Untapped

ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 24″ x 12″ (framed size 25.5″ x 13.5″)
$650 • Email julie@juliemeridian.com to buy this artwork ⇢

I wanted to create something to bridge some of the figure work I’ve been doing with some of the object explorations I’ve done in drawing: isolating objects, removing them, that kind of thing. I also wanted to explore some of the positions and expressions people fall into without thinking about it…hence this once, tapping on the phone that’s not there. Or perhaps making a point?

I modified my technique in a few ways on this one:

• I brought in cooler colors sooner to add a blueish foundation to the leather jacket.
• I added a true black (Carbon Black) rather than mixing Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber. Black can muddy colors a little bit, but I figured it would look more true for the jacket. Using Carbon Black washes was a refreshing change that reminded me of the monochrome watercolors I painted for the Make It Legit posts.
• The fingernails? That’s the lacquer part of the painting. I painted those on using the actual polish I wore in the photo. The color is Wednesday, a nice teal color from Zoya

I painted this one straight from the photo reference – no manipulation here. I posed with my phone, which Alan extracted before he took the photo. And, the pixelated shirt (“The DaVinci Code”) is from San Jose’s own Halloway.

This one is a milestone to me because it’s the first time I’ve started a painting knowing I’d probably never see the original again in person, assuming it sells. That’s a distinctly different feeling than creating art for myself, friends, or family, and feels like it’s going to the next level after a long time dabbling in a lot of different stuff. If you’re reading this after seeing it at the Triton, kudos to you for looking up more info about it, and I hope you find a bit of the backstory interesting.