A few years ago, our friends, The Carswells, and my family attended a formal event in Philadelphia. Very fun night. At the end of the night, the hosts put out party items including Mardi Gras beads and glow sticks. We got silly, putting glow sticks behind our ears, wove them through our glasses, and even made crowns. Snapped some pictures. I liked the way the glow stick light reflected off of skin, and started composing. Kept refining until I got a photo that I thought would make a good painting. My initial motivation was the challenge of painting the reflected light. But, I also like that the painting subject matter challenges the viewer. When I was snapping shots, liked that the subject matter was a bit disquieting and could be read different ways. Blue light, a central cross, and beads (rosary) gave the image a religious vibe. But, the stark frontal gaze, dark deep set eyes, exaggerated grin, red background, and horns give a menacing, dark feel. Intending the viewer to question how to read the painting. Coincidentally, visited the Jamie Wyeth exhibition of his “Unsettled” work right when I finished this painting. From the exhibition book, “multiple thoughts and emotions wrestle on the canvas…for me, emotions such as fear, anxiety, and sadness are deeply coupled with their polar opposites: confidence, pleasure, and happiness. I find it difficult to express the dark side without also bringing in the light.” Worked to capture similar feelings in this piece.
