Friday, November 23, 2012

My NIbblefest Art Contest Entry: November's 'Nature' Theme:





"Mother Nature's Son" (5" x 10.5")

 

Nibblefest Art Contest time rolls around, once again.  This month's contest began on the 20th, as usual -- and as usual I did come up with an original entry, though with the Thanksgiving hubbub tucked in there I am only now getting around to blogging about it.  Better late than never right? 

I did find this month's "Nature" theme, nature lover that I am, pretty irresistible.  I adore nature, revering it in all its forms.  It never fails to be an endless source of wonder and fascination for me, as it has my whole life long.  I often incorporate elements of the natural in my artwork as a matter of course anyway -- so why should it have been any sort of challenge coming up with my entry concept this month?  I guess because as a theme it may have been a little TOO broad perhaps....?   Too many ideas, crowding my thoughts and conflicting with each other.  And so I turned to my two trusty inspirational defaults so handy in such situations:  Music, and Literature.  Music trumped this month, when the vintage Beatles tune "Mother Nature's Son" popped into my head (my older siblings played the heck out of the 'White Album' in my early years, spinning it as they did via the one family stereo system we all shared in our living room -- the result of which being those songs forever etched into my brain, lol)....


The following is my auction description:

"...Mother Nature's Son..."

   My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFC) (~the theme for November being 'Nature') is an original acrylic painting on vellum mounted permanently onto a thin, 5"x10.5" section of old, found wood.  'Mother Nature's Son' is signed on the front, and ready to hang...

...........

The art I make often incorporates natural subject matter, so it might be 'natural' to assume my entry for this month's contest, with its 'Nature' theme,  was a no-brainer.  It's wasn't, but only because of my fetish of always trying to capture personal meaning in whatever I decide to tackle.  It really must speak to me.  This month was no exception, as I found myself turning to music for my inspiration -- when an old Beatles song popped into my head as I ruminated upon "Nature".   I well remember my older brothers and sister playing the Beatles' "White Album" around the house as I was growing up.  I so loved the song, "Mother Nature's Son", with its simple lyrics and sweet, understated melody (plus I  also recall my enthusiastic joining in of the "Doo doo doooooo" chorus!).  But how best to interpret this old song...?
 

Born a poor young country boy,
Mother Nature's son.
All day long I'm sitting singing songs for everyone.

Sit beside a mountain stream.  See her waters rise.
Listen to the pretty sound of music
as she flies.

Find me in my field of grass,
Mother Nature's son.
Swaying daisies sing a lazy song beneath the sun,

Mother Nature's son....

 


I finally decided to paint my very own version of a Mother Nature's Son, a true product of his environment, soaking up the sun and fresh air as he entertains an audience of assorted wild critters (noting of course that I *had* to include a Blackbird in the assemble -- a nod to yet another  favorite tune off the same album). 

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To see ALL the great 'Fantasy'-themed Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month
(with each starting at just .99 cents!),
click here....