Building a Book

“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” 

― Douglas Adams, The Salmon of Doubt

I have not read Mr. (now deceased) Adams' books but I really related to his quote above.  In fact, I always feel that if a project is not complete before a deadline then I am really totally behind.  Makes no sense, it's just how I am.

To that end I am thrilled to hear the whooshing noise of a deadline go by as I finalize the last of several paintings and drawings I am doing for a friend's book on Marrakech, Morocco.  Not stealing her thunder nor revealing the gist until she (and others) hear their deadlines whoosh into publication, I nevertheless less will share some of the pieces I've sent.

grinding argon nuts in the Atlas Mountains, oil

camel waiting for a rider, pen and ink

mint tea service, oil

Mosque entrance, w/c in sketchbook

the rug souk, oil

pen and ink, portal

conundrum: I like the unfinished nature

of this piece so it is resting.

As the "real deadline" is actually another week away I

have time to tweak and cogitate...

WHOOSH........love that sound.

Next on the list.

COLORFULLY ON SCHEDULE,

Cindy

Moroccan Mint Tea

It didn't take long for us to fully embrace the custom

of hot Moroccan mint tea.  Served in a metal tea pot

and drunk consistently in glasses, it was offered everywhere:

during sales of goods, after dinner, mid-morning and late

afternoon.  It was almost too sweet for my palate

but always served with sweeping arm motions (which made 

the pour long and arcing) that always made it

into a visual ritual of celebration.

I began to call this painting a jig saw puzzle

I would find myself lost in the color blocks, duplicating shapes without regard to

what they were....it became a very zen painting experience, slow and methodical

the strain was not to rush into the "fun" highlights too soon,

nor give in to the urge to use the real "gold" paint too early.

Moroccan Mint, 12 x 12, oil on board

black frame

@CMichaud

Zen Fully Yours,

Cindy

p.s. just for fun, see if you can find at least 3 people in this piece, any luck?

Souks & Shadows in Marrakech

Many artists profess to "paint the light."

But to show the light one must also paint shadow.  

For some reason, I have always found the shadows

 more intriguing to paint as a subject than light.  There's

a mystery in the shadow...and opportunity for a lot of color.

The markets of Marrakech are a labyrinth of dark passages, twists and turns with occasional bursts of sunlight either from the roof openings or from the arched exits leading to the streets.  The lights bounce around giving shape to the shadows and changing the colors from bright to burnished along the way.

I began the painting above from a photo taken on a Friday morning when traffic in the souks is slow due to the holy day.  Can you find the faint beginnings of two people in this vignette?

I actually started this piece as an abstract...I so badly wanted to leave it that way but something in me keeps pushing for the detail, perhaps a fear that you won't know what I am portraying if I don't give you enough information?  This was going to be a challenge to bring the viewer right into the souk, let them look around and then follow the passage way out.

"Called to Prayer"

14 x 11, oil on canvas, framed

available

Now enjoy the colors of the shadows...grey, brown, dark greens, reds and every other shade.  The "light" patches would not be so interesting without the tremendous support of the shadow. And in this piece there is very little of what we artists refer to as "mid tones."

Now can you find the two figures?  Look closely.  There is a sole man behind the stack of twine balls.  The second?  It could be you: examine the shadow in the lower middle section just left of the basket base.  

Mysterious Marrakech.

In the Shadows,

Cindy