|
Nikka's Jupiter Ball
Nikka’s Jupiter Ball, pastel, 10 x 15, 2023 © Bernadette E. Kazmarski
I have visualized this painting for over 20 years.
So here it is, finally finished! And I love it—the day after I finished it I was obsessed with it, carrying it around the house with me so I could keep looking at it. It’s exciting to see an idea, an image you’ve visualized for decades, suddenly be there right before your eyes. All of Nikka’s markings and her big round yellow-green eyes, all the rich colors, the light, the familiar things, just what I’ve been seeing all these years.
And mostly, the moment and the memory she and I shared of one of her favorite activities. She made direct eye contact with me—“do you see this?!”—yes, her striped Jupiter ball was right there. I could see her excitement, and then she put on an athletic feat of chasing it all around the room.
It’s titled “Nikka’s Jupiter Ball” because what inspired it is Nikka’s excited expression, and her ball right there, a moment I witnessed when I walked into my bedroom one late afternoon and saw her in the sun under the rocker, then saw the ball and understood. It was her favorite toy and she always got the big round eyes when she saw it, then she’d bat it all over the room. I remembered that moment out of many, but did not get a photo of her in action.
I decided right away I wanted to paint that scene. I pieced it together, much as I do many of my commissioned portraits where I create a memory, in this case from photos of her on film, photos of that corner of my bedroom and individual items, and over time tinkered with it each time I took it out to paint. Now this painting joins my other portraits of my own cats like last year's Tri-color Girls Settling Down For A Nap and including favorites like Peaches and Peonies, Are You Looking At Me and Waiting For Mom.
Discounts on the Original and Prints
ORIGINAL PAINTING
I have the matted and framed original painting priced at $400.00, but for members of this list it is discounted to $300.00 with the code NIKKAPRINTS25 through March 31, 2023.
(I intend to enter this painting into an exhibit in April, "Art for Animals," the proceeds of which will benefit Hope Haven Farm Sanctuary. It will be for sale in that exhibit, unless someone purchases it before I enter it.)
ANY SIZE OR STYLE OF PRINT
You can order a free matted 8 x 10 print or
25% off the purchase if any style or size print listed with coupon code NIKKAPRINTS25 through March 31, 2023.
|
