Breakfast with Dolly (2000-2010)
This was my sweetest Dolly when she was a tiny little puppy. Every day at breakfast she would beg under the table with her pleading eyes and expressive body language, I was smitten.
I got a kaleidoscope during that time and went everywhere with it, looking at my world from all directions at the same time. I also focused my kaleidoscope on my breakfast and what did I see? Multiple Dollies! This painting resulted from that experience and it brings back many memories now. Now my Dolly has left me and this painting reminds me of the wonderful times we had together.
I played with visual textures to make this artwork. The puzzle like composition creates an interesting construction of all the elements repeating themselves with mathematical precision. The basic configuration of this painting is often repeated in my work, a square painting with a circle within.
I clean my brushes and tidy up my easel and the whole area before I start working on any painting.
Also supervising the rearrangement of my studio. This is the ritual I have every time I start a painting. The bigger the canvas on the easel the more cleaning takes place before I start.
I prioritise making all my paintings for myself before making them for anyone else. I am not at all interested in whether people like my paintings or not for this reason. I take pleasure in making my art. There is the symbolism, the big technical challenge, the full concentration, all of these result in meditation within the artistic process itself.
My mother, who is a tapestry weaver, really liked this painting. She made a beautiful tapestry based on it that is just the same size as the original. It is included here.