This painting was done for my daughter’s friend. He’s Spencer, a standard poodle. He’s still alive and happy so no Rainbow Bridge messages this time.
The painting above started with me wanting to paint a homeless person. I was going for sad realism like my old painting instructor had hanging in our class/his home gallery. Initially I was copying some a photo from Google but ultimately used my imagination. The kids in the background were supposed to be peering through the fence to the man on the street but as I painted it, I realized the fence looked like zoo bars. I went with it, gave him water and Happy Meal, and a flower to beautify his “cage.” It could be he’s in a zoo, as an attraction, or maybe it’s less literal and more figurative. In any event, I need a lot more practice to get to where my instructor is.
I’d picked up black gesso at a yard sale and tried it for the first time. It took a lot of paint to offset the darkness in the background so I don’t think I’ll use it again. But it was a good experiment. Both paintings are oil on canvas board, 11X14.
The Homeless Zoo is available at The Vintage Peddler in Simi Valley or you can reach out to me directly.
thevintagepeddler.net 1750 E Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley, CA 93065 ·
Thanks for reading!
-Tracy
Tracy L Carbone's Bit of Everything Site 