Gary J. Kirkpatrick Art and Travel Blog
Expressionistic art
This started life as a drawing at Palau de la Musica. I enlarged the original, a tiny 2 x 4″ and put it on the canvas board, then painted in with acrylics. See also Two Fiddles at the Palau, a version of this based on the very same drawing.
Music enchants us, the dance, the singing, the skill, the magic. It transports the listener to their own land of fantasies. Dancers, singers, or something entirely unrelated can accompany our immersion in the tones. This painting is an exploration of that dream state.
A continuation of my music related series. This is more realistic than some of my music paintings as the subject and presentation seem more suited to this style than an expressionistic approach given the importance of the hands.
The dancing couple is Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the two singers include friend Shena and her co-singer Lindsay in a San Francisco group.
Comments from Facebook:
Love this!
Enchanting!
Super imagination!
Excellent! Bravo!
¡Que hermosa obra, Gary!
So wonderful love it!
Romantic and meaningful!
That’s art!
Fantasy Quartet
This is the second fantasy based on the “automatic” drawing you can see below. Where do our thoughts go as we become absorbed in the music? The swathes of color symbolize the vast space into which the musicians and audience project their dreamy thoughts.
From my music series, Singer Sax Drummer is based on a drawing done at the Palau de la Musica in Valencia. I have included the drawing below. It is done in acrylics. There are two distinct planes. You see two instrument playing muses, one kicking her leg up. This painting is a fusion of automatic drawing and an abstract background with bright and strong colors.
Fantasy Quartet
This is based on an automatic drawing and given an expressionist treatment in acrylics. Automatic drawing was popularized by the surrealists in the 1920ś. The audience is bathed in a comforting blue haze. The original drawing is posted below.
Horns and Contrabass at Palau de la Musica
The original sketch was done in the Palau de la Musica, Valencia, Spain.
Four Horns at Palau de la Musica
This is based on a pen and ink miniature, with many elements of fantasy.
Waiting for the Concert at the Small Hall in the Palau de la Musica, Valencia.
Continuing with the music and Palau themes, here I use a palette knife to dress the audience awaiting the concert. The Palau has a small concert hall in the basement. We listen to some local traditional Valencian music. Below the painting you will find a link to a video I shot at a local fair with some examples of the squeaky instruments we listened to. You hear them during the many parades you can see in the city.
This is based on my original sketch done at the Palau de la Musica in Valencia, in one of the smaller concert halls. That’s me with the black hat.
