11x14
in
acrylic on hardboard
This
painting is part of my ongoing Little Miss series. Each piece in this collection has been a joy
to create, and this particular painting was no exception.
As I
worked on this piece, I found myself tempted to ground the figure with a shadow
in the background to anchor her. However, as the painting evolved, I came to appreciate the
light and airy quality that emerged. The result is a sense of weightlessness and
whimsy that I absolutely love.
Sometimes,
the things we resist the most grow into unexpected favorites. My relationship
with the color orange is a perfect example of that transformation. For twenty years, I worked at a school where orange was
the school’s spirit color. I wore it often, but never quite embraced it, at
least at first. I used to joke that I felt like a giant pumpkin in my orange
spirit shirt and jacket. I even recall a moment at the movies when an usher
waved me back in without a ticket, saying he remembered me because of “that
jacket.” His words confirmed what I already felt: I was unmistakable in orange.
Over time, my relationship with the color changed. Orange, once a shade I resisted, became a symbol of community and great memories. Orange is a fine color, especially when complemented with blue. Hopefully, my little miss in orange will be as noticeable as I was in my orange spirit jacket.
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