A prickly-hot late spring day: Bill and I were traveling through Big Bend country, headed south of Marfa, Texas on U.S. 67 toward Big Bend Ranch State Park. I noticed a white church, just off the road. Thorny growth and rocks between us and the church, the sight was instantly intriguing.
After we returned home, I Googled the church and found out that it is the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Shafter, Texas. Shafter is nearly a ghost town. I spent a couple of years considering what to do with the image, and earlier this year completed this watercolor.
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| "Crown of Thorns" |
Taking a cue from my quilt block patterned cut paper collages, I drew out the grid for a "Crown of Thorns" quilt on the watercolor paper before transferring the drawing of the church and prickly poppies. "Crown of Thorns" is an old quilt block design and I felt like the title and pattern supported my subject. I have to say, painting the quilt design values and colors onto the paper before the painting subject was just as crazy-making as doing it in collage. Yikes! I felt, after mostly completing the painting, that there was not enough value change and texture on the bottom part of the painting, and added two collaged prickly poppies and some stickery-stuff to lead the eye, via a white movement, upward to the church.
I love the image and the birds, especially the flowers.
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