My Latest Work of Art...

Here are some photos of my newest piece of artwork.  It took me about a week and a half to finish it.  I was inspired by various images I found while looking through a 1968 Esquire magazine that I had purchased last week at a used bookstore.  I decided I would quickly flip through the magazine and find one element from each page to sketch on my sketchbook page.  I found hair, quotes, numbers, faces, symbols, buildings, figures, etc.  It was a cool exercise that helped me to not think too much about my decisions ( i tend to over-analyze, which paralyzes me in working on my art).  Made me concentrate on the elements (line, shape, texture, etc.) within the images.  So, that is what originally inspired me... I was also inspired by my feelings about my week at work.  There was a bad fight at school, between two teen girls, blood and all.  After the fight, brass knuckles were found hidden in one of the seats on their school bus.  This fight really affected me.  I work in a tough school, where fights are not uncommon, but for some reason, I was really bothered by this one.  So, I've been thinking (and feeling) about violence and compassion and how to teach peace.  I added a fist, brass knuckle (top left) lotus flower, and heart to symbolize all of that experience this week.  I had fun playing with my oil pastels and also scratching the oil pastel layers with a thumbtack, to draw lines and show color underneath.  This isn't a favorite work of art of mine, but it is meaningful and I really enjoyed the process.