I finally finished the painting last week and
decided to put it in the members’ exhibit at The Rehoboth Art League. Their entry
form insisted on a title so I toyed around with a name.
The title of your artwork is often the only glimpse your audience has into what you were thinking when you created the piece. Sometimes I have the title before I begin. Occasionally, I don’t have a title until forced to come up with one to hang next to the painting on a gallery wall. Then I am compelled to examine what motivated me to create a particular piece.
Sketch-Dreaming of Miami-Pastel on paper |
My new painting wasn’t
part of my Re-weaving Mythology series.
Maybe I should begin another series based on my affinity for all things tropical.
I have been meaning to weave
Dreaming of Miami for sometime now anyway.
Maybe I should begin another series based on my affinity for all things tropical.
I have been meaning to weave
Dreaming of Miami for sometime now anyway.
I tried
several titles for my White Heron Woman based on derivatives of Belize, because I love Belize and the
foliage reminded me of the Jungle there.
I tried Secrets in Belize then I tried
Making Friends With Belize. The
title Making Friends with Frida popped
into my head.
I greatly admire the work of Frida Kahlo and I realized the
foliage in the background referenced her paintings, which often used tropical
foliage and animal symbols to convey her messages. As you know, Kahlo’s life
was filled with tragedy and unhappy consequences, and much of her symbolism was
dark.
Frida , and dyed silk on my loom and ready to be woven |
I have to
look at my work for a long, long time when weaving. It progresses inch by inch
across the loom and dark imagery in such large doses would make for a long day.
I chose instead to fill
my work with symbols of hope and possibilities for happiness and redemption, options
that are available to us all.
“Making Friends with Frida” worked for me as a title for the painting on several levels. Heron’s were the Iroquois’ symbol for wisdom and
considered a powerful omen for good. The Japanese tradition of creating one
thousand origami cranes as a message for hope and healing was also in my mind
when painting the white heron.
If you visit the exhibit at the Art League in
Rehoboth, DE, you will read “Tropical Secrets,” on the title card… and you and
I will know the secret…make friends with your inner Frida,
embrace peace and happiness.
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