Wednesday, May 2, 2012

'29 Faces May': Day 1, 'An ACEO Portrait of Julia Butterfly Hill"



My entry for the ACEO Theme Week Art Contest (click here for auction link)

The above is my official FIRST Face of '29 Faces May Challenge' (with 28 more Faces to go). It also happens to be my entry into this month's ACEO Theme Week art contest (a themed contest specifically for ACEO's (Art Cards, Editions and Originals), that begins the 1st of every month).  

The theme for this month's ACEO Theme Week is 'Butterflies'.  Well?  Knowing that I needed to come up with a face for the challenge today, plus the fact it happened to be the start of the Contest, it seemed only natural to combine the two (I think I did the same thing in the last '29 Faces' challenge).  Practical, right?  So all day (while I was out and about most of the day) I contemplated faces..., and butterflies.  I thought about Butterflies with Faces, and about Faces with Butterflies, and any manner of possible combinations.  But nothing really grabbed me...., that is until the name "Julia Butterfly Hill" popped into my head.  As you might recall, she was the famous protester that sat in a California Redwood tree for two years back in the '90's, in order to protect it from being cut down by loggers. I have visited the Giant Redwoods -- they are AMAZING.  So once that idea came to mind I knew exactly what I wanted to do -- a tribute portrait.....

The following is my entry description
 

My ACEO (2.5 x 3.5) entry for this month's ACEO Theme Week art contest (May's theme being 'Butterflies'), features a lovely tribute portrait of the famous environmental activist, Julia Butterfly Hill....

I admit I took liberties with this month's "Butterfly' theme, but it was Julia Butterfly Hill that came to mind when reflecting upon 'Butterflies'.  As a young woman in the late '90's, Julia Butterfly Hill performed an act of civil disobedience by sitting in an ancient California Redwood tree for just over 2 years, in order to protect it from loggers.  Her effort was successful, and she finally climbed down after it was formally agreed upon that the tree, which she named 'Luna', would not be logged....


12 comments:

Jenny said...

Oh she is beautiful Patience... so love the sweet expression on her face...

Jenny x

Patience said...

Thanks so much, Jenny -- really sweet of you to say! I thought an ACEO as my 'first face' might go quickly and smoothly -- but nope! Found myself having to fussy-fuss-fuss with her expression a lot tonight to acheive that serene expression, lol. Oh well, I'm sure I'll catch my '29 Faces' stride soon enough here. Thanks again!

Patience said...

Ha, think I said 'expression' enough...? ;-) Ugh, think I need to get to bed already... ;-)

Wendy said...

I'm so glad to have found you via the faces challenge. You are good! Consider me a follower!

rose AKA Walk in the Woods - she/her said...

I absolutely LoVe the path of inspiration upon which you were guided in your patient consideration. Julia Butterfly Hill. Fantastic ~ and the image too!

denthe said...

She's beautiful. Love the expression on her face.

Lisa Graham said...

Julia Butterfly Hill looks like she really could protect the Redwood trees. Beautiful.

Patience said...

Wendy,thank you so much for commenting, and for following...! It is a pleasure to meet you -- and, as it is my intention to blog nearly every single day this month (whew, only TWENTY SEVEN more posts to go), please stop on over here again soon....!

Patience said...

Dear Rose, of a Walk in the Woods (and what a lovely name for your blog it is!) thanks so much for your kindly comment :-). As an artist, I've come to the realisation over time that I really need to find personal motivation somewhere in any thing I initiate, otherwise there is a high likelihood of my losing interest and not following through, heh (just what is that anyway? ;-)). As much as I adore butterflies and all their ilk, somehow just painting a literal insect I knew wasn't going to cut it for me, so I"m glad I was able to come up with this angle ;-). In any case, thanks so much, Rose -- it's lovely to meet you!

Patience said...

Denthe, thank you so much -- quite a compliment coming from an artist such as yourself, the master of lovely expressions...! Thanks again :-)

Patience said...

Thank you, Lisa! Indeed, she did make a considerable sacrifice, Ms. Julia Butterfly Hill -- sitting in her 'Luna' tree for those two long years! Happily it worked, and despite the fact that her tree was later targeted by vandals (not official loggers) and seriously damaged by cutting, I read while researching that the tree was stabilised and seems to be doing okay today, whew! Thanks again for the comment, Lisa :-)

artlover said...

Great face..lovely expression!