Boy in Blue, Skewed

"Boy in Blue, Skewed" (inspired by Rufino Tamayo's Boy in Blue) - mixed media on paper, 19" x 13".  Ready to frame.  Available here and at Artfinder.

School in in session here in the studio, as I continue my home-grown study of Rufino Tamayo and the processes learned in the Stan Kurth workshop.  

What do we do when we skew?  Capture the essence, the gist and the general, without focusing on the specifics  We pay homage but slant the piece in another direction.  I love  Tamayo's simple shapes, earthy, rough colors and scratchy textures.  In my version, the watercolor and "library of elements" (Stan Kurth) underneath peek through and provide a pop of intrigue and texture.  The two "windows" on the top right add depth to an otherwise flat piece. 

Resisting the impulse to refine, clarify and de-ambiguate (I made that up) was really, really ​hard, but I walked away.  Art is not for the wimpy.

Boy in Blue, Skewed

For those who enjoy the process pics, below is the sequence preceding the final piece, including Tamayo's original.

Boy in Blue, Rufino Tamayo 1928 Oil on Canvas

sketchbook

small sketch, adding crayon, pencil and watercolor with gesso

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Readers!!  You might have noticed a name change on this website.   JenWalls.com is now officially JenJovan.com!  But never fear -the old domain name will redirect you here, so you will never miss a blog post or  an update.  New name but the same malarkey and shenanigans!

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