Name: Vikki North
Location: USA
Title: ‘Embrace’- Clara Bow
Price of Original: $1850 (Prints will be available)
Size: 16″ x 20″
Medium: Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas
Artist web site:
http://www.theredchairgallery.com/
http://redchair-vikkisblog.blogspot.com/
From Vikki:
“As a kid I took care of my mother,… she didn’t like me… she didn’t mean to be that way…she couldn’t help it”.
Clara Bow- 1924
Clara is #6 in my minimal palette Master Icons Series. I’m frequently asked if I work from photos of the celebrities. Nope- at least not as you assume. I need a photo for their facial features, but I’m my own model for most of my ‘male or female’ subjects. (heavily embellished in Clara’s case!) That way I can pose them however I choose. Broaden the shoulders, add some curve to hips and the human form easily morphs into anyone.
To read more about Clara Bow please visit my blog listed at the link above.
11 responses so far ↓
1 Ray Shuell // Jun 27, 2010 at 2:29 am
She looks so very, very cute and with this minimal palette having the look of an old sepia photograph I think it’s a wonderful painting and now I know it’s really you… I adore it Vikki, you seem to endow these characters with so much charm and personality. Isn’t it incredible what paint and brush can do, in the right hands.
2 Sonya Meglaurel // Jun 27, 2010 at 8:48 am
This piece is so timeless Vikki. She poses with such grace and instinctive self preservation. Your work in this series is a step back in time. The history of my parents and introduction to life’s basics at a very young time in life. Her “Betty Boop” pursed lips are wonderful!
3 Sonya Meglaurel // Jun 27, 2010 at 9:42 am
returned to this piece, Vikki, I do see you in this piece (her sitting position and essence!)
4 Vikki // Jun 27, 2010 at 11:24 am
Thank you Ray. I’ve always loved reading about the background of people like I have in this series and what made them click and push them to be who they became.
The story with Clara was heartwrenching but it was also extremely inspirational. She had the choice to live in that pain or relish her life. She chose the latter and became one of the most beloved people in the world. Don’t you love that?
5 Vikki // Jun 27, 2010 at 11:31 am
Thank you Sonya. I come ‘real cheap’. I think most artist are their own model. ‘ The mirror’ is an essential tools in the studio! I even have a small mirrot that’s perfect to put atmy feet, so I can look at them as I work. lol
I wasn’t sure whether Clara was the model for ‘Betty Boop’ so I looked it up. Of course she was! Knew it had to be! No one else could be.
6 Sarah // Jun 29, 2010 at 3:12 pm
Vikki, how wonderful this is! I did go and read what you wrote about her. I had wondered who Betty Boop really was, based on someone real, or not, and now I know. Yes, extremely inspirational. I wonder who you will portray next
7 Rusty Harden // Jun 29, 2010 at 6:04 pm
She has soulful eyes.
Your paintings of this series always brings the theatrical aspect of their career to us. I love her costume and wish I was wearing it.
8 Vikki // Jun 29, 2010 at 8:17 pm
Hi Sarah and Rusty. I don’t know who I’d do next or if I’ll do another. Six is enough for a series.
And Rusty her theatrical emsemble started as my P.J. bottoms and my excercise bra with minor embellishing ala paint brush.
9 Pauline // Jul 1, 2010 at 5:58 pm
She is just beautiful….. charming and endearing.
Congrats on this lovely piece…
Pauline
10 Gail Allen // Jul 8, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Vikki, this is beautiful….reminds me of an old daguerreotype.
11 gwen // Sep 22, 2010 at 1:34 pm
What an incredibly beautiful painting. I forgot how pretty she was (and I like her even more with darker complexion). Love the coy pose. So fitting for the Boop-Booptie-Boo Girl!
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