October Art In Progress

This is the most recent version of a painting I am working on and I see that it stinks. I think I will just start over. The skin tones are not that blue-ish. The first version had lots of vitality but then I over thought it...now I am trying to recover but it still does not have the punch that I want.

What I love about this image (see reference) is that it tells a story. I want to do justice to this young very handsome black man. His body is perfection, but his life is not ... and his face is full of defiance and his body full of tension. The white paint does not mask the struggle of a person moving begrudgingly toward changes in thinking. It is about influences, tensions, and it is wrapped in an absurd situation that uses fun and silliness to drive home a serious life changing point. This is a summer high school age Christian camp. Thankfully, this young man was won over by a group of caring kids and leaders who just simply loved him unconditionally. The first thing they do is teach each kid not to take himself seriously...and the reason for the goofy face painting...it worked