Monday, April 18, 2011

FRIDA KAHLO!

FRIDA!

FRIDA MANIA!

Frida Kahlo Rivera-mixed media original oil collage

Mexican icon, Frida Kahlo, has been represented throughout the years in many different mediums. I never really thought too much about her until a few years ago when I had the pleasure of taking a tour of Mexico. While in Mexico City, I visited the museum of Diego Rivera. It was there that I became attracted to the busy look of his fabulous paintings. Frida attended the renowned National Preparatory School where she met Diago. He was painting a mural in the lecture hall. They later married only to have an on again off again marriage. I started to study their lives and now I see what all the fury concerning Frida is about.

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Diego Rivera's mural in Mexico City, Mexico

Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo was born in 1907 in Mexico City. She contracted polio as a child and walked with a limp because of the damage to her leg and foot. As luck would have it, she was forced to leave her study of medicine to begin painting after a terrible street car accident immobilized her. Being forced to remain in bed in excruciating pain for long periods at a time, she chose to explore the world of art and became quite famous.

Frieda is richly decorated in vibrant oil color and embellishments

In creating my own Frida oil painted collage, I decided to vicariously put myself in her shoes, pick up her palatte and see through her eyes as I painted. I chose to create a painting in the fashion she would have used. She said when interviewed, “I paint myself because it I know myself better than anyone else.” She created 143 paintings and of those 55 are self portraits.

Crackled flowers

I found an old frame at the flea market and painted it in bright Mexican looking colors. I glued digital images of flowers behind the area where I roughed in the face. I modge podged the flowers, crackled them and then oil painted several in and around the crackles to create depth. I then finished painting her face, neck and dress in oils.

Wooden palette

I was given a beautiful palette for Mother’s Day last year, but after taking an oil painting class, I found that it is much more cost-effective and much easier to use the disposable palettes. I decided to use my wooden palette as a focal point in the painting. I hand wrote two of Frida's quoted sayings in Spanish. I also added two paint brushes that were my father, James Galloway’s. He was a well known landscape artist. I inherited all of his art materials when he passed away several years ago. Some of the brushes were dried out and I wanted to put them to good use.
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Beautiful painting found at resort in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Another busy but beautiful painting

I wanted the painting to look very much like one Frida would have created of herself. I was also influenced by two paintings in the hotel where I stayed in Playa Del Carmen this past winter. Yes. "Busy" is in with the old Mexican artists and mine is certainly no exception.


Finished Frida oil collage measuring 36" wide x 66" high! She's larger than she looks here.

My Frida is standing rather stoic (that is the way Frida usually painted herself,) with the bright flowers and traditional Mexican dress she most often chose to wear. The look she conveys in her paintings is of a surrealistic nature. She said. “I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality.”

I printed her biography in Spanish and crackled it, placed it on the dress, used gesso to splash over it and little by little…she started to come to life.

She was a long time in the making but finally I can present her for show. I hope you like her. I plan to place her in my kitchen for now. I just know I’ll love the color and life she will add.

FRIDA MANIA!


Frida sculpture and oil collage shown together in my studio

I used lavish embellisments to adorn her hair and neck

Now..here is where the real Frida mania comes in. I didn’t stop at the painting. I also sculpted Frida, I created journals of her, placed her on my “gypsy woman" cloak hangers, made art paper dolls and various other Frieda items. I’ll be doing a post of them soon, but for now, here is a picture of the sculpture I created of her, which is for sale. I have priced her at $300. She is 23” tall and 12” wide. I can ship her anywhere and give you an estimate on shipping price. Please e-mail me if you are interested and we can go from there.


Another view of Frida sculpture


And yet another view

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42 comments:

  1. Cheryl, these are THE BEST Fridas I have seen!
    The sculpt is phenomenal and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the multi-media collage/painting piece. Can't wait to show these to Nicole - Frida is her absolute favorite!

    Hugs,

    Sue

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  2. Your Frida sculpture is amazing. I love the painting to with all the embellishment but the sculpture is phantastic.

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  3. Magnificent!!! I love your Frida painting AND sculpture. Amazing work, Cheryl....well done!

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  4. This is totally amazing art, oh wow Cheryl.....am a bit speechless as they are breathtaking. Your gorgeous Frieda face is so beautifully creamy and perfect (am sure thats not a technical term)in oils. Also loving the fact you have added so many beautiful mixed media pieces to it.
    The sculpture must have taken ages, so proud and beautiful. Better stop now as am going on far too much....lol Annette x

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  5. Incredible Cheryl. She also reminds of the work of ... hmm.... wish I could remember the name... hang on, I'll look it up.

    Vladimir Tretchikoff!

    (don't you just love google - a few random words describing a painting style and bang - the answer is there!)

    She looks so real - a living Frieda staring at me from the canvas inviting me into her world.

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  6. Love your Frieda tribute my friend. Hugs and I hope you'll stop by and enter my latest giveaway to win a gorgeous dress!

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  7. very nice works; wasn't she wonderful?!! i take it you viewed the movie. thanks c will

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  8. Beautiful! A stunning portrait and wonderful sculpture.

