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Painting "What's Left"
My wife Jean and I were traveling to Arizona
along the back roads of Utah and came upon the most extraordinary
scene. Out in the middle of nowhere in one of the most
desolate stretches of Arizona desert, near the Utah border, we
discovered an abandoned rock house built into an overhanging bolder.
The surrounding area was strewn with huge oddly shaped rocks and the
cliffs behind the house were wreathed in clouds-stunning! We
were captivated! I took 50 or so photos form every angle. I
definitely wanted to paint this scene! As it turned out, more than
once.
"What's Left" is the
sequel to "Desert Rules". I decided
to make this a larger painting than "Desert Rules" to show
a different perspective of the Rock House. In this version I also did very tight detail work to capture the textures and colors.
As there was nothing alive in the area except some brownish bushes
here and there. I decided the piece needed some life in it. So in
this sequel, I decided that circling Turkey Vultures-(one visible
and one just above the viewer's head), would capture the sense of
desolation and dreams lost-- the essence of the piece. I also
decided not to paint in carrion but rather to leave that to
the viewer's imagination. Edgy but not yucky - rich with
symbolism-perfect for this painting.
R. Geoffrey Blackburn
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