Something like this image has been floating around in my head for a few months. I decided to take a break from my "The Unlikely" series and finally put it down onto canvas. It's inspired a little by the whimsy of the figurative paintings of Gustav Klimt, and a need to paint more loosely again.
She's in the midst of a transformation - a deathly grey to signal the passing of cruel and toxic mindsets and beliefs, while strokes of colour build to engulf her, with flecks of gold and light, to mark a change for the better. Breaking old patterns of thinking and seeing can be hard work work; it can be ugly, and painful, and sometimes isolating. But that is one of the gifts of being alive - you have the choice to learn, to understand more, to question and change your mind, and to act/do better.
Gold and metallic paint has been incorporated into this artwork.
A matte varnish has been applied to this painting. (as I do for all of my paintings). I've tried my best to provide clear and accurate photos of this work, but please note that colour nuances may not be captured perfectly by digital media and vary from screen to screen.
More photos of this artwork available on my Instagram: @jhoannamonteart.