Day 22 - "Passing the Tower"

I mentioned the other day that I sometimes get inspiration from the Morguefile, an online free file sharing website.  Well, I also love to use Google street view to wander the globe and see places that I otherwise may never get to see.  This inspires me so often and I have painted many pictures from scenes I have found in street view... Prague, Ireland, Idaho and Paris are just a few of the most beautiful areas of the world, at least on street view anyway.  So, this scene  which I found while 'wandering' around Paris, inspired me because, one, this view of the tower is just impeccably perfect, and two, the young man on the bike in the foreground presented a nice mystery.... What exactly is his story?  It made me wonder "where is he was going?"  Maybe university?  A quiet cafe to meet a secret rendezvous? Maybe he's a delivery guy delivering important documents.  Maybe he's on his way to visit grandma.  Who knows?   Anyway, I liked the mystery this scene presented and I also loved the composition when I cropped it to fit one of my narrow panel left-overs.

Passing the Tower, oil, 4"x18"
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For You

Sometimes as an artist I am inspired in unexpected places.  This painting came from such an experience.  One of my all time favorite things to do in life (although time does not always allow) is read to my kids at bed time.  Currently, I am deep into the "Little House on the Prairie" series with my son.  He is loving it and I am reliving the books because I read them to my daughter years ago.  A few weeks ago, I came to the end of a chapter and there was just a beautiful passage about 'Pa' playing his fiddle in the evening and a Nightingale singing back to his playing.  Laura drifted off into blissful sleep listening to the two of them talking back and forth to each other.  It was so eloquently written.. such a beautiful and inspiring image... I immediately knew I had to respond to the emotions I was feeling just reading those words with some artwork of my own... a painting.  So, while this is not a picture of 'Pa'.. and it definitely is NOT on the prairies of wild North America.... This is what I came up with!   I ended up in Paris... with an older gent... with a nightingale on his head... I also had to put that young lady in red bicycling by in the background... She seems to be showing up in many of my paintings... :)    Anyway... I am loving this new direction my art is taking me.  I attribute the new work somewhat to my research into vintage posters, as they 'tell a story' in their own way.... This new painting, I hope, tells a story also... whatever story you want it to tell....
It will be available, framed (with a solid wood frame hand crafted by yours truly) in the upcoming Art Plus Gallery show which opens Friday, May 8th.

For You, oil on panel, 18" x 24",
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Day 18 - Je Suis Charlie

So, I decided to paint a scene in Paris, France today... and well, it obviously turned out to be the Eiffel Tower... Found a very beautiful shot and composition to my liking using street view again...  I have never painted the Eiffel Tower before, and was enjoying it quite a bit.  As it happens, my mind will wander when I paint.  It occurred to me as I was painting this, that I should pay my own tribute to the people who were killed about a week ago at the satirical French publication, Charlie Hebdo.  While I don't necessarily agree with the type of cartooning and commentary that the paper often prints, I am 100% a supporter of freedom of speech.  I myself am not into extremist political commentary, making fun of others religions and the like.... but freedom of speech is sacred to me and without it our country would not be what it is.  So, yes, I am Charlie, Je Suis Charlie, is the title of this one... Let freedom ring, let freedom of speech and expression live strong and may the terrorists who are trying destroy this freedom be stopped.  With that said, hope you enjoy this painting, my tribute to those who died in Paris... my thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends.

This painting is available to bid on at my Daily Paintworks webpage.  To place a bid, and to see other paintings I have for sale or auction, please click here.

Je Suis Charlie, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to place a bid, please click here