ANT, POPCORN and SUNLIGHT

Here's something that's thankfully, NOT movie related to add a little variety to this blog.

"Ant, Popcorn and Sunlight",  is a piece I did for an art show where all the artwork could be no bigger than 5x5 inches.

It was a last minute idea to find something unusual for the frame, and let that dictate the concept.  So I figured magnifying glasses would be cool and easy to mount artwork in.  Well, they are cool to use as frames, but insanely difficult to mount anything on them.

But, once the idea of the magnifying glasses was set, then it was only natural to have the subject be about burning ants.  How could it not be.  And I wanted it to be multiple images, so I needed a story for the ant.  What was he after... food!  And what would be the worst food for that ant to find under concentrated sunlight, yup, un-popped popcorn.

Here's the quick color studies I made in photoshop.

Then I had to actually paint this up.  And I hate painting with pigment on paper or board.  But, it turned out very funny and weird, which I like.

The best part of this experience was that it sold!  Not just sold, but to an amazingly talented artist and good friend, Denise Koyama.  She didn't even realize I'd done the piece until she bought it.  

I promised her that since it's cobbled together like a summer camp project that if it ever fell apart I'd be happy to run over with the hot glue gun and piece it back together.  No calls yet.