My second attempt for the Calypso Moon Artist challenge for "Light into Darkness" is titled The Bonfire. Maybe not as detailed or as dramatic as my 42nd Street painting, but it was still fun to do. Hopefully this one will work for the challenge!
This is not just any old bonfire either! We have a house on a lake in upstate NY (Adirondacks), and every year during the Labor Day Weekend there is what is called the "Ring of Fire." Everyone creates bonfires on their beaches - it's a way to burn any dead timber that fell during the spring and/or summer. But it's more than just that; it's a gathering of the people at the lake as well. What makes this so impressive is that the lake is 29 miles long and 6 miles at it's widest point, so to take a boat cruise after dark it is amazing to see the number of families and friends that are gathered around their bonfires.
It's an all day affair, with the kids getting involved too. They gather every dead twig, branch, pinecone they can find to add to the pile. Then at dusk, everyone gathers on their beaches, all of our neighbors do as well - and everyone "visits" each other. Labor Day is the usual "end of the summer" weekend - kids go off to school, school teachers go back to work (those that didn't work the summer that is). It's sort of the last "hurrah" before summer ends, and a chance to say goodbye to the summer folk who won't be back up again until the next year.
Titled "The Bonfire" - this is acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet.
5 comments:
I love how you painted this, and the story! Thank you Nancie. The fire element is powerful and makes a bold statement for the challenge.
I love this painting. Somehow it reminds of the Scarlet Letter. A burning letter "A". Was that letter intended? And is that a person in the lower left corner, tending the fire? Just brilliant; in many ways!
Love the painting, Nancie. You've captured the silhouettes of the burning wood so beautifully. The whole experience of the bonfires around the lake sound like so much fun, truly!
Good for you - I love this one, too!
Thank you everyone for your kind comments. Paula - I'm glad you found things in the fire to "see." None of it was intentional, but that's why we find campfires so captivating (and abstract art too, I believe). We each see different things in the light.
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