Acrylic on canvas, stretched and ready to hang.
Signed on the back.
To find her subjects, Kerry seeks images and themes gleaned from a number of popular culture and classical sources. Circe, the sea nymph enchantress that makes a brief appearance in Homers Odyssey, stars in a modern novel by Madeline Miller. Miller explores themes of Mortality, Fragility, and Fulfilment. Etymologically, the word nymph is related to the Greek word for bride - and as Kerry just got married what better inspiration for her next painting! So named after a few lines in the novel from the beginning of Chapter 1, where Circe describes what a nymph is - and how her parents defined her (something Kerry can relate to). Here is an excerpt:
"WHEN I WAS BORN, the name for what I was did not exist. They called me nymph, assuming I would be like my mother and aunts and thousand cousins. Least of the lesser goddesses, our powers were so modest they could scarcely ensure our eternities. We spoke to fish and nurtured flowers, coaxed drops from the clouds or salt from the waves. That word, nymph, paced out the length and breadth of our futures. In our language, it means not just goddess, but bride."
The canvas is covered in Japanese Rice Paper to give a lovely texture that is akin to the movement on the surface of water. And, as with most of Kerry's paintings, she has painted in layers. The background using action painting (expressionistic) techniques - pouring, dripping, splashing paint and involving her body in the painting process rather than just the paint brush. The figure was created using contemporary art pop art techniques and stencils, and a further layer of hand painting brought the foreground and background together. Mostly consisting of greens and blues, Kerry has also used complementary colours purple and yellow to highlight the dress in the sunlight under the water.
Professionally stretched, signed on the back, ready to hang and enjoy!
