'Pandora's Box', Narrative Still-Life Realism Oil Paintings by Paula Peacock

  

 'Pandora's Box' by Paula Peacock
Oil on Canvas, 16" x 20"

Love, love, love how this one turned out! This painting was years in the planning stages. Planning of the composition, the subject matter, do I include Pandora or not? How to depict the evils of the world? How to depict 'Hope'? In the end, I decided Pandora was overdone and in other paintings I found, Pandora always seemed to be depicted as an overly sexy sex object and a bit on the 'witchy' side. So, I decided to save Pandora the humiliation and let her take a rest from this rendition by painting only the 'box'. All the other elements fell into place after I found the perfect vessel. The apple is representative of Eve, another woman blamed for the woes of the world. But, that will be another story in another painting.

Here's a bit of what I call 'useless information that stuck in my brain for no apparent reason'. It really was NOT a box but a bowl. I guess they didn't do the box thing way back then. There was a misinterpretation of the word bowl to box in the 15th century and it has stuck for the last 500 years.

OIL PAINTING LESSONS in LONGMONT, CO

Contact me (paulapeacock@rocketmail.com) if you're interested in oil painting lessons; private or group. I offer to mentor as well. I also hold workshops on The Basics of Handmade Paper, How to Make Paper Pulp Vessels, How to Paint Mandalas, Acrylic Pouring and more.

Website: paulapeacock.com

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'Double Departure' by Contemporary Realism Still-Life Artist Paula Peacock

Double Departure by Paula Peacock
Oil on Canvas
16" X 20"

In 2014 I lost my little sister to breast cancer and my son was killed 6 months later. This painting honors the people I lost. The monk figurine represents me and the two monks in the mirror represent my son and my sister. I am on this side and they have transitioned to the other side yet we will always remain connected as shown by the thin white ribbon. The white butterflies on the other side(in the mirror) are indicative of angels (for me). The nautilus indicates my mental state at the time, trapped, alone, yet protected by the outer walls I had erected while I dealt with grief.

Weekly Oil painting Classes for the Beginner

If you are interested in learning how to paint, I specialize in teaching the beginning beginner every Saturday at my studio in Longmont, CO. I take you step by step through a still life painting teaching you to have a clear concept in the basics of oil painting as well as how to mix paint, values, complements, varnishing, framing and more. 

Contact me here for information.

To view more of my work go to www.paulapeacock.com

'Free' Narrative Still life Oil Paintings by Paula Peacock

Free

12" x 16"

Oil on Linen

Pinocchio, the little wooden puppet who wanted to be a normal boy, represents my son in this painting. The controlling strings of this world are severed, the butterflies are angels leading him to a better place. This was the first painting I was able to do from start to finish after learning of my sons' homicide the year before. I cried when I completed it. I felt like I was saying good-bye to him all over again by putting down the paint brush. Something deep down believed that as long as I was painting it he was still here with me. The grieving became fresh again. I had  learned to suppress grief for the outside world and thought I was doing a pretty good job. But, grief is powerful. It refused to stay hidden. I couldn't simply slap on a bandage and expect it to heal

The wounds being exposed, it was yet another long period of time before I painted another piece.

  

If you would like to see more of my work go to www.paulapeacock.com

Copyright Paula Peacock 2016