My Nibblefest Art Contest Entry: "MEDUSA" (April's theme: 'Reptiles')

"...MEDUSA..." 

(acrylic on vellum mounted permanently on a 5" round piece of found piece wood)

(Click here for auction link)

Yesterday I wrote about my first entry into this month's Nibblefest Art Contest, a painting entitled "Two Turtle Doves".  Today I am writing about the above painting, my second entry for April's Nibblefest.....
 

As I kvetched yesterday, the theme of 'Reptiles' this month really had me dragging my feet at first -- still, determined as I was, I set out to come up with at least two appealing ideas for myself.  I had already decided upon the idea for 'Two Turtle Doves', when my thoughts turned to probably that most quintessential of all reptiles, the serpent.  But how to incorporate 'snakes' into an attractive Nibblefest entry, one that anyone might care to bid on, much less one I would be motivated to even paint in the first place...?

One idea that seemed potentially promising was "Cleopatra".  Cleopatra has often been popularly portrayed as sporting an elaborate gold cobra headpiece, as well as spiral snake bracelets.  Furthermore she is legendarily believed to have  ended her own life by allowing herself to be bitten by poisonous asps.  Intriguing to be sure, but still, even after plenty of rumination, the idea for an art composition involving any of this just did not materialise in my head.  Discouraged, I asked my daughter, who was in the room with me at the time, what she thought about "Cleopatra", or "snakes".  She responded with, 'Hmmm, Cleopatra's cool. But what about that woman with snakes for hair...?"   As soon as the words left her mouth I knew I had my second entry -- Medusa!  Of course, the perfect thing -- what a clever girl!

But how best to portray Medusa, that mythological beast/woman, whose mere gaze could turn men into stone -- and upon what?  I recalled an odd small bit of wood I'd picked up at the end of a local rummage sale last year, and for free no less because it was to be tossed out.  It was round, 5" in diameter, with a groove on the back edge of it, making me think that it was originally the lid for a kitchen canister or some such.  It must have appeared somehow potentially useful to me at the time, because I pocketed it, brought it home and stashed it in my studio -- and fortunately was able to find it after only a moment's fishing.  Thus, after a little sanding, I had my canvas (regular readers know I get a perverse thrill from re-purposing seemingly useless objects) -- perfect because with it's round shape, it does rather resemble a little an old, ancient artifact of antiquity.  And as for my portrayal of the legendary Gorgon?  Contrary to the usual image of a hideous Medusa with wild and crazy snake hair, I decided to paint my own Medusa as dangerously beautiful, with a thick, colourful braid of intertwined serpents.  It's how I see her in my head.

'MEDUSA': Side View

To see ALL the various 'reptillian' Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month (which ends tomorrow, on the 27th), please check out this link..... 
 

(My usual little blurb regarding the Nibblefest Art Contest:  Nibblefest is a fun and friendly, monthly themed art competition open to all.   It begins the 20th of each month, and is hosted via Ebay.  Bidding for entries starts at .99 cents -- fun for artists AND collectors...!  Please see the Nibblefest Facebook Fan Page for official rules and more information: https://www.facebook.com/nibblefest?ref=tn_tnmn )

My Nibblefest Art Contest Entry: "Two Turtle Doves" (April's theme: 'Reptiles')

"Two Turtle Doves" 

(acrylic on vellum mounted permanently on a 3.5 x 8 found piece of wood)

One of my entries for this month's Nibblfest Art Contest, the theme for April being 'Reptiles' (click here for auction link).

And so, here I am, behind in my blogging once more....(!).  How does that even happen?  Well, the usual way I'm afraid --  boiling down to old-fashioned, 'Art of Patience'-style poor time management...!  You know the saying, "Money slips through her fingers".  That is definitely NOT my problem -- I can be and am very efficient with finances (hanging on for dear life when I have to, lol!).  But time?  Whole n'other story!  And so, despite the fact I know I have it in me to blog regularly (heck, I blogged Every. Single. Day! during the month of February.  Remember the '29 Faces Challenge'?), not to mention that I'd promised myself I was going to be more consistent, here is my first post for this month of April.  Oh well, better late than never, yes...?

In any case, the good news is that while I haven't been busy with blogging in April, I have been busy with art making, which is I suppose what really matters.  Several art deadlines have come and gone that I want to write about -- including this month's Nibblefest Art Contest, which began as usual last Friday, the 20th, the theme being 'Reptiles'.....

Well, as anyone familiar with my artwork and habits knows, I love myself the challenge of a good, juicy art theme, mmm-hmmm.  But 'Reptiles'.....???  I wouldn't have counted that as one of them.  In fact my heart sank a little when I first discovered Reptiles WAS the theme. I even considered for .4758 nanoseconds maybe just sitting this month out.  That's how much the theme didn't speak to me.  That is, until two ideas came to mind that I actually really loved.  A lot.  And so I probably ended up having more of a hoot working on this month's Nibblefest entries than I have for the past themes that I actually LIKED.  Ha, typical...!

The idea for the painting above popped into my head when I was ruminating upon Turtles, and racking my brain for any appealing idea.... when the phrase 'two turtle DOVES' came to me.  And so here we have my entry entitled, 'Two Turtle Doves", featuring a young girl cuddling her Turtle Dove friend.  I can well relate personally to this image myself, what with being the owner of a beloved pet bird.  He is a geriatric cockatiel and not a dove, but every bit as sweet and cuddly as this picture suggests -- in fact, he pretty much free-ranges our house and every day will find him and me in a similar pose at some point or other.  At any rate, thank goodness it is acceptable to take (reasonable) liberties with Nibblefest Art Contest theme interpretations...!

To see ALL the great, 'reptillian' Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month, check out this link.....

(My usual little blurb regarding the Nibblefest Art Contest:  Nibblefest is a fun and friendly, monthly themed art competition open to all.   It begins the 20th of each month, and is hosted via Ebay.  Bidding for entries starts at .99 cents -- fun for artists AND collectors...!  Please see the Nibblefest Facebook Fan Page for rules and more information: https://www.facebook.com/nibblefest?ref=tn_tnmn )