Monday 30 July 2007

Inspire Me Thursday: Open Topic

Here's another painting that will go into the show... Recollection: Finding Inspiration in Everyday Miracles. While standing in line for a concert at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, I spent my time photographing the building's beautiful Art Deco lines and ornaments. Clad in stone slabs the color of copper patina, with bronze fluted doorways, and inlaid marble floors, the building offers so many gorgeous examples of Art Deco motifs that I could spend the whole afternoon exploring each one.

However, in the whole batch of photos, my favorite turned out to be something rather mundane... a reflected view of Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue, the Metro station and some dilapidated buildings, with the Hollywood Hills in the far distance. Viewed as reflected on the tinted glass of the doors, the scene took on the aura of a Hopper painting, with all the seedy parts softened and filtered.

The painting is a work in progress... but I thought I'd post it anyway.

Details: "View of Wilshire Boulevard," original painting, acrylic on canvas, 18x24, 2007.

15 comments:

Patricia J. Mosca said...

Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!
This is going to be an amazing show of visuals!!!!! What a treat for the viewers...

Jennifer Davis said...

Wow! Your work is amazing! Thanks so much for sharing!

Crafty Green Poet said...

very beautiful, I like the slight distortions of things in the glass

Royce Addington said...

I '2nd' all the above comments which is really a standing ovation in cyberspace! BRAVO!!

Cheryl Finley said...

Lea,
I find your work amazing...that you can paint something so vivid and precise that it looks like a photograph...and yet radiates your wonderful artistry.

Exquisite indeed!

Anonymous said...

When I first saw the painting before I read your post, I thought, "That's LA!" I love the title of the collection. I am especially fond of the title because living in So Cali it is easy to get absorbed in the day to day and forget the miracles and beauty in each day. This is a very stunning painting!

Cheryl said...

This is a fantastic painting! Beautiful!

x said...

fantastic, just gorgeous. ,-)

shannonjyl said...

very very nice!
i love your style :)

Cheryl Finley said...

Hi La-La-La Lea!
It is my giddy pleasure to present you with the Rockin' Girl Blogger award! Your artistry always inspires... thank you! You can get get it (copy, save as)and read about it here:

http://artineveryday.blogspot.com/2007/08/rockin-girl-blogger-award.html

Keep Rockin'!

Deb G said...

This is really great. I think reflections are really inspiring.

Laura said...

Great image. You've got a really good eye for composition. Very clever.

lee said...

when I first looked at your painting I thought it was a photo. I love it, it looks like distorted glass, what a vision...

titration said...

I didn't know acrylics could look that smooth... Good work. My favorite thing about this painting was looking for how many shapes I could find. All the light poles and the frame and the sides and the shapes they make in addition to all the other lines etc., caused me to look a bit longer at it than most paintings.

Heartful said...

This is wonderful, I love the otherworldly feel of this, I feel like I could step into it. There's a sense of melancholy that appeals to me too. You're a wonder with acrylics!!