Thursday, March 1, 2012

Emerald City Toll Plaza - SOLD

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas sheet
Available through DPW gallery/auction


This is for The Artist Challenge #61, Return to Oz. If you're not familiar with this challenge group, they do the annual CBS Sunday Morning Sun Challenge. But in addition, they do a variety of challenges throughout the year. Some free, and some with a minimal charge. This particular challenge is a free-theme, and the topic given is "Return to Oz". This is more of a concept challenge, with artists invited to interpret the concept with their art.

Ok, what does Return to Oz conjure up for me? Maybe because I commute to work, every day, bus & subway. Maybe because I charge my monthly tickets for both because I don't have the cash to shell out for it each month. Maybe because the price of gas is going up, which shouldn't affect me because I don't drive - but the bus does - and they are already grumbling about raising the fares again. And maybe it's because, to go anywhere at all, in the Northeast section of the US, one has to spend money to get there. What is a freeway? Couldn't point to one in my neck of the woods.

That being said, when I thought of Return to Oz, I thought of what mankind would do with the Emerald City once Dorothy was gone. Well, I knew they would somehow charge money for this place - and to see the wizard would not be a girl, her dog, scarecrow, tin man & lion all walking along the yellow brick road. Instead there would be cars, and SUV's, and mini-vans - all heading to see the wizard. BUT, not without paying a toll (or two) to get there. So I put together this painting, part in fun and part in grumble, to show that we really would "pay paradise to put up a parking lot - or at least, a Thruway." Progress they say. Oh fiddle dee dee! (oops, wrong movie!).

But you'll need more than a pair of ruby slippers to get home again. Not to fret, they will not be wasted. You can always wear them when you go to the ATM machine to get the cash for the tolls on the way home. There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like the ATM!

Deadline for this challenge is Sunday the 5th, and artists paintings are posted right after that. Head over & check out what everyone conjured up. I doubt they will be as cynical as mine, but you never know! LOL

2 comments:

Autumn Leaves said...

Look at those gorgeous green crystals!! Interesting and amusing concept, Nan. Hard not to grouse about the costs of getting around these days.

Jean Nelson Paintings and Photography said...

Clever approach to this subject - nice composition, too.

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