Monday, November 19, 2018

Love of my life

Studio Window. oil. 8x10in.
It's a bright, beautiful day. I enter my studio, set my coffee on the window sill, steam rising up, misting the window a little. I turn on my Queen playlist. It always starts with Bohemian Rhapsody. Freddie Mercury's voice, strong but beautiful, fills the room. 

"Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see".  

I lay out my colors and brushes, a blank canvas on the easel. I pick up my large brush, take on the painter's stance. My paints flow with Freddie's voice and my brushes dance to his tune. I scoop up luscious mixture of thick paint, and smear it on the canvas vigorously, thinking about large shapes of value and color. I step back and forward, flowing with the beat, scooping up more paint each time; Sometimes lashing and other times caressing the canvas. 

Freddie's voice booms across the room, emphatically. "We are the champions... of the world". 

I sing along. I'm painting with my whole body now. stepping with each beat, swinging my arms, approaching the canvas from all sides. I feel synergetic with Freddie and it shows in my painting.

"Don't stop me now" is playing.
King's Blue. oil. 6x8in.


The whole canvas is covered now. Giant Piles of paint reduced to driblets. I squeeze out fresh paint. I start adding details. I mix instinctively. My brush jumps from pile to pile picking up fresh paint, mixing them to create colors that sparkle. The grey's are lush and the red's radiant. The sunlight feels warm and bright on the canvas. 

Up next "It's a kind of magic"

I am in the zone. I keep painting, refining shapes. Smaller shapes fit into larger ones. I am close to the finish. 

"I want it all"


I keep going, adding minor touches. Bohemian Rhapsody starts again. My excitement rises with the crescendo. I burst forth with Freddie's flamboyance. I am ecstatic. This may be my best painting ever. 

"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality"

"Beep Beep Beep" The alarm goes off and I wake up.


PS: I recently watched the movie Bohemian Rhapsody and I was blown away by Rami Malek's potrayal of Freddie Mercury. It rekindled my love for Queen and it's been a blast listening to them in the studio since then. This fun post is my tribute to them.