Paintings of the Queen's Jubilee and Needlepoint Rug Art
Posted by Abid Ilahi on Tue, Jun 05, 2012 @ 11:59 PM
The BBC invited 20 artists to paint the Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee Pageant while standing on the Millenium Bridge over the River Thames. The cold, rainy weather forced many artists to modify their oil painting techniques while others had to abandon their work midway. Here are three of my favorite works in oil.
Artist Ali Cockrean's oil painting was almost destroyed by the wet weather. Image courtesy the BBC.
Artist Haidee-Jo Summers said: "I would have added more boats and details but unfortunately my canvas became too wet and the paint wouldn't adhere." Image and quote courtesy the BBC.
Artist Paul Alcock concluded: "It was a really fantastic experience which I thoroughly enjoyed despite being one of the most difficult, cold and uncomfortable painting experiences I've had." Image and quote courtesy the BBC.
These paintings and the struggle of the Millenium artists remind me of the times I have watched Asmara Artist Elizabeth Moisan struggle to create just the right feeling and tone in a needlepoint rug painting.
A vineyard in Tuscany in the evening. © Veruska1969 | Dreamstime.com
While Elizabeth has never had to paint outdoors in the cold winds and rain of London, she has often encountered mysterious gremlins in her Cape Cod studio who seem to defeat her every effort to capture the feeling of that weathered gold and burnt siena she recalls from her tour of Rome, Pompeii and Tuscany.
Despite the gouache gremlins, Elizabeth created this dreamy rendition of the weathered golds, siena and greens she saw in Italy in this hand painted rendering of Asmara's Marbella Savonnerie rug. Learn about the Marbella Rug.
The colors of the Marbella Savonnerie rug are derived from the weathered golds, yellow, siena and greens of Tuscany.
Artist Elizabeth Moisan painted this study which she later modified to paint Asmara's Undersea Mosaic Needlepoint rug which is inspired by Roman Mosaic floors discovered in Carthage.
The Undersea Mosaic Needlepoint Rug was handmade according to the painting by Elizabeth Moisan.
