Windflowers - Original Oil Pastel
About The Work:
“I saw you, windflowers, in the shadows along the boreal trail I walked that day, birthed from sorrow’s tears shed by a desolate goddess who lost her love, her hope so long ago. And yet you happily continue on, bravely defy this harsh Manitoba land, survive the odds, nodding your pretty heads at my passing, anticipating the joy of rain on your faces with the closing of eyes, and lifting of heads towards the heavens in joyful anticipation and knowing you are exactly where you belong.”
This oil pastel sgraffito depicts a North American prairie native, the Canada Anemone, which thrives along the Boreal trail we frequent in Riding Mountain National Park. Naturally growing in moist wooded areas, meadows and other seasonally wet locations, it is also known as the windflower, from the greek “anemos” meaning breath, wind or spirit. Greek legends tell us the first anemones grew from the tears of Aphrodite, who wept for her lost love Adonis. Windflowers can therefore represent fading hope, yet they also symbolize anticipation as the windflower’s petals close when rain is coming. In ancient times, anemones were thought to protect against illness and evil, and people often wore or carried these blossoms. The roots of the Anemone are medicinal, containing a powerful natural antiseptic indigineous peoples used to heal wounds, sores, nosebleeds and for rinsing eyes. The butterflies signify transformation, lightness of spirit and good fortune, while their vibrant orange hue celebrates connection, a sense of belonging and joy.
Practiced in Italy since the 1730’s, Sgraffito is an old and beautiful “subtractive” method of creating images by scraping away a surface of medium in patterns and shapes, creating an image by exposing the underlying layer of color(s). While in Italy I became captivated by this art form and had to explore this technique. In my studio, I design my image, transfer it onto paper, block in vibrant colours of oil pastel - the first layer. I then add a top coat of dark colour, gently mark my image back in and start scraping away the dark top coat. I love the creaminess and the smell of the oil pastel while working with it and the whole process of “revealing” the image in the undercoat, the transformation from dark to light.
Size: 7.75 x 10.5 inches artwork, matted to 16x20 inches
Medium: Oil Pastel on acid-free paper
Year: 2014
This work is matted to fit a standard size frame and enclosed in a protective clear plastic sleeve. A Certificate Of Authenticity is also included. Frames are not supplied.
Please note that colours may appear slightly different on screen than they do in person.
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Care and Handling:
Special care is needed in the handling of original Oil Pastel artworks. Oil Pastels do not dry or harden, they remain soft, moveable and can be smudged, scratched or scraped. This work has been sprayed with a protective coating of oil pastel fixative but remains fragile. Oil pastel artworks should be matted and framed behind glass (or plexi-glass) as soon as possible. A double mat provides the best separation and air space needed so that the oil pastel does not come into direct contact with any other surface. UV glass is highly recommended - avoid hanging in direct sunlight.
Copyrights:
The sole copyright and all reproduction rights of original artwork by Jan Jenkins is retained by the Artist Jan Jenkins, remains the property of Jan Jenkins and therefore cannot be reproduced in any way by anyone other than Jan Jenkins.
Returns:
As an independent artist, I do not accept returns. However, please contact me if you are not fully satisfied with your purchase.