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This Is
Why Rum Makes You See Things
(click above for full
size pictures)
As
all of you know, Rum is made from sugarcane. Since
Guatemala is literally
covered with fields of it grown for domestic use and exportation, I felt it
deserved some attention. Plus, because I also have been accused of painting
too many “female images” I thought the linear directness of a stand of
sugarcane would be a nice change. But the more I stared at it the more I
realized that in order to satisfy my appetite for color maybe I should drink
some rum and see if it influenced the painting.
After about three
cuba libres I
began to understand the true meaning of the words artistic license. If I
kept the form true, what difference did it make how I showed the volume and
light? I thought of Andy Warhol and his reductive silkscreens, and Van Gogh
and his obscene use of chartreuse, as well as Toulouse Latrec and his
fabulous contrasts of the nightlife in Paris. Finally I looked at virtually
all the colors I had on my palettes and went for it one at a time.
The
result is this painting, simply called “Sugarcane”. I was not on acid, but
influenced by the beverage made from the plant. I find it delightful and
have considered making it into a poster. I would like your
feedback
about that. Have a cuba libre on me and consider that before giving me your
opinion. |
