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How We're Shaped
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"How We're Shaped" - oil on Yupo, 11.5 x 18.5 inches. This item is unmounted and unframed. (click on the image to purchase)
A lot of us humans are like dogs: we really don’t know what size we are, how we’re shaped, what we look like. The most extreme example of this ignorance must be the people who design the seats on airplanes. At the other extreme, the people who have the most accurate, vivid sense of their own appearance may be dancers. What dancers look like is, after all, what they do. - URSULA K. LE GUIN
Our chihuahua, Wonder Mike, thinks he is the largest dog on the block.
He will not hesitate to give chase to a raccoon twice his size. I believe he would challenge a bear. And he dislikes being carried or coddled - because clearly he is TOO BIG for that.
When I read this quote, I wondered whether or not I have a firm sense of my size and shape and appearance without a mirror to confirm it. Mostly I do, but I have to admit I am sometimes surprised to find out I am less youthful and robust-looking than what I think I am. Couldn't I just run and do a cartwheel in the grass? Or stand on my head? Why is my butt droopy - that's not what I think is happening back there! And I am always, always guilty of selecting clothes that are too large for me, because I see myself as taking up more space in the world than I actually do. Wonder Mike and I are alike that way - aren't I one of the big dogs?
About the art: this piece is inspired by an image the AI bot created, which was a surprise interpretation of the prompt I had supplied. But I often find those random, wonky images are just exactly what I needed (but didn't know I was looking for). When I saw this one, I connected with her right away - somewhat masked (the eyes) and stern looking, but with torn tights and mismatched gloves and a tutu that was clearly falling apart. Ha ha! As usual, the Yupo allowed a pretty rapid building of the layers of color, and the ability to create texture within the paint. Keeping a nice mixture of hard and soft lines was key with this one, along with varying the reds just enough that her chair stood out but did not distract from the figure. A bit of paint thinner was added to the edges of her skirt to allow some runs and smudges. Kind of a modern version of The Thinker.
The September Reader Giveaway continues! Leave a comment (or several) this month to be entered to win a piece of original art! The winner will be announced here in the blog at the end of the month.
And, YES, couldn't I just run and do a cartwheel in the grass (I have that EXACT thought with a fair amount of regularity [and I've got years on you])? Or take the same pose as the woman on the cover of Yoga magazine?
I'll tell you one thing, cartwheels or no cartwheels, Lola, you REALLY know how to shape a painting. Huzzah!
Thank you, dear friend. This one shaped herself, pretty much. She's got something to say!