11X14 OIL PAINTING- "THIS GIRL IS ON FIRE!" 2026
During covid our kids moved in and we created our own family compound with a special very small pod of friends. One activity when we got together was to gather around a campfire in the backyard where there was plenty of space to spread out safely with friends and dogs.
My favorite muse is my granddaughter. In this painting, she stands patiently, focused on roasting the perfect marshmallow. I loved her serious concentration, the strong connecting diagonal and the way she glowed as the fire illuminated her with a warm aura. I haven't done a nocturnal scene in a while so wanted to attempt to capture my memories of our nights around campfires. Our very large backyard is surrounded by woods and wetlands which I suggest as a backdrop for my subject. I wanted to keep the focus on the connection between Elo and the fire, so I eliminated ebackground detail and veryone else. The soft blurred edges of the flames and transparency of the logs contrast with Elo's crisp profile. The cool darks contrast with the warm fire and figure. The blue orange color harmony unifies the painting.
