EASEL TIDES: GAIL M. ALLEN'S PAINTING JOURNAL

Gail Allen is a classically trained artist living in New Hampshire, USA, who sculpts, paints and creates custom designed landscapes, murals and event products.
Please click here to view my painting gallery site:
Gail M. Allen Fine Art

If you like my work, but are not ready to purchase a painting,
you may purchase fine art prints or cards with my paintings on them at my site: Gail Allen Contemporary Fine Art (Print and Card Shop)

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Crossing Over

Recently I have taken a few weeks off from my regular painting routine, to attend to other commitments, while continuing sketching and taking literally hundreds of reference photos, as well as continuing my research on healing artwork. I have very eclectic styles of painting, as the result of my illustration training, which I vary depending on the subject matter.
The latest painting, just off the easel, called Crossing Over is of a woman standing in contemplation overlooking a seaside, secret garden. Across the inlet of water in front of her is a rose arbor or trellis, with a ghostly woman standing beneath it, beckoning her onward. This image was a sketch I had done while visiting with a hospitalized friend. Research on Healing Artwork, which is often displayed in hospitals and treatment centers, as well as doctors offices has been shown to help reduce stress and increase the rate of healing in patients. Nature, gardens and calming, serene paintings that offer meditation and are pleasing to look at are all subjects that people have responded positively to. These were my thoughts in developing this piece.

3 comments:

Sarah said...

Hi Gail :) I'm glad to know your inspiration for this. (How about those dentists with aquariums in each room? Except aren't you mostly looking at the ceiling - which explains the TV's that a lot of them have now, instead!)

cheryl said...

mmmm, I sense of the siren in her with her fish scale dress glittering in the sunlight. Does she beckon to us to join her in serenity? Such a beautiful painting Gail.

Gail Allen Fine Art said...

Thank you both for taking the time to respond with your compliments and insights. This piece is, for me, about passages in life we go through, and the state of "crossing over" intuitively, as well as physically, to new perceptions and acuity- a sort of secret window we pass through as we enter a new phase of maturity and understanding.
Cheryl, I hadn't thought of her as a siren, but now that you've said it, yes that dress does have a fish scale quality to it .... as Rusty said in her comment on The Artist's Challenge, it's up to the viewer to choose which woman is doing the beckoning....glad you found it appealing!