Pit-Pat-This & That

The underpainting (flat) of my mural
©2012 Studio Deeba

Painting in a stairwell can be quite stifling.  Holding a paint brush can be difficult when your fingers are sweating.  Deciding to take a break, I move to the window around the corner to cool down and feel drops of rain hit my cheeks.  Pit-pat-pit, the daily showers begin and I am grateful for the break from the heat.  The relief will be temporary and the heat will return, but for just a moment, I literally feel the sweat  evaporate from my skin; my body's built-in air conditioner.  Ahhhh....

It's raining fast and hard now, the sound is loud and steady.  A mosquito buzzes near the window panes as I close the window.  My cankles are so swollen and scarred from these bothersome little buggers.  I am a feast for them...It doesn't matter how much Vitamin B I take, they still want to suck my blood.  ugh.

I look out over the rooftops toward the buildings on Surdiman and am interrupted by two young men who ask to have their picture taken with me in front of the mural.  It's nice to have such admirers.  For these guys, seeing someone who is from another country is a treat.  It could be possible that their entire lives will be spent on the Islands of Indonesia.  This is new and different....memorable.  An ex-pat, artist, woman on a construction site at an estate!  Wow!  "Of course we'll do a little photo-shoot." I said.   We laugh, because they had no idea what I had just said, but we pose anyway.

Mock-up drawing of a sheep for mural
©2012 StudioDeeba

After snapshots and laughter subside, I turn to pick up my brush and look toward the mural.  I am amazed at how my paintings always come together in the end.  It is said that Art exposes the psyche, not only that of the artist but also the psyche of the viewer who experiences the art.  The comments I hear are quite interesting:  An architect asks if I am going to put a shepherd into the meadow where sheep are grazing - comfort for structure and predictability; A secretary says rather anxiously, "just make it look 3-D" - fearful of the process; Another contractor asks if it's finished yet (as if unable to tell) - project management - just wants it done; and so it goes.

Through the entire experience of creating this scene and managing the questions, I am working with my imagination, managing my ego and working on the technical aspects of the painting.  Each one I create just steps up my game by leaps and bounds.  It's an amazing process of dealing with fear, anxiety, creativity, inspiration and ability.  It's incredible.  Oh, did I mention that this is all done under the sounds of construction, the pressure of perfectionism that floats through the asian air and constraints of time while on scaffolding over a stairwell?   Ha!

Trompe L'oeil Mural by Paul Strong ©2012

As the rain stops and I open the windows I think, ahhhh, it can't get any better than this.  I must say, I was delighted to be able to contribute a piece of artwork to this palatial estate.  a colleague of mine, Paul Strong, is contributing most of the artwork.  And rightfully so as he is a Master.  His work is done in a way where it softly commands the space and beautifies that which is around it.

this is my mural - in process
- one more day and it will be finished
 - the lights are flooding the image
 - construction will figure this out.  :)
©StudioDeeba 2012

My work is a bit more emotional and so it is in the perfect space, over a stairway in the function hall.  The perfect place for an emotional piece of work.

I am so happy right now, I don't even mind the mosquitos dining on my ankles.