiful.
Sheila I look forward to playing in your blog! Anything that has anything to do with human body and portrait I am intrigued by! How does one break into the business?
I love an emotional piece of art as it’s gotta leave an artist tapped out. But everything in moderation is not bad. Thanks so much for your response to this piece!
Ahh I know Akiko you have your lovely kitties 🙂
I’m glad you like the blog, be sure to save what you have before you start messing! But your blog is already perfect!
Thanks Theresa! I was pleased with the title two, I’ve never seen those two words put together before 🙂
I appreciate your input Hillary, always. Guess I tend to express my art in a way I think would get the concept across through colors, materials and design. And since I can use so many media, I have so many options.
Glad you like the blog too. I’m really holding my breath that blogger won’t suddenly update and boot my arrangements.
Red I’m wondering if I was updating when you were posting. Thanks so much for hanging in there. I’m flattered you want to snitch a few ideas go for it!
Dominique yes, I like a tragic story that gives you an idea it still goes one 🙂 I’m glad you like the new format and the video!
There’s Joey! He is so sweet! I love your birds! I like the way you have changed your blog. Interesting colors in the nude. What colors do you use? When I am doing my watercolor Lost in Space art I am always playing with the skin colors.
Oh Erika! I just saw Vicki Ross’ portrait of you! It’s wonderful.
Technical questions ?
Erika which format did you use to put 3 columns in your blog ?
Hi Tiglizzyclone! Hmm hard to enser what colors since I mix so much and I used different brands. So light and medium flesh tones with some yellow and orange.? I think it’s safe to say each artist will come up with their own fleshtone palette, so I know you will find your preferences! Lost ins Space art? Well that just opens up a world of options there for ya 🙂
Sheila I saw VickilouRedRoss’s portrait of me, all I can say is – It’s SO ME!
Dominique I have Minima template. Good luck! I hope you find success in shorter time than I did lol
Keep up the good work, Erika. I esp. like your directional pastel strokes to define her form.