Friday 7 March 2014

Celebrating International Women's Day with a new painting

I have really been in a painting-frenzy lately. It helps that I have an exhibition coming up to get my ass into gear. It's always like that, I keep procrastinating until I have just very little time left, and then I start and can't stop anymore. There are paintings everywhere in the house in different stages of completion. My son (after clearing away paint and paintings from the table in order to be able to eat his fruit) mentioned I really need a studio. Well, he's right about that ;-)


The painting I finished this week is all about women. Pure coincidence, because I'd completely forgotten about International Women's Day being tomorrow. It's a canvas that has been patiently waiting on my easel until I knew what to do with it. I loved the background and was hesitant to put something on top of it. But I couldn't leave it like it was either.

And then one night, I was reading the news on the internet and read an article about a law in a certain country that would make it virtually impossible to prosecute and punish men that abused their mothers/wife/sisters/daughters ... because of a ban on relatives testifying. 


And it made me so angry. And sad. And helpless. Thinking about all the women in a much too big part of the world who are treated as second-class citizens, who are beaten and raped and forced to marry a man who is forty years older and can do with them as he wishes. Societies where it's normal to treat women as dirt, where they have no rights whatsoever, where no one stands up for them, where little boys learn from a young age that women are inferior to them. Societies where women get stoned to death for being raped by men that cannot control themselves, where little girls are killed because they dare to dance ....

It sickens me. And it should sicken every single one of us. Don't those men realize they wouldn't even exist without a woman. They thank their very lives to a woman. Women should be respected if only for that.


So the next day when I walked into the kitchen and saw my canvas standing there, I got the idea to make it a celebration of women. Women rising up from whatever hell they're living in, and reaching for the light and for a better life. Women that won't be beaten down, that won't be silenced, that will keep speaking up until they receive the respect they deserve.

Because I wanted the background to shine through I used acrylics with lots of glazing liquid. I have rediscovered my glazing liquid. Years ago I did an online painting workshop with Julie Prichard and Chris Cozen where I learned how to use glazing liquid (it was an excellent workshop by the way, called "Chaos & Calm"). But the last years I kinda forgot about it. Until I recently used it for the 29 faces challenge and fell in love all over again :-)


I like how you can still see all the drips from the background through the figures. For me it's also like a symbol of all the tears and blood that's been shed by women all over the world.

I called it "You will never get me down". It's a big canvas, 30x100 cm (11,8"x 39,4"), which makes it a bit hard to photograph. Also to paint actually, quite a few times I almost swept everything off the kitchentable by moving it around ☺

Thanks so much for all the comments on my previous PPF-post! Most of you thought I shouldn't put any quote on there, so I just darkened the edges a bit and will leave it like this for now. It's one of the paintings that will go to the exhibition, and I'll just see how it looks when it hangs there. I can still add something later. I called it "I'll find my way home".


That's it for now. I'm still having lots of fun making new images for my Society6-shop. Really, I can't stop, it's addictive. And there's more good news: the promo on FREE worldwide shipping has gotten an upgrade and now there's also a 5$ discount on every item in my store. Did I say already that I love Society6? The promo is on until March 9th midnight, and only if you follow this link.
Here's another new image that I added last night:


Thanks also for those of you that started following me on Pinterest! I've added some more boards, and I'm starting to understand how it all works (phew, felt a bit dumb there...). And I'm starting to discover new boards all the time ..... ooohhh, I really need more hours in a day ....

And my last thank you is for you who's visiting me here. Thanks for being here, for commenting, for giving me your opinion. I hope your day is being awesome, and the weekend will even be better. Sharing this again with my weekly favorite: Paint Party Friday! ♥ ♥ ♥


41 comments:

  1. your paintings are amazing and beautiful,

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  2. This is such a beautiful post. It is heart wrenching, the abuse of women and innocent girls. It makes it hard to breathe... I LOVE your painting and the emotion in it.

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  3. God bless women! Your paintings are always intense. Beautiful post today.

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  4. Happy International Women's Day - Happy PPF !
    Your artwork this week is amazing as always - love this bodies so much- they are so pretty and are floating so soft - amazing!
    Yes we need a studio..
    That's a fact...

    xxx
    Susi

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  5. What a visually strong painting, wow!
    About Pinterest, I do not visit often because I get stuck in there! lol

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  6. Thank you for honoring women, especially oppressed women this way. So beautiful, so uplifting!
    Have a wonderful show! HPPF!

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  7. Beautiful work, love the warm colours. Valerie

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  8. You go girl...EXCELLENT POWERFUL post!! This can NEVER be said enough!! Wonderful representation for international woman's day! Great job on everything! So well said...thank you for representing women with such heart!

