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9th Annual Art-a-Day Challenge, January 2018!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

A Fearful Night

Though not as parodied as da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the popular "Starry Starry Night" by artist Vincent Van Gogh is a close second. There is something about the turbulence of the skies, and movement of the giant cypress trees that evokes a sense of unsettledness, which draws us in. I understand he was trying to represent the motion of the wind and the glittery nature of the stars in this famous nighttime painting.

I chose to use this artwork as a model, in my interpretation of one fearful night in a region quite like our own--with arborvitaes and basalt cliffs. It is the first of a 3-part series for a friend that follows a familiar Bible Psalm--taking the viewer from this fearful yet hopeful location to a place of calm waters and then finally to a glorious place of renewal.

... though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Thou art with me ... (after van Gogh)
Check out my personal blog at http://www.lauragable.blogspot.com

2 comments:

Greg Ashby said...

This is quite Striking

Shelley said...

Agree with Greg - striking and yet calming and evocative. Sometimes the most rugged and fearful looking places can lead to calm. (So speaks someone originally from rugged, beautiful Wales). Laura - this is very powerful. Look forward to the subsequent paintings in the series.