Struggle in the Open

 

Struggle in the Open

 

I painted this years ago.  I had just overcome some difficult struggles that I had been dealing with for many years.  Painting this helped me heal.  Like all my artworks, it just appeared in my head and I couldn’t stop thinking about it until I was able to create it.  My husband was kind enough to lend me his hand as a model for my figure in the painting.  I’m so lucky to have him as a husband and best friend!  I used oil paints to create this painting, it’s about 4 feet long and 2 feet wide, so it’s a good size piece.  Like all my figure / portrait paintings, I used non-traditional colors.  This helps make the painting have a bigger impact in my opinion.  This, hopefully, also causes the viewer to look at the piece with a different mind set or understanding.  Opening up their train of thought to new places and feelings.  At, least that is my hope.  Below is the original picture I used as a reference for my painting.