Saturday, February 12, 2011

White Ladies - finished.

White Ladies ( 2011)
61x36 cm
Finished at last..taking a total of 179 hours and 40 mins it's been quicker than recent pieces. It almost never made it off the 'launch pad'...or should I sat the sketch pad ? If you remember I had about three or four restarts at the beginning...so in truth, what you see here was not my original intended composition. But that is ok because I can just carry forward  the original concept and allow it to surface again some day....which you can be assured my Tennis Girls keep doing!

What's it all about  here you asking? I'm very mindful of the fact that when I'd completed 'three Graces' last year, I promised to let those who asked, an explanation of the symbolism behind the graces and their characters as opposed to other objects in the composition. I did start writing and found that it was a growing piece of writing (which i'm not all that good at!) which soon became overblown. what I can say is that all my pictures are a kind of auto biography/therapy session. Each picture I produce addresses aspects of myself that I am progressively becoming more honest and bold at expressing.If I were to explain that as a child I often played dress up and always chose to be the lady..and that for most of my childhood I wanted secretly to be a girl, it would make me sound stupid and open myself to ridicule...instead I chose to depict myself as two tennis girls looking longingly at the beautiful creatures of my admiration...you would therefore have some pointers as to the often personal and vulnerable nature of my symbolism.
I live with the reality of my work  in a constant battle between the exhilaration of openness and admission...honesty and expression, and the fear of rejection, ridicule and damnation....and to be honest, the fear often outweighs the exhilaration.

Perhaps you understand me, perhaps you know someone who has had similar circumstances...perhaps more likely you now look upon me as a sad self obsessed fool. Either way...I know where most of my issues stem from and I'm confronting, dealing with and learning to live the fact, and the heritage that brings...which to be honest, makes me a stronger and richer individual. thanks for listening, and look out for the next picture which will take shape here!


2 comments:

Tys on Ice said...

i was wondering why the two ladies on both extreme end of the lines looked similar...

i have always thought that the creation reflects the creator...not counting imitation of course...there cant be any other way...its ur life, ur painting, ur expression..i really dont think u shud be worried abt any judgement from fools.

now tell me about the moth.

Niall young said...

Tys...Hi there, good to have your comment.In this picture there are only Butterflys, which symbolise vulnerability and fragility...but you will remember the Death's Head Hawk Moth being let ut of the jar in 'Three Graces'. the Death's Head has various symbolic meanings...but as with many of the symbols I chose, they often have many and varied meanings. In this instance, the moth represents the the balance between the danger of releasing your fantasies which might bring disillusionment or it might bring freedom.