Wisdom Art: Inspirational Images
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Living
with Faith
Mary A. Gravelle
Inspiration for my painting background.
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Title: Living
with Faith
Artist:
Mary A. Gravelle
Size/Medium: Oil
on oak panel, 108" x 72"
Artistic Rendering and Use of Metaphor
Use of scale and format, color, texture, gesture, process,
composition, and media and materials, etc., employment of
metaphor, symbols, style.
A first in a three piece project series, this painting was
inspired while visiting a local gallery when I looked
outside of the gallery window into the hallway. What I saw was so exciting
- the reflection of my triple triangle piece had been
superimposed upon the painting hanging on the wall. I knew I
wanted to paint that image. At the time I thought it had to do
with maintaining faith during the chaos. Deeper meaning would
surface after completing all three pieces.
About this Painting:
I had a certain vision in mind (the one I saw out in the hallway!) for Living with Faith and played with the dimensions of the painting on graph paper. The triangle needed to take up about 2/3 of the surface space.
The supernal nature of the triangle's significance in my life lent itself to a larger-than-life painting format.
I also wanted to align with the number 3, which is represented by the triangle shape; therefore, each of the dimensions had to be divisible by 3. The ideal size was 18' x 12', entirely too large to work with over the allotted time. I had figured out I wanted to construct 3' x 6' panels and put them together as one painting, creating a triptych.
Constructing the panels was a new experience for me. Because I had no idea what I was doing, it required me to ask for lots of help. Being an independent Sagittarius, this challenged every fiber of my being and ended up being most rewarding. It gave me a chance to connect with fellow artists. As I built my panels, I had the chance to stretch my relationship building skills as well.
For the most part, I did all the construction myself, getting help with construction tips, cuts, and lifting heavy objects to weigh it down as the glue cured. The construction of the painting surface was just as important as the painting itself. Creating a hard and sustainable foundation became the physical akin to the spiritual stability of the triangle image.
Helen Frankenthaler is a woman painter whose work I admire. I found her painting, For E.M., in the textbook, A World of Art. See photo at left.
I had written a paper on her "Sea Picture with Black" painting, which I had seen at the Wadsworth Athenaeum for an art appreciation class at the University of Hartford in 1997. I connect to Frankenthaler's style because it speaks to me as being very spiritual and true.
I was inspired to refer to her For E.M. painting to guide my background color choices and the horizontal direction. I sensed that there would be a certain feeling of verticality appearing alongside the horizontal lines from Frankenthaler.
As I painted, I followed the guidance of my intuition to break away from Frankenthaler's painting when the pinkish purple appeared at the top of the painting. I was actually horrified when this happened and thought I had ruined the painting. Feedback from fellow artists and visiting friends assured me that the intuitive addition added vitality to the painting and that it was okay.
The process of painting the triangles was representative of my connection to God’s divine guidance. Painting the triangles first and then painting the background around them, I allowed the triangles to be “dirtied” by process and then cleaned up.
In life, my connection sometimes gets lost, dirtied by life circumstances and I forget the importance of the connection. Then I remember and re-connect or clean up my act.
The final stage of the painting was to mask the triangle and paint fresh and straight lines allowing the triangles to regain purity and their place of honor; God’s place of honor – forefront and on my side.
Living with Faith remained a solid structural background that allowed me to dig deeply into my feminine and masculine qualities as I built and painted my next two paintings; Gold and Delicious and Shooting for the Gold.
 |
This picture I took at The Met says it all:
Faith and Power. If I continue to have Faith, I will have
Power - personal power bestowed upon me by God.
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Bio:
Mary A. Gravelle is an artist with a panache for helping others discover more about themselves through the art making process. She uses the art making process to learn more about herself. As a result, her art is autobiographical as well as universal. Others can relate on a personal level with her art because of our universal human connections.
To contact Mary directly, phone 860-649-9701
Posted: December 6, 2004
Written by Mary A. Gravelle
© 2004 Mary A. Gravelle
THE END
Viewer: What do you see in the painting? How has the writing inspired you? Can you relate to anything here?
Please post your comments and share a little of yourself with us today. Thanks.
THE END.
Posted: 12/23/2007
© 2004 Mary A. Gravelle
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Future issues -- every other Friday:
Sept 19, Oct 3, Oct 17
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