Nyquil Green and Sickly Yellow - Color A Day #31, #32

I’ve been sick for the last couple of days.  Color inspiration, as a result, is leaning toward illness related colors.

Thus, I present…Color A Day #30 – Nyquil Green and  #31:  Sickly Yellow.

Hope I feel better soon….

Thinking About Death by Frida Kahlo

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Color A Day # 12 - Bird of Paradise

A friend and I were chatting today, and as we passed by a Bird of Paradise bush she remarked, "Oh, there's my favorite flower!".   I can see why it's her favorite.  It's such a showy looking blossom - with a shock of fiery, in-your-face orange plumage on it's crown.  I admire these flowers - with all their vibrant, pointed color - and featured a BOP prominently in one of my Frida Icon paintings. 

BOP, the bird.

BOP, The flower.

The Virgin Enthroned  by Alisa Proctor

  

Icon Series: Frida as Icon

"Icon (Frida y Mono)"
Acrylic and gold leaf on panel, 20x24
by Alisa Proctor

Icon Series: Frida Kahlo as the Virgin of Guadalupe

"Senora Nuestra Fridalupe (with Diego)"
Acrylic on Canvas, 34x52
by Alisa Proctor

Frida Kahlo has become a bit of an icon, and her popularity in Mexico may well rival that of the Virgin of Guadalupe. I've run with that concept and created a visual mash-up. In place of the traditional cherub I've painted Diego Rivera, Frida's husband and famed muralist. Until Frida's rise in popularity in recent years, he was probably Mexico's most famous artist. These days, she may well outshine him. That begs the question: is "cherub" Diego holding up Fridalupe, or riding her coat-tails? And of course, I've included Frida's pet monkeys!

(click on image to enlarge)

Icon Series: Frida Kahlo as ex voto

“The Three-Handed Virgin (Frida y Jesus el Mono)"
Acrylic and gold leaf on board, 24 x 36”
by Alisa Proctor

Traditionally, the “Three Handed Virgin” icon is considered the first ex-voto in the Christian faith. Ex-votos are devotional paintings (or other objects) that are created to celebrate a miraculous event, or objects used as an offering of gratitude for the fulfillment of a vow. The Three Handed Virgin icon originated during the iconoclast period when an eighth-century saint had his hand cut off as a punishment. The saint prayed for healing and promised to continue his struggle for the cult of icons if his hand was healed. He was miraculously healed, and hung a silver hand on the icon of the Virgin. In time, the third hand began to be painted into icons as if appearing naturally from the folds of Mary’s gown.

Mexican painter Frida Kahlo has become an icon of sorts (especially in Mexico), known for her accentuated uni-brow and pet monkeys. In this painting I have portrayed her as the Virgin along with one of Frida’s ubiquitous monkeys (whom I have dubbed “Jesus” - Spanish pronunciation). Frida’s work often had a slightly macabre or surreal feel, and it seemed right to paint her with a miraculous third hand. It also seemed appropriate to depict Frida as an ex-voto icon because she painted a number of ex-voto style works (such as “My Birth”), in which she focused on the pain and tragedy that filled her life.