    Hugs Giggles

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  9. What a wonderful post. You really summed up the sadness and sense of outrage we experience when we hear of the treatment of women in these countries. Your painting is fabulous. I love the warm colours and sense of joyful abandonment.

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  10. Terrific post and very worthwhile saying. Your painting depicts the plight of these women perfectly.
    Happy PPF, Annette x

    http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/

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  11. Thanks for posting and painting about a topic that is important to all of us

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  12. A powerful tribute to women!

    Dead lines make you tick! Me, too. An exhibition on its way, great!

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  13. Don't feel bad about not understanding Pinterest. I am like that with every new thing that comes around...I was like that with Facebook for a long while. Love all your new Society6 items. Beautiful!

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  14. A great post and your painting is very dynamic and conveys your message very well. I love your use of glazing fluid to let the background show through. Hope your weekend is a good one too. Happy PPF.

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  15. Wat een prachtig verhaal over vrouwen en ik ben het helemaal met je eens. Goed hoe je dit hebt kunnen uitwerken in een schilderij en ik vind het heel mooi dat je door de figuren heen de achtergrond nog kunt zien. Heel fijn weekend!!
    xxx Marianne

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  16. Wonderful post - great art!!! Thanks so much for sharing.
    Cheers & happy PPF,
    Jana

    http://tangledpen.wordpress.com/

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  17. Your passion on this topic is touching and your art reflects your feeling so well. Beautiful job.

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  18. Great tribute Denthe. Love the the subtle changes to the girl, perfect!

    Annabelle : )

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  19. It is a wonderful celebration of women! I also love the way you can see the drips through the women... There is power in your post and piece.

    xo
    Kristin

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  20. wow what a really heart wrenching post-it's just so hard to believe that in some countries horrific things like this happen. Your painting is so beautiful. Also, I always thought you had a studio space-you certainly could use one and I hope you get one soon.

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  21. Such a powerful painting and a meaningful post! Love both ♥♥♥♥♥

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  22. Great action in the top art. The colors just enhance the movements.

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  23. A great post and some powerful artwork, what brand of glazing fluid do you use? I love the effect you have achieved.

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    1. Thanks :-) I use Golden glazing liquid, the satin one. Never tried anything else, so I can't compare, but I love this one!

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  24. Really love the long, narrow painting of women - its awesome! I am so fortunate to live in Australia where (mostly) women are respected!

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  25. I've been thinking about the suffering of strangers myself recently, and I'm not sure what to do with that. The painting is beautiful and completely captures your inspiration. Fantastic!

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  26. great post on women and love your paintings! I took that same class and forgot about glazing liquid, so now I have to pull it out and play with it! thanks for the inspiration!

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  27. I agree, the way women are treated in some places is unacceptable! So awesome of you to speak out on this subject.

    your painting is gorgeous.

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  28. I am reading a book called, "I am Malala, The Girl Who Stood Up For Education and Was Shot My the Taliban", and like your words, she writes very powerfully about standing up for girls' rights. The book is a celebration of her determination to make a difference. I introduced the book to my class, and one of my students read the whole book and said that it was so good. She then wrote about how she admired her for Thinking Big!

    I like how the women are all in different positions and how very symbolic the painting is! The one woman who appears to be falling is very powerful, especially with the "tears" flowing and all of the other women underneath her ready to catch her and support her!


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    1. I love your interpretation of the painting ♥

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  29. Great work - as always!! I just ordered a mug from Society6 and can't wait to drink coffee while enjoying your wonderful art up close!! Squeal!

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  30. wow prachtig, zoals altijd!
    Gezellig weekend!
    Groetjes Karin

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  31. Hi Denthe!

    Beautiful and powerful post I don't understand why this awful things still happen to women in some places It's just horrible and very frustrating.

    The paint It's gorgeous. Congratulations on your coming show, I saw myself in your post, when I have to paint for art shows I always have left everything almost to the end and then I can't stop.

    Have a wonderful day and you have a new follower on Pinterest ;)
    Nora

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  32. Hi Denthe..So very beautiful...gorgeous colorful figures..so inspiring and magical! Beautiful and powerful post...thanks for sharing your thoughts and wisdom! yay..wonderful about your society 6 site..I am following you now. Congrats!

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  33. lovely tribute to International Women's Day, still so much more work to be done. Beautiful art.

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  34. Too many women have had to endure the fear and pain caused by a loved one. This is beautifully executed and so touching. I love it! Love the phone case too!!!

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  35. So much movement and meaning in your large painting, and perfect for highlighting the issues.

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  36. I love the story behind your painting as much as the painting itself! Wonderful composition and love the drips flowing down through the figures! Super cool!

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  37. wonderful, powerful painting! I love your use of the glazing medium... such a poignant piece.

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