Category: Anatomy Of A Painting

Be The Light Topeka Bible Church Christmas Gospel Message

Anatomy Of A Painting: Be The Light

Every Year Our Church, Topeka Bible Church, Presents “Be The Light” Our Christmas Light Show Outreach To The Community. This Year my wife Raychel and I Took Part In The Christmas Gospel Presentation; We Created The Artwork For The Salvation Message.
If you missed the Light Show or want to share it with visiting family and friends, we will run an automated version every 30 minutes at Topeka Bible Church at 11th and College Avenue starting at 5 PM nightly, now through Christmas night. Pull into the parking lot, set your car stereo to 89.1 FM, and enjoy the show! Or watch the livestream of the live show on YouTube https://youtu.be/loSbdPc2Gls

December 9, 2022 | Light Show 2022 – Gospel Presentation from Topeka Bible Church on Vimeo.

Andalusian Dancer In Cave Café At Sacro Monte" By: The GYPSY

Anatomy Of A Painting “Andalusian Dancer In Cave Café At Sacro Monte”

Acrylic On 16″ x 20 ” Gallery Stretched Canvas.

GYPSY WOMAN

She stands on the tips of her toes

Letting the music ease her woes

Centuries rest within her line

A silken thread strong and fine

Her Gypsy blood courses true

As her dance entrances you

Rhythmic beat of tambourine

Silver coin with twinkling sheen

Turning twisting left then right

Dancing by the campfire light

Gypsy woman of ancient way

Lover at night Mother by day

The road it knows her secret name

Her Gypsy heart will never tame

This painting was my last of 2021 and my first of 2022 having started it on 12/22/2021 and finished it the afternoon of 01/01/2022.
The photo that this painting is based on comes from the National Geographic book “Gypsies Of The World”. This picture has always held a fascination for me. My family migrated from Sacro Monte, which is near Granada, Spain, to Enigen, Germany in 1543 to escape the Spanish Inquisition. My family consists of Artisans, Craftsmen, Healers, etc. and were prime targets.
Romani businesses and skills are passed from one generation to the next. I cannot help, when I look at the photo of the dancer in the café, but think that perhaps my ancestors visited the café and enjoyed a nights entertainment much as the people are doing that I have depicted in my painting.
I have taken liberties with the photograph and have added my own take on the people within the café. I have also included, in the photos on the wall, members of my family as well as the family crest. Most notable is a picture of Berta Hummel also known as Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel. She is a distant cousin of mine and the Artist who inspired the Hummel Figurines.
There are many surprises and a multitude of stories within this painting. I hope you enjoy them all.

-The GYPSY-
“Art must evoke an emotion in order to be art. If it only creates indifference then it is not art, it is garbage!”

Anatomy of a Painting: Before The Storm

“Before The Storm”

By Romani American Artist J.A. George AKA; The GYPSY 16″ x 20″ Oil on Canvas Board.

A Throwback Thursday offering. This painting from 2006 was my first attempt at painting a seascape. I had always shied away from seascapes but on this particular day I was feeling adventuresome.
I originally had not intended to make the clouds so bold and dramatic but as I started layering them I could not help myself. The sea was originally calm with gentle waves but with the boldness of the clouds I could feel the approaching storm. To offset the drama of the clouds I gave the water it’s own boldness as it rolled in “Before The Storm”.
I do a Christmas giveaway every year of one of my paintings and this one went to a sweet lady in Coffeyville, Oklahoma who had some health issue. She said of the painting, “I feel like I am the sea and once I get to shore I will be calm. This painting makes me feel peaceful.”
-The GYPSY-

Anatomy Of A Painting: Mespelbrunn Water Castle (Rework) – Part One

ANATOMY OF A PAINTING: MESPELBRUNN WATER CASTLE (REWORK) PART ONE.

My wife was learning to paint and had wanted to do an Art Fusion Project with me. Art Fusion is when two or more artists collaborate on and create a work of art together. The painting pictured above was the result of our efforts. I was never really satisfied with this particular painting and in truth there were a lot of parts about it that bothered me. Since my wife was not familiar with architecture I tried to guide her but to no avail.

When we divorced in 2018 I inherited the painting which is on a 24″ x 36″ Gallery Stretched Canvas. The painting sat in storage for a few years and in 2021 I decided to start a rework of the painting. Not to take anything from my ex-wife Debbie Peck because she has her own volume of solitary art that she has done. Some areas that my ex-wife did will remain and her contribution to the finished rework will be acknowledge as to not take anything from her.

This piece of art has my name attached to it and I am not happy with it. There are areas on it that I did that I was never really happy with either. I will rework the art into something I can be happy with.  In this first part of a multi-part series I start on the rework of the painting. The series will follow the creation process as I do a  complete rework of the painting. There will be strong focus on the parts I was not satisfied with.