I had such a fabulous time creating this spunky artwork – Habanera – inspired by the opera Carmen. Lashings and lashings of acrylics were smoothed and teased over a 40″ x 30″ stretched canvas, using a palette knife. The red paint was particularly wonderful: thick, buttery, vibrant, unapologetic! Worthy of Carmen, herself!
There is a twist to this story. I brought the canvas back from the studio space. I carelessly abandoned it propped up against the bookcase in the living room. A few nights went by and I hadn’t bothered to move it. BIG MISTAKE!!! My autistic teen, known for Jurassic-level meltdowns, felt triggered. His arm reacted by hurling a heavy mug STRRAAAIIGGHHHTTTT through the canvas!!! OMG!! I have never felt pain like that in my adult life!! Ooops!! *Insert expletives! Hee hee!
All came good, in the end. I managed to carefully cut the canvas fabric from the frame. It had split into two halves, which made the most wonderful diptych! I had the two sections mounted onto backboards, and framed, so they hung level. They looked even better than the original canvas (in its entirety).
A local lady fell in love with the diptych, and hangs pride of place in her home! I was sad to part with it, to be honest, but to know someone else is loving it as much as I did, is reward enough!
©2024 Sarah Drury, Habanera, acrylics on canvas, 40″ x 30″.
the starry-eyed mermaid 