To celebrate Earth Day, today I will tell you a story about one of my recent paintings, “The Bleeding Sea” (image):
One gray day while walking in Brookline MA, I found a dirty and pretty large canvas on the sidewalk. The commercially produced but unused, un-painted, canvas was facing down and it was covered by leaves, yard debris and dirt. This once brand new and now sad-looking canvas had obviously gone through a lot and now it had been tossed. It even had a big sneaker footprint in the back. The imminent rain was set to ruin it even further. I carried it to my Cambridge studio, determined to give it a second life. I decided it had to be used for a special artwork.
Once in my studio, I carefully cleaned it and I processed to intuitively paint on it, first with acrylic paint and later with acrylic and ink pens. I worked on it with the intention of reinventing this assemblage of materials tossed by society, while reflecting on our connection to Earth and all Earth living and nonliving inhabitants. I thought about how we humans treat most of these inhabitants with entitlement and disrespect.
That is how “The Bleeding Sea” was born. Although non-representational, it is evocative of an oceanic ecosystem and its biodiversity affected by environmental degradation, including plastic pollution and high temperatures, and where red and black symbolize “contamination”, affecting the otherwise blue, healthy water and sea life.
This painting and another one, “Treasure Island”, were juried by juror Ralph Waldman, Director of Cultural Affairs for the city of Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg, to the Biennial Project Biennial 2024 so “The Bleeding Sea” had a virtual European debut a few days ago in picturesque Venice!
“The Bleeding Sea” is physically exhibited, along with other paintings executed on repurposed supports, in a 2-women exhibit, “The Alchemy of Hope: Art for Climate Action”, with Yuko Oda at the Lovejoy Library of Proctor Academy, Andover NH. The exhibit is curated by Molly Leith, chair of visual art at Proctor, and it is on view until May 26, 2024. For viewing times, please email Molly at leithmo@proctoracademy.org. On May 1st & 2nd, Yuko and I will meet with the Proctor students for engaging and inspiring activities including artist talks/panel/workshops for students/art reception to commemorate Earth Day on campus! I am so grateful to work with Molly and Yuko in this fruitful and inspiring collaboration! And the canvas used for “The Bleeding Sea” will witness it all, in its second life, away from the landfill!
Till next time!
Image: “The Bleeding Sea”, acrylic, acrylic pen, and ink pen on found canvas, 36 x 36 inches, 2023, available and on view until May 26, 2024 at the Lovejoy Library of Proctor Academy, Andover NH. For viewing times, please email Molly at leithmo@proctoracademy.org.
Adriana, your devotion to environmental issues is amazing! And you did an awesome job on painting and drawing on the canvas you salvaged from going to landfill. Very admirable indeed!