Howdy to all---hope you're staying cool this summer.
I usually get quite a bit of artwork done in the summer months; sunshine and warm, cheerful days do inspire me. After a fun trip to Namibia in May to get motivated, I started this summer out with an unusual project, my biggest to date: I headed to Minnesota to paint murals in a collector's enormous trophy room, and what a challenge it was!
When I first walked into his enormous African trophy room, which measured 50 x 38 and had 25 foot ceilings, let's just say I was a tad intimidated! But I was also excited by the challenge. I provided him with sketches, and I started on the smallest wall, incorporating all the landscapes I myself have seen in Africa as I worked my way around the room.
I worked pretty hard every day for three weeks, figuring out how to handle the many challenges of working so large (and upright, as I always work on a table in my studio).
My special strength for this project was my ability to add little critters into each scene, including buffalo, cheetah and giraffe, and of course, that was a lot of fun for me!
I painted savannahs, jungles and mountains, and even painted behind two of his mounts to complete the illusion of the whole animal standing there. I learned how to use an air gun for painting the clouds, and utilized ordinary house paint for the whole job, with specially designed colors based on my experience painting these scenes within my paintings. I even completed a wall of colorful African birds.
Certainly my biggest painting to date! I do hope to do this again someday; the sheer challenge was exhilarating and, well, exhausting. My client seemed very pleased with the results, and that's the most important thing.
For the complete story, check out this link on my website.
Feel free to pass this along to anyone you know who might be interested, as I enjoyed the challenge and look forward to working with another client on achieving his/her dream of a diorama.
Enjoy the summer!!
Cynthie
