Naked If I Want

Year Created:  2007

Place Created:  San Francisco, CA, USA

Price:  $930

Dimensions:  w 10" x h 8"

Paining made with oil on gessoboard.  Integral framing accompanies work.

This poolside study in purples reflects the casual physical attitude of an individual more often naked than not. The title is from a Dresden Dolls song of that name, while the photo from which the painting was derived was downloaded from the internet; part of a series featuring a young model on a sunny day posing with a wine glass by a small circular pool of invisibly clear water. The brilliantly white circular pedestal for the painting with its hand lettered script is an echo of that glassy pool given privacy by a rough masonry wall, here rendered in layered lavender strokes. The model leans forward and to the left to reach for an empty glass. I found the ambiguity of that motion evocative rather than provocative, and a fitting transformation of intent from the awkwardly prurient photo series to become part of the Blue Art period. Sometimes a body just likes to be naked. Sometimes an artist just likes to paint a nice figure in an active pose.