Painting of the Month- March

Painting of the Month-March is this little 8×8 “The Map to Discovery”

“The Map to Discovery” 8×8 $50

I have a problem with white backgrounds in my paintings. I try to have them. I really do. But in the end, I just can’t stand it. It is physically uncomfortable to have a white background in my paintings. I end up usually covering almost every inch with color.

So here I was, watching this great movie called It’s Kind of a Funny Story, and I am setting out to paint a white background with color bursting out of it (this is why the painting is only 8×8. I thought going small might make the white not seem as obvious/unsettling).

Now if you’ve never seen that movie, the main character likes to draw these very detailed dimensional maps. As a kid I loved treasure maps. Ever since I got one from the Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland, and my babysitter’s teenage son poured coffee on it to make it look aged and then he burned the corners for me with a lighter. I loved that map. I fell in love with treasure maps.

I painted this piece with that story in mind. Georgie burning the map for me. Crinkling it all up. Making it look like it really came off an old pirate ship. And then all the times he made me tiny maps and hid stuff in the house for me to find. Those little childhood memories, mixed with me watching this movie and liking the maps the main character was sketching….and viola: “The Map to Discovery” was born.

You can see other pictures of this painting in our Etsy shop. Where it is also available for purchase.