Billie Holiday 18" x 24" Oil on Canvas

Interesting piece once again, as the focus was on value shifts and contrast that creates an illusion of close vs far away, also referred to as light vs dark.  This painting in particular, was more so, a learning process and created during the time I had begin to work different perspectives.  Overall, it took me about 10 months (in cumulative degrees) to finish. I managed to force myself to accept mistakes push through these new and difficult areas.  The angle that her head is tilted creates a dynamic feeling, that made it almost vital to hit the mark, so to speak.  The subject matter became of interest primarily because I wanted to tackle something with more of an ol skool feel, so in my researching, I ran across the lyrics to a song by the name of "Strange Fruit," in which she sang.  Interesting, not only because of the time frame, but the "Strange Fruit," referred to  Black people that had been lynched.  Those who were cursed to hang from a tree, hence the stange fruit.

 "Strange Fruit"

Southern trees bear a strange fruit
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root
Black bodies swingin' in the Southern breeze
Strange fruit hangin' from the poplar trees

Pastoral scene of the gallant South
The bulgin' eyes and the twisted mouth
Scent of magnolias sweet and fresh
Then the sudden smell of burnin' flesh

Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck
For the sun to rot, for the tree to drop
Here is a strange and bitter crop

Powerful!