Saturday, June 05, 2010

GIRL ON BRIDGE

"Girl on Bridge", 24 x 24 inches, oil on canvas.

I have been trying a different approach to my working methods. My next scheduled exhibition with K. Nathan Gallery will be late in the year, and I've been working on 10 pieces all at once. Every painting will include the figure. "Girl on Bridge" is the first one that I have finished.

Last year, I was out with two of my private students sketching on location by the beach close to Del Mar, and we found ourselves seeking shade from the sun under North Torrey Pines Bridge. I drew the old bridge there in my sketchbook from this angle. Later at the studio, in thinking how I might incorporate a figure, I doodled a girl sitting there on the bridge. I liked the graphic quality of the sketch. And I felt that the figure gave the image some tension. The more I thought about it, I felt that the underbelly of that bridge expressed a degree of psychological symbolism... the shadows of the unconscious under this massive structure.

5 comments:

Dave Lebow said...

I really like this painting. Well drawn, good color, great idea! I'm looking forward to seeing more!

tonypetersart said...

Thanks Dave, glad you like it... plenty more to come!

william wray said...

Yeah I think you could do some variations on this idea, fire escape, building roof... night with headlights... Like it dude!

tonypetersart said...

I just might do that, Bill. I've been racking my brain in a constant effort to include the figure in my work. It's harder than I thought it would be!

Anonymous said...

The painting itself is exquisite as are all of your artistic endeavors. The positioning of the girl on the bridge truly heightens the tension and adds a whole new perspective of wonderment. As a performing artist,I love the creative boldness here.