Sunkissed

It's funny the way the Muse pulls you sometimes. I had in mind a sunkissed maiden, but a visit to an exhibition by Chris Prout and my Mum suggesting I try more landscapes, had me thinking of playing with the sun-dappled hills of Tuscany landscape for IA's 'sunkissed' challenge this week. I searched through photographs and paintings looking for inspiration. I even made a few sketches, but nothing spoke to me. Yet I persisted. I really wanted to paint something soaked in sunshine.

In desperation, I picked up an older unfinished painting and began to introduce light - but she wasn't having any of it and became Amy Winehouse instead (you can see her at Friday's post). I splodged papers with bright colours and let them dry. Layered up some more. "A flower!" thought I. So I painted one atop of my sunshine shades in a thick, rich red, but it seemed most uncomfortable on the page so I splatted the lush colour onto a sketchbook page and resurveyed the remnants...

I slept on it... I painted a white wash over the top... then washed it off... Eventually I thought I'd just sketch a face over the top in charcoal for Sunday Sketches. Then, finally, this sun-kissed Asian Princess emerged. But she wasn't going to be happy just being a humble charcoal sketch. She wanted jewels and light, texture, fabric and richness. She asked and so she received...

Then I had to write about her. Normally the words just flow, but once again I was struggling with where to begin. Words flowed through the keyboard OK, but they just didn't reflect her creation. Then, when it was way past bedtime and the computer was asleep, I turned at last to good old paper and pen to make the magic flow.

Strange how so much effort went into one piece. I knew it (or indeed 'she') was in there. I just didn't pay attention to intuition. 'She' was calling me all week. I should have listened!