Helena - Hope
Share
Just started painting while I was wandering the lush green garden around the house where my summer Studio is. Began with a quick charcoal drawing and then continued to paint with acrylic, using a limited palette. I worked quickly, just letting the feelings guide me and not hesitating too much on the facial features. Followed the lights and darks. I couldn't finish the process because my son showed up and wanted me to drive him home. In order to stop his nagging, I put my painting away and left the canvas unfinished.
The next day, I came back and tried to continue with the same energy, but it somehow shifted, and I painted much slower. How does it happen? I don't know; another day, another energy.
As I was painting, my childhood friend, Helena, came to my mind again and again. She had just lost her father, and her sadness took over my mood while I tried to slip into lighter thoughts. I know how important her father was to her. She lost her mother in an accident when she was 15. Loosing a mother as a teenager is tough. I saw it twice. My boyfriend also lost his mother a year ago before Helena. I remembered that Helena's father tried hard to keep the family together and was always there for her. Helena's father was old already. But still. It is so difficult losing a parent. Reminded me the time when I lost mine. When I stopped painting, I realised that I could not keep the loose energy of the previous day, the sadness showed up on the face of the girl.
On the third day, I just wanted to refine my painting. I thought she might have been finished and took the painting with me, hanging it to my living room wall. But I was not satisfied, and I did not know what was missing. Later, I noticed that I needed to add Hope to it. She was sad, but I knew that she had her husband and her children with her. So, I needed something, a positive energy. What can represent Hope? First, I thought that a hand on her shoulder would be great indicating that she was not alone, but hm, she didn't like it. Might be a butterfly on her shoulder could be nice, representing the Hope and the way her father can be close to her.
But I have not painted the butterfly. Not yet. Added some bright purple to her hair and gold as highlights. But what stops me finishing her? (I placed a real rose before the painting.)
What represents Hope for You? What would feel good to you to see on this painting? And how would you title it? Helena? Hope? See you again? Something else?