800 Under the Sea (at the Shedd Aquarium)

I always have many paintings in progress, so that if I get stuck on one painting, I have something else to work on.  I find this prevents me from having any excuses for procrastination or frustration.  This painting began long ago as an "ink pour," which is exactly that----random pouring, dripping, squirting, tilting--- black ink onto water color paper.  I wish I had taken a photo of the initial image, but shown below is another in its beginning stage.  In the case of the seascape above, the jellyfish tentacles, the anemones, the long skinny striped fish, and the sea plants were all ink drips, and finally it made sense to me after a very long time of staring at it that it was a sea scape.

The hardest part for me is interpreting this and making it "something," sort of like a Rorschach test, which by the way, I was fascinated by as a child.   I made my own ink blots and tried to psychoanalyze my nieces and nephews by their responses.  That was really fun.  Sorry, I got off track.

Here is what the ink pour above turned into.

Sorry for the poor photo, but it is difficult to photograph glass.  The fun part about this painting is that it could have been turned in any direction.  The buyer liked it best in this orientation, and it looks beautiful in her home.

"800 Under the Sea (at the Shedd Aquarium)"
mixed media- 13x22 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/800-under-the-sea-at-the-shedd-aquarium-/480334

dianecampion.blogspot.com

Atypical

I visited an architectural salvage store where I was lost in subject matter material.  This piece was inspired by a giant mid-century carved wood panel from Italy.  The shapes intrigued me, as did the various shades and grain of wood (definitely a future painting), but for now, just for fun I wanted to paint it with bright colors.  It was challenging, yet fun to mix so many shades of green, and to adapt some of the shapes to be suitable for a painting.  It reminded me so much of my quilting days, which greatly inspired my early paintings.  I think this painting could be hung in four different directions, although this is my preference.

"Atypical"
acrylic - 12x36 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/atypical/479426

dianecampion.blogspot.com

799 Minnie

"Minnie" was a commissioned gift for a special couple's wedding gift.  I thought it was a really creative gift, much better than a sugar bowl.

"799 Minnie"
acrylic - 8x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/799-minnie/478740

dianecampion.blogspot.com

Nuts and Bolts

I really enjoyed painting this, although it was a little tedious.  I've been on the hunt for more still scenes like this one and "Patent Pending."   I love painting all the patina and textures. 

"Nuts and Bolts"
acrylic - 24x24 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/nuts-and-bolts/477951

dianecampion.blogspot.com

798 Marwa

Marwa is an outgoing seven year old Syrian refugee who has lived in one of Lebanon's tent camps since she was two years old.  She and her family left their home in Homs, Syria after it was heavily shelled.  She doesn't remember much of her early life.  Marwa has become an "ambassador" or sorts to visitors, particularly to the ANERA (American Near East Refugee Aid) folks who bring supplies to her camp.  She goes to school near the camp, and readily admits she isn't fond of school, however she plans to be a teacher one day.  When asked to draw a  house, she replied, "I cannot draw a house.  I will draw a tent instead.  I don't know what a house looks like."

"Marwa" is the fifth refugee child in my "Innocents Project" series.  She is the first and only child whose name I know so far.  It is important to me to see these children as real people with names, not just falling under a heading called "refugees."  I get an idea of what this spunky little girl is like from other photos showing a gap in her big bright smile where two bottom teeth used to be.  She is seen carrying her little brother, and has boasted that she does better in school than her siblings.  How typical for a seven year old, yet her life is far from typical or normal.

ANERA works to improve the lives of all of the refugees, but particularly for the children.  Please consider a donation to anera.org in honor of a special mother, or "just because" and please mention The Innocents Project.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you!

"798 Marwa"
acrylic - 12x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/798-marwa/477195

dianecampion.blogspot.com

796 Keyless Entry

796 Shy

This is the fourth portrait in my series called "The Innocents Project" in which I am painting the refugee children living in camps in Lebanon and Palestine.  I am hoping to raise awareness and money for the children through ANERA (American Near East Refugee Aid) in Washington, D.C.

There is no "normal" for a kid living in a refuge camp.  Most people don't realize that it gets quite cold in the Middle East during the winter, and heat is unlikely in the camps, and often in homes.  ANERA has distributed over 100,000 pairs of shoes and boots to keep the children safe and warm in Lebanon's refugee camps and in Gaza.  Tom's has been very generous in donating the shoes and boots for the children, who otherwise might be barefoot.  According to ANERA's recent newsletter, they have also distributed millions of dollars worth of vital medicines and supplies to clinics and hospitals in Lebanon and Palestine during the past year, 20,000 relief kits (school supplies, blankets, quilts, hygiene supplies, and clothing) in Lebanon, and as mentioned previously, 12,200 parasite treatment kits to prevent lice in the overcrowded camps in Lebanon.

Aside from all of the physical abnormalities of living in a refugee camp, imagine the psychological affects of living in a refugee camp where children see death from illness, violence or electricution all too often.  There may not be places for them to play, or clean water to drink.

Please consider a donation to ANERA   www.anera.org   and please mention "The Innocents Project."

"796 Shy"
acrylic - 12x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/796-shy/475823

dianecampion.blogspot.com