Behind The Scenes of "UNSUNG MOMENTS"

 I don't know about you, Friend but growing up- I used to have some special ‘listening Trees’. Some days were tougher than others and as a little kid {and being more introverted and confused by life than I am now} I needed to break away from the crowd and take some space for myself. At home and at school there would be a tree I designated as my listening tree. A tree I could sit under, lean back upon, and cry my heart out or speak my thoughts. Those trees- bless them- were the best gift an anxious soul could ask for… Now I see them as Dryads taking care of me.

  It is strange to share this with you friend , because when I think about it- that action I did to express myself in my loneliest moments was such an influence on my life that it feels utterly ridiculous that I only now made a story inspired by that. Oh but here she was- the first and it was easy for me to be emotionally touched by the memories as soon as I began the sketch…

 

                       This poor soul's image and composition and story had been sitting in my mind from the start of February this year and I'm thrilled that she is realized. The image below was one of my favorite moments in the process. There was so much possibility with the coffee here- it seemed all that I needed to do was decide where the darker additions might be. Simple as that?  

Alas. Tragedy struck. The thing about coffee I still wrestle with- or grapple with… BATTLE with is how the darkest stains look when they dry. It is difficult to predict. Because when the coffee is wet it looks very different from…THIS! {Nervous laughter}. It doesnt always happen but sometimes there is no going back. 

 

                 It wasn't the end of the world though- I was coming off of “NicNevin” and “Queen Mab”. Both had been complex Coffee Paintings that were finished by using Acrylic so I knew on some level this was not going to be just coffee. 

 

                WHY would I do it this way? If I'm doing Coffee stains- why not stick with Coffee Stains? I reasoned that my favorite reason to work with coffee is how I can get the golden richness of a piece and knowing it is actually coffee not just a gouache or acrylic painting done in sepia tones. Add to that- Ghost in the Gaslight for me- in terms of the visuals- is about the story of light in a scene. My favorite Faeries are the ones in some kind of striking illumination… 

 

                 And below- I was losing this light amid one continuous tone. And- it was just getting messy. Also with the paper I was using- the Coffee tended to set and I could rehydrate it as much as before…

Ghost in the Gaslight is about a promise. It's beginnings involved me promising to ‘live in my own light’. I spent many years side-lining my art for ‘someday’ when I would magically have time. Now I stopped waiting for that day and learned that I have time now. 

 

               When I paint with light and shadow it is a visual way that life makes sense to me. It puts me back on track- because I feel what my life is about. Seeking what is within and bringing it out. So to bring home this philosophy {if that is possible} I am in my element if I am working with light and shadow. That was where I was going astray. When you are working with the deadlines that I am- it can be hard to know what decisions to make on a piece… but studying light- that is when I know the piece or the story is off.

 

                And so it was I enlisted the help of Goache paint. Like Coffee- Gouache also rehydrates when touched by water. One effect I was eager to try was when both Coffee and Gouache met and they would no doubt mix and smooth into one another…

There is a finality to the finished mess of this one First name / Friend -in other words I knew at last when she was finished. I must have thought she was done four times by the time I got to this. Everytime I was about to declare her done- she whispered if I was sure. Finally with this stage I answered that I was. The moment of finality- of relief- was when I was doing the thin white branches in front of the moon. 

                           The Moon herself seemed to glow and project the luminosity and it was the greatest moment to look all around her and her world and see that she was finished. Still I left her alone for the night and came back by morning. She had everything I wanted. 

                           As to the story… I wanted something original by me and not based on anything else. It being Februfairy I wanted to discover fairies- and explore the inside of their worlds as well as to iterate their tempers and malice. 

                           I hope you enjoy this film if you have not done so already… cheers.