I have so enjoyed seeing everyone's work on the blog- and everyone's interpretation of where they find themselves.
I know I am a bit behind, caused by a combination of factors, but in the end only solved by making the work.In April i was a tour guide for a group of Australians in France and of course we went to see a lot of the sites. We spent 5 days in Normandy and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Of course we went to cathedrals and I always seem to end up in cathedrals devoted to women- just one of those things I guess. In some of the older cathedrals the faces of the women seem to look straight out in the world, not demurely downcast or directed at the child. I encountered one such statue at the Bayeaux Cathedral. Bayeaux Cathedral is in the Norman Romanesque style and was consecrated in the presence of the Duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror, King of England.One of the statues may perhaps be modelled on Queen Mathilde his wife- formerly from Flanders, said to be very beautiful and small in stature and devoted wife and mother .I love the statues that look straight out into the world - it makes you wonder what message they are sending down the ages- who were the models, who were they meant to represent? Anyway here is my take on her. I have become enamoured of breakdown printing so I have tried to draw her on the screen and then printed her.
What does this lady say to you?
I know I am a bit behind, caused by a combination of factors, but in the end only solved by making the work.In April i was a tour guide for a group of Australians in France and of course we went to see a lot of the sites. We spent 5 days in Normandy and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Of course we went to cathedrals and I always seem to end up in cathedrals devoted to women- just one of those things I guess. In some of the older cathedrals the faces of the women seem to look straight out in the world, not demurely downcast or directed at the child. I encountered one such statue at the Bayeaux Cathedral. Bayeaux Cathedral is in the Norman Romanesque style and was consecrated in the presence of the Duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror, King of England.One of the statues may perhaps be modelled on Queen Mathilde his wife- formerly from Flanders, said to be very beautiful and small in stature and devoted wife and mother .I love the statues that look straight out into the world - it makes you wonder what message they are sending down the ages- who were the models, who were they meant to represent? Anyway here is my take on her. I have become enamoured of breakdown printing so I have tried to draw her on the screen and then printed her.
This is lovely , Dijanne. To me she seems very young, about 18 and very gentle, but sad. She is saying that in spite of her position in society and her obvious wealth-see her clothes- her life is difficult and not much fun.The blue works so well with the ochre, she would be very different if you had chosen other colours. Can you tell me a bit more about breakdown printing and what it entails? Elaine in Combas.
ReplyDeleteHi Elaine- it is a process where you paint onto a silk screen with thickened dyes and then when the dyes have dried you silk screen again with thickened dyes to bring in the colour. As you print a number the applied thickened dyes start to break down and you get all sorts of interesting bleed.
ReplyDeleteFound this very interesting.She looks calm to me as if she is accepting what ever life has brought her.I would love to do some screen printing if i could produce such lovely work.
ReplyDeleteElaine's comments seem just about right to me. Hope this is helping to break the doldrums.
ReplyDeleteTo me the image suggests that her look is very direct, she looks assertive yet very feminine - if it is based on Queen Mathilde -she was a strong woman who ensured all her five daughters were educated as thoroughly as her sons....
ReplyDeleteThe texturing with the free machining on the crown and face works so well Dijanne.
lovely piece, I just spent a week going through books of mideval stautes, paintings etc. and she fits right in. I so love the fact that many women in those days had their own power, after all the Virgin Mary was as important as Jesus then.
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