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Desert Ravens. Oil on canvas. 18x24. Framed.
I was probably 13, I guess, when I painted this. I've gotten a lot of compliments on this piece. People seem to really like it, which I find interesting. In the past when I looked at it all I could see was how horribly flawed it was in so many ways, but now, since it's been so many years, I can see what's nice about it. I think I can see why people like it.
I look at these ravens and I immediately wonder what they're doing. What their lives are like. I go: "Ah-ha. There's a story here." The posture of both ravens seems very life-like, if not, you know, 100% perfect (I'm looking at you, weirdly droopy beak). They look feathery. They look engaged in life. They look like they have personality. Like they're creatures you could know. And they've got this vast, mysterious-looking landscape behind them. That they live in. That they could explore. My imagination can run wild with this piece. And the colors are fierce. Striking. They get in your brain. My brain. I speak only for myself here. And the cartoonishness, the childish lack of skill (I'm looking at the fence here) is...strangely appealing. Charming, maybe, is the word. And it's really better than I thought. It's clear which pieces of the fence are behind or in front, for the most part. It's not all just a blob. ...the way a lot of the hills are (ha ha!).
The color of the sky is Prussian Blue, one of my absolute favorite colors ever ever ever, then and now. The sky was originally a light blue afternoon sky (or it was going to be - I'm not sure if I actually painted it light blue, or just planned it), but I slapped some Prussian Blue on there and went "ooooooooh! I like!" I thought evening sky was way more interesting, and the color was soooo beeeeautifuuul.
I suppose it's also worth noting that the colors here are rather similar to the egret painting just before it. I can only say: I really like the combination of blue and gold/orange/yellow, okay?
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