Channeling The Horror . . .

9x12 mixed media on watercolor paper

I planned on painting Friday.  I had a failed image transfer on a piece of hot press watercolor paper from the day before waiting for me.   I would use a limited palette of payne's gray and titanium white.  And I wanted to use my scraper again since I enjoyed it so much creating the painting in my last post.  

I already heard the horrible news out of Newtown CT, a mere 20 miles away, before I began this piece.  I wanted to paint to try to shake off how disturbed and upset I was about what had happened.  What I did not expect when I stepped back were the figures that showed up along the bottom.  

I paint pieces like these intuitively.  I used my scraper very randomly smearing and scraping the paint around the paper.  I keep at it working very quickly (because if I stop and think my inner perfectionist comes out)  not paying much attention to what is happening.  The only specific work I did on purpose was the face of the woman. 

The tears were added to her face before I even noticed the figures below her.  Now I know why the tears were necessary.  

I continue to send prayers and peace to those lost and those left behind

xo