*For me, the best thing about Facebook, has been connecting with friends and family, meeting new people from all over the country and even more so, the world. Early November last year 2019, one of my Facebook friends, an artist in France, posted that her grandson had passed on. I was moved, even more so feeling compelled by an overwhelming sense of compassion to create a memoriam, a tribute, a painted 'Homage to Francis' , her grandson, a person I did not know, for a person I know only through Facebook. I gathered from her posts the information needed, hoping to honor his life, in some small way, from the brief glimpse I was allowed to share in. My greatest desire was to convey that when a young person is taken so soon, when they pass on, that you are not alone, for the whole world mourns with you and for them. To create a visual assertion that sometimes what may look like the sun setting, is really the sun rising. To say, we are one, of one world, one love, and in this oneness that we are not separate, but completely, utterly and powerfully connected...always.
After gathering images & info to work from, I choose a 36” square stretched canvas and did a tonal drip & splatter in prism violet as a base color in which to do my preliminary figure sketch & wash upon. Using my oils blocking in the shapes, the figure began to emerge. I tend to work wet in wet, however in this piece some dry brush enhancement and details were added over time. Next, using ebony pencil & 18k gold marker, a bit of graffiti was added in both word and symbols. Each symbol & word, were meaningful additions to the memoriam. Some were direct pieces of information & images from his life. A few like a victor Hugo quote, important dates, his name FRANCIS, were all carefully added, as were the symbolic imagery, such as my trademark figure 8 or mobius strip, representing eternity. Also the signature addition of 18k gold leaf was added toward it’s completion. In this case, depicting the soul as an angel. A multitude of others exist within the composition if one takes the the time to look for them and ponder their meaning, as does the expression on his face suggest. As usual I tried not to over think my approach, but let my emotions & more intuitive instincts prevail.
"I say that on the tomb , which on the dead closes - Open the firmament . - And what here below we take for the end - Is the beginning ." ~Victor Hugo
Upon completion, I contacted & messaged my Facebook friend showing & telling her what I had done and affirming that it was painted with the utmost respect & love, asking permission to post it. She responded~
“Many thanks dear Richard for your paint , I like very much your hommage of Francis , je vais partager”
J.R.-R.
The response was a success & overwhelming, the ‘Homage to Francis’ seemed to speak to and reach the hearts of those I had hoped to.
Art should speak volumes to the time in which its created, to the thoughts, the people, & places of those fleeting moments we call life. My sincerest hope is that this piece does.
As always your comments are welcome.
~Richard
'Homage to Francis' 36"x36" mixed media on canvas
Homage to Francis’
Detail