"DEEP SIX" NEW COMMISSION ARTWORK FOR SANDRA ESPINET

  Samples of new artwork I am currently working on for the always fabulous, designer Sandra Espinet for a groovy downtown Pasadena industrial loft. This piece involves using extensive use of the tar. The whole art concept throughout is that it's all street art, from graffiti, to black and white newspaper clippings. Very masculine and lots of texture.

16" x 20" oil & tar on canvas maquette for "Deep Six" painting by Velvet Marshall

After an exhilarating day at the Getty Museum viewing Jackson Pollock's 8' x 20' Mural painting I returned to the studio to resume working. Many consider Pollock to be the grandfather of graffiti art utilizing his fast action painting technique and his unusual choice of mediums. Inspired by his work, especially his painting "Full Fathom Five" I am titling my painting "Deep Six" (a full fathom six).

"Full Fathom Five" by Jackson Pollock

 Artist Notes - "DEEP SIX"

• Medium: oil and tar on canvas
• Size: 72"W x 92"H
• Painting title: “Deep Six” - Based on Shakespeare’s story “The Tempest” (a story of loss, revival and resurrection) and inspired by Jackson Pollock’s painting “Full Fathom Five”
• Deep Six is a nautical expression indicating a water depth of six fathoms; something thrown overboard at or greater than this depth would be difficult if not impossible to recover; the term “deep six” can also be used to mean, deep insight into something.
• The under painting and sgraffito marks are symbols and geometric shapes of fish, ship sails, boats and plant life. Miscellaneous items such as rusted nails, buttons, bottles caps, coins and a key are incorporated in the paint resembling various things lost at sea – a pearl button relates back to Shakespeare’s tale of the Tempest - barley visible, a small Mickey Mouse pin symbolizes the artist’s personal note (the loss of my father).

Under painting for "Deep Six" maquette - symbols and geometric shapes of fish, ship sails, boats and plant life.

Designer color swatches

Artist sketch book notes for "Deep Six"

Kersti Malvre, Brenda Harrop, Sandra Espinet, Velvet Marshall-Creighton at the signing party for Sandra's new book "The Well-Traveled Home" hosted at the fabulous Berbere World Imports