I have a fondness for a little Renassance "trick" that those artists in Italy used. Artist's wealthy patrons (would that artists now had the luxury of living in those times!) began asking for images of themselves somehow included in the painting. Quite often the figures are smaller than the main event, Madonna with Child, etc. Sometimes angels are at the edge of the piece, pointing at the main event of the painting. (In case you missed it). I like the way these people invite you into the artwork. And I noticed the other evening, as I was lying on the couch, peering between my feet at the paintings on the wall across from me, that in three of my Women's Series, my friends look out of their piece, smiling, or looking a bit mysterious, and while looking straight out at you, they really INVITE you into the piece. ("Look!", "this is my world. Come see!" I find the idea of it, like the idea of these women friends I am so fond of, is comforting.I have a fondness for a little Renassance "trick" that those artists in Italy used. Artist's
When I was in grade three, the teacher would hand out mimeographs (Google it if you don't know what it is...) of a drawing of some activity and ask us to print a story of what was going on in the picture. I loved this. A lot of the narrative quality that my work tends to have derive way back to those days of making up a story about the picture. As I work on a piece, the story develops in my head. My story about my piece of art may be totally different than the one you perceive. Which is the fun part.
But I digress. Here at last is the image of Natalie and her motorcycle, Jimmy, called "Riding on a Cloud". As I write this, Natalie, I believe, is riding Jimmy down to Portland. So we can all imagine her riding on her pink cloud, down the road, wind in her hair, to go listen to a concert, the road rolling out in a ribbon ahead of her, beckoning....