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  9. cheryl, i love frida and love how you portrayed her. that painting is such a beautiful tribute to a very interesting woman.

    i'm in love! xo

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  10. Both your mixed media painting and the sculpture are absolutely gorgeous. I'm totally impressed with these and especially love how you incorporated the paint palette. The entire piece spoke to me, as did the sculpture.

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  11. Hello Cheryl! For me, Frieda owns one of the most beautiful faces in history. I particularly love her eyes. I see both strength and kindness in her eyes, which not all women have.

    I love the other paintings from Mexico too. The fruits seller also reminds me of my country. The painting also depicts a common scene in my country. There are a lot of tropical fruits growing and are sold in the streets in my country.

    And of course how could I not notice your sculpture. You are just so talented!

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  12. love this!! I even have Diego Rivera checks!!! wonderful mixed media piece.

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  13. WOW Cheryl, Your Frieda is FAB-U-LOUS, her eyes are so piercing.Love all the color. The best work of yours I've seen yet. Then you didn't stop there but did the sculpture too. Amazing!!
    hugs Lynn

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  14. OH, Cheryl, you have gone and done it again! To say the least, she is gorgeous! Both the painting and the sculpture are amazing. She looks so alive, as if she could start a conversation with the one that is admiring her. Once again, my hat is off to your abilities. Trish

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  15. Love--Love--and LOVE!! (Just so Beautiful!!)

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  16. Cheryl! How amazing! You must feel like you've just given birth...you've put your whole heart and soul into this artwork and I am truly blown away!!! The painting AND the sculpture both are the finest art ever. I just love the fantasy eyes Frida has in the painting...so glamourous.
    Love, Lisa

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  17. Oh WOW- she is incredible! I love all the life you breathed into her with her eyes and her expression and then all the additional layers you continued to add....you have really captured the essence of Frieda. I am truly in awe of this piece.
    Just out of curiosity, do plan on making any of your boxes with this image- I'd be VERY interested in buying one :)

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  18. I see Freida art quite often, but never heard her story before! Thank you for sharing her story with us! I love how you added 3d elements to your painting. That makes it almost interactive ....

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  19. Gorgeous! Just so beautiful to look at :) Happy T day.

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  20. Your Fridas are magnificent! I can never get enough Frida. She created art in her own way on her own terms, navigating a life of pain. She is inspirational and you truly captured her beauty.

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  21. She should be in a traveling art exhibit and enjoyed by many. Stunning, both the painting and the sculpture.

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  22. Oh my, what stunning work you do, the colours and emotions in your Frieda are beautiful.

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  23. As if your painting wasn't enough Cheryl, there is also your sculpture! Both are an absolute pleasure to look at. I love all the different elements you've used in the painting - especially the wooden palette and your father's brushes, what a lovely touch. Also, incorporating the biography on her dress. It sounds as though she had a very hard life, but your portrayal of Frieda is one of pure beauty. Thanks for sharing x

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  24. I am in Frida heaven here Cheryl- what fantastic pieces. The painting has such a refined and beautiful soul to it and the sculpture blows me away! I really love the earthiness of the sculpture- it captures Frida's spirit and and is such an integral part of the art and garden atmosphere. Perfection !

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  25. Oh Cheryl! The hours and hours and weeks you must have put into these amazing pieces of art. You are so talented! I can't choose which I like more and wouldn't it would be amazing to have both in one room!
    Absolutely gorgeous work - I think your sculpture deserves more than what you've priced her at too!

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  26. Oh my goodness, what amazing Frida's! I'm awe struck by the energy that is prouding sharing!
    Beautiful!

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  27. Interesting post. Beautiful painting. Love the frame and the story...I can't say I knew anything about her but now I want to.
    Thanks for sharing and congratulations on a painting job well done :)

    Hugs

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  28. love the story & am always amazed by your talent...so glad you shared!

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  29. I love Frieda and her work too. Your painting is incredible wonderful, her face is gorgeous!
    Love how you create the collage. Your works are a great hommage to Frieda.
    Wish you Happy Easter,
    hugs Anja

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  30. OMG, Cheryl... I'm having heart palpitations! Frida is my favorite artist ever. These are both so wonderful I can't stop looking at them! Brava!!!

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  31. Cheryl your work is just gorgeous! I can't say enough about it! Lovely, lovely post.

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  32. woow, your frieda pieces are sooooooooooo amazingly gorgeous!

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  33. Amazing job! Really beautiful Cheryl and I LOVE the planters you've shared also!

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  34. Wonderful Frida's. You are so talented I already said this before, I know but it's really true!!!!!

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  35. Absolutely amazing and beautiful, vibrant, and I just love all of it

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  36. Your Frida sculpture is amazing. Can't even come up with enough adjectives to do it justice. Incredible, Cheryl! I am always amazed by your talent!
    Your Frida portrait is stunning as well!

    Wishing you a lovely Easter!
    Hugs, Gaby

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  37. Uauuu Fantastico seu trabalho com tema Frieda
    Parabéns!

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  38. Beautiful work. Thank you so much for sharing your gift. xo

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