#27 of 30

"Northern Lights"

12" x 6" - Oil on Panel

$150 Unframed

Oh so fun to let the kid out to play!  I fought with the tomatoes in the morning, so yesterday afternoon when I came home from my doctor's appointment (most excellent news) I decided to have some fun.  

A few years ago now, one of my best friends (who is like a sister to me) was transferred to an RCMP detachment in Sanikiluaq.  For those of you wondering where the heck that is, Sanikiluaq is part of the Belcher Islands chain on the southeast side of the Hudson Bay, Nunavet.  You have to fly in and out of the area and she and her husband only come out for a break of a few times a year.  On one of the first trips out, she brought me some inukshuk soapstone carvings.  This particular one was carved by an artist named Jerry Eyaituk.  Because it is in human form is called an inunnguaq.  I know that most of you are familiar with them as the symbol of the Vancouver Olympic Games.

I've been wanting to paint this for a while, but a plain cloth behind it simply wasn't doing anything for the composition, so I went and did some research of the northern lights on the internet.  Wow, they are so inspiring for a colour pig like me!!!!  There is such a variety too.  Some are mostly green, some have fabulous hot pink and purple and there is a variety of "flow" to them as well.  I felt that I wanted to have some movement in my lights to contrast with the geometric shapes of the inukshuk.  The background took shape rather organically as I hadn't really planned out the colours, but I think it worked in the end.  I felt a bit like I was channelling Ted Harrison!  

See you soon Tey!