FRIDA is the second female portrait in my ICONS & LEGENDS series. If you are new to my work, I started my I&L series during the pandemic as a way to honor those musicians, artists, creatives and symbols (Statue of Liberty) as a way to curb the uncertainty that often triggers my anxiety.
I realized that I hadn’t painted another woman since I completed my DOLLY piece back in 2020. Frida’s history of pain, her relationship struggles and legacy of art made her a great choice as the next lady to paint.
I’m always researching backgrounds and histories and found several quotes that stuck out.
“At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.” – Frida Kahlo.
WIKIPEDIA: A severe bus accident at the age of 18 left Kahlo in lifelong pain. Confined to bed for three months following the accident, Kahlo began to paint. She started to consider a career as a medical illustrator, as well, which would combine her interests in science and art. Her mother provided her with a specially-made easel, which enabled her to paint in bed, and her father lent her some of his oil paints. She had a mirror placed above the easel, so that she could see herself. Painting became a way for Kahlo to explore questions of identity and existence. She explained, “I paint myself because I am often alone and I am the subject I know best.” She later stated that the accident and the isolating recovery period made her desire “to begin again, painting things just as [she] saw them with [her] own eyes and nothing more.”
Here a lifestyle shot:
Here are some of the build detail shots:
Portrait base white cut in.
Cutting in her silhouette.
Adding in colors and working on finessing her details.
Adding in her halo/sun element.
Fixing and tightening up her sun so its edges were more bold and defined.
Detail of her texture and colors.
Side detail of finished wrapped edges.
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DETAILS:
Size: 16×20 in white floater frame
Media: Gesso and acrylic paint.
Price: $800
Available: Yes!