Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Running Shoes


"Running Shoes"
8.75" x 12" oil
May 2016
Adapted from a photo by me

I took this photo because I'm attracted to human-powered bicycles, rickshaws, and carts.  I liked the abstract, blurry way the photo documented our pace past this street scene.  Perhaps I will add some glazing to give this painting a similar effect.  But I'm liking the way it is now.  

Biggest challenges:  
 -  making the dirt & pavement street look sundappled and hot around 12:30pm
-  depicting the "ghost bike" which was barely discernible in the photo (a skinny blur w/ shine)

Q:  Why is there a curly-tailed dog in this?
A:  Because most feral Indian dogs have a curly tail.  They are ubiquitous in South India.  This provides Indian culture with a sweet metaphor about the futility of straightening a dog's tail.


Can you see the black granite deity statue, partly obfuscated by incense smoke?  The potted shrub next to this is Tulsi (aka Holy Basil).  The blue roof that's lower than the gabled building's roof is the blue-painted, carved plaster typical of small temples.  The roof of the gabled building shows additional living quarters (the red drape closes).  It's interesting & surprising sometimes to see how resourceful some Indian living arrangements can be.  I fancy that the produce seller  - & his happy family -  in this painting live up on that roof.   Near the corner of that roof is a round shape.  It is the apotropaic device, a cartoonishly "scary" head, that's installed on the roofs of numerous South Indian homes to ward off evil.  

What's the story here?  I have my story in mind {hint: it has to do w/ the title}, but I'd be so interested to hear other people's stories about this.  In fact, I want to paint backwards (as if you could read it from the road, but not where you, the viewer, are), in Tamil, on the forward banner.  I would let the collector tell me which words to put on the banner; something that sums up what speaks to them about this piece.

MAY YOU FIND HAPPINESS INDEPENDENT OF CIRCUMSTANCE




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