Choosing what to paint can be a story in itself. On our weekly Date Day, my husband and I were in Ventura, CA. I had just finished a painting of my brother’s too-cute dog, and I was showing it to random people, because it is always fun to get, “Oh, how cute!” or “Awww!” A puppy can brighten up almost anyone’s day.
We stopped by a gift store, which also provided boat rides to those who wanted to camp on the Channel Islands, off the coast of California near Ventura and Santa Barbara. I found out that small foxes, the size of a cat, live on some of the islands, and one could buy various cups and keychains with their images.
I was showing my puppy painting, via my phone, to people in the gift store, including the clerk who asked if I could paint the Channel Islands fox. Sure, why not? A customer at the checkstand said that when she was camping on the island, a fox came, it peed on the fish they had caught–to claim it, and it took the fish. Hence my painting, which my husband has titled, “Where’s my fish?”
The challenge was to bring all the elements together in proper perspective, including the boy looking into a fishing bag, the fox looking back (guiltily?), the type of fish one really can catch off these islands, and the landscape of the island.
This is the second in a series of animals taking fish. The first one, on my website, is a cat at the lake pulling a fish from a bucket.
Also, I start with red, yellow and blue acrylic paint, and I never mix more than two colors together. Hence a gray/orange fox becomes a navy/orange fox, and the painting retains some life.
Enjoy!
Rebecca Mate
artday@earthlink.net
SHORT SAYING BY R. MATE
“Non-artists are crazy!!”
COLLECTORS CORNER
This is not the first fox I painted. The first fox, which you can see on my website, was crouching, ready to pounce, hiding in the tall grass. I was getting frustrated because there were so many strands of grass and painting fur to make it look right was problematic. I was sitting in a tent, part of an Art Walk in Montrose, CA, which is two cities east of my home. Finally, I decided I didn’t have to paint every tiny detail. I made enough grass paint strokes to give you the idea, and made the fox look fluffy. I had bought a special frame surrounded by what looked like metal twigs, so I put the painting in it. Fortunately, acrylic paint dries fast, especially outdoors. Not 30 minutes later, a passing lady said, “Oh, my daughter loves foxes!” I remembered to take a photo of it before she bought it. That was the shortest time a painting I’d done was in my possession before it sold.
OUTREACH
This weekend, ArtistsforaBetterWorld.art is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt, chairperson of the United Nations’ Human Rights Commission. It was adopted by the UN on December 10th, 1948. My favorite right is “Freedom of Expression,” and I am thankful that right is allowed in our country. You can see a simplified version of the Declaration, or take a short online course which has videos, at https://www.youthforhumanrights.org.
WHITE’S GALLERY IN MONTROSE, CA
Six of my original paintings are on display, and for sale at discounted prices, in White’s Gallery, 2414 Honolulu Ave, Montrose, CA 91020. Miguel, the gallery owner, is a real sweetheart, and can be reached at contact@whitesfineart.com.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Mate
818-692-2333
www.SoftBeautybyRMate.com