When asked, "How long did it take to finish a work of art?", the answer for 'The Empress Moon Meditates Upon the Rose of Gratitude' is a testament to dedication and perseverance. It took 15 years, a journey marked by changes and evolution, a true reflection of the artist's unwavering commitment and unyielding passion.
The Empress Moon Meditates Upon the Rose of Gratitude
48"x36"x2" Oil on Canvas with gold and silver leaf
Just as the often-asked inquiry of how long it takes to make a painting is also another question of how an artist becomes inspired long enough to stick with the concept to complete a painting.
2007, I started this painting just before our big trip to Europe. My father died suddenly on the day of our flight. I flashed back while on the plane, inviting his spirit to travel with me as I remembered our Air Force life living in Europe as kids. Forever grateful my parents took us, kids, often on trips traveling around Europe. We lived in Belgium and Germany in the 1960s, where the effects of war still lingered, and yet the modern era was shifting gears. All the seeing and experiencing Europe as a kid is embedded in my sense of aesthetics, reflected in my creative visions.
The compositional layout was inspired by a trip to Europe in 2007, during which I viewed the medieval religious icons in Europe's museums and churches. Most icons had gold leafing that shone an ethereal glow around the enlightened being. The colorful images are painted with natural pigments mixed with egg yolk, a medium known as tempera. The symbolic pictures & colors would follow the annotated precise rules of a religious visual language. Besides having icons created for reasons of prestige, the icon also had a practical purpose in offering biblical stories to the illiterate. Everyone entering the church is provided with 'sacred seeing' through enlightened visual messages and numerous warnings.
If you would like to learn more about the practice of medieval-style icon painting, this website offers in-depth research into medieval icons. Sacred Icons: The Ultimate Guide
Close-up featuring the variegated gold leaf for a blazing moon glow.
The modern-day-inspired icon I created was made from modern materials like oil paint on 48"x36"x2" cotton canvas with a variegated gold leaf for a blazing moon outlining the nude empress.
GOOD morning, moon of Vancouver, B.C., skyscape
Views out the loft window on Pender Street. (early 2000s)
Good Night Moon, peering out the window, Seaforth, Nova Scotia,
The moon, a recurring inspiration in my life, plays a significant role in the artwork. Living in a loft with 20-foot-high draped windows, I often had the opportunity to witness the moon's journey across the Vancouver skyline. This experience, along with the memories of the moonlit nights in Seaforth, Nova Scotia, influenced the portrayal of the moon in the artwork as a symbol of change, beauty, and spiritual connection.
2008 East Vancouver loft I nicknamed the LOFTY PALACE
with its 20 feet, leopard pattern drapes & blue velvet fringed arched pelmet.
Pencil Drawing from inside the house, looking out the window at the magnificent view.
We moved to Seaforth, Nova Scotia, in 2011. I love to watch the moon showcase its magnificence from my Nova Scotian bedroom window, where the moonbeams merge with my aura, as I fall into a deep sleep. I purposefully have no curtains in our Nova Scotian house. We can observe the ever-changing weather and sky over the Atlantic Ocean at all times, every day.
Life drawing model Melanie at a session in our East Vancouver loft.
Figure-life drawing sessions have always offered challenges that focus on eye and hand coordination. With repetition and practice over time, one hopes to capture a few lines that express the moment before the model has changed position. My mind is free from distractions, except for the visual focus in front of me. Usually, a group of us artists hires life-drawing nudes for a few hours at a time, not only to bare their skin to us, but more importantly, to share their unique vibrations that somehow influence our drawings. It is a fantastic experience with an emotional impact that anyone interested in drawing should challenge.
Fuchsia Rose is grown in an East Vancouver garden.
The fuchsia color of the rose is symbolic of gratitude, and the rose is a perfect representation of nature's beauty. The Strathcona neighborhood in East Vancouver, where I lived at the time, was a photographer's and gardener's dream, offering a walk-about to view the mature gardens growing vast varieties of plants. Every day, I would walk by a neighbor's house, where the gardener cultivated calla lilies and roses, to admire the perfection and color that was absolutely breathtaking. I captured a few photographs of her plants to use in my future paintings.
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Moving art studio & unfinished painting from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Coast. |
The unfinished painting was always propped on an easel, beckoning me to finish it. I thought of abandoning the painting many times, covering it with gesso, and creating a totally different one, but the gold foil presented a problem, and so it sat longer in the queue of what to do.
Border Curtains & new variegated foil... still unfinished but on its way to completion.
Occasionally, the original symbols of the painting would catch up to the NOW time. Finally, a commitment of symbols called out to finish. It wanted curtain borders & new variegated gold foil, which said, 'Yes, this is the direction; keep painting.'
Close-up of Empress Moon, her headdress & jewelry.
Close-up of Empress Moon, dragonfly, tattoo & ring.
Close-up of Fuchsia rose with hints of gold flake glazed
over the petal tips, which shimmer in the room's reflective light.
Completed November 2022
The Empress Moon Meditates Upon The Rose of Gratitude
48"x36"x2" Oil & foil on canvas
Beauty Inspired, Minaz Jantz
4 comments :
During my many visits both West and East coast I've seen this unfinished work of art. It is a truly dedicated artist that does not abandon the piece & move on to new. It is a journey of love shown on the canvas. She shimmers.
This painting is in the background of a few photos over the years. Shimmer is what I was aiming for, thanks for the comments Lori.
Such a colorful painting, your are truly an artist who has the passion, and thought of what you see and do, the beauty in everything. Awesome job.
Thank you for taking the time to view my art and to share your comments which gives me encouragement to keep painting and sharing!
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