My latest painting, Meditation (2019), captures the serenity of a meditative state and was inspired by an image of legendary actress, Myrna Loy.
Myrna was a trained dancer and stage sensation, known for her provocative performances. In her time, she was a huge celebrity. Her career spanned 70 years and she starred alongside actors including Cary Grant and Gloria Swanson.
In 1991, she received an Academy Honorary Award for her career achievement. In the photo that inspired the painting, Myrna is blonde instead of her usual brunette.
While she was often typecast as the vixen, here she was soft and feminine. I particularly liked her intricate head piece and beautiful kiss curls.
Curated Palette
At the time of painting, Meditation (2019), I was under considerable stress. It was for this reason, I wanted to convey a sense of peace and calmness through my art.
Given there were time constraints, I elected to use a large canvas board for my painting, as I did with pieces including Lee (2017) , Katherine (2017), Carole (2018) and Toto (2019).
The photo that inspired Meditation (2019) was in black and white. Initially, I chose to use Payne’s grey for the background. This created a darkness that eventually passed.
When I was more relaxed, I used a blue and white wash to create a light and ethereal feeling on the canvas.
Furthermore, I infused pale shades of blue and mauve to evoke a romantic hue. While I especially love to show the expression in the eyes, here my intention was to capture an inward emotion.
Ultimately, this became a challenge that was useful in reflecting on the essence of what makes a portrait come to life. Meditation (2019) is a special piece, which goes beyond the image of Myrna Loy.
It reflects the self-reflective and tranquil properties of meditation and serves as a reminder of the importance of stopping and simply breathing.