Katrina has been completed. It is purely coincidence that this is the hurricane's 5th anniversary.
This is the final version of the storm in my hurricane series. Several months ago I was working on her and posted a snippet on this blog. I looked at her as the months passed and finally knew what I had to do...paint over the collage background. The resulting texture has given the piece a depth she didn't previously have.
The water bird in the foreground is another character in southern tragedies. They appear so fragile with their long legs and necks. Their vulnerability is shared with the woman and baby. However the drive to survive is shared by both mankind and nature.
In the end, as depicted in this painting, both New Orleans, as portrayed by the woman, and the city's future, as depicted by the baby, and the surrounding nature, as represented by the water bird are still standing. A little shaken, but nevertheless back on their feet. If you have lived in or visited the city you understand that feeling.
Wow, this is such a striking and powerful piece Beth! Glad you finally knew how to finish her......
ReplyDeleteThank you Deanna. Your work has been so wonderful. I have enjoyed checking in to see what you have created.
ReplyDeleteBeth,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you brought "her" to completion. There's healing medicine in that act! I love the broken eggs in the foreground, with Mother New Orleans standing behind the broken shells, grasping her child. I can almost hear the wind howling as I look at it.
Excellent Beth!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Diane and Hannah. I do feel revived in her completion.
ReplyDelete