Thursday, March 10, 2011

Sweet 16


This Blue Lady is turning 16 and I feel she needs a bit of the spot light... I painted her in the late summer of 1995. A few weeks before I got married. My future husband had spent three months in Saudi Arabia, then working for a telecommunications company and I had heard his stories about the women, clad head to toe in black burkas. ( Since we were not married then I was not able to join him!)


There was little to no interaction with the locals, unless you've got invited by some of the executives. And even then women were not allowed. Unless the husband trusted you and you were formally introduced. At home, he told me, the ladies wore Chanel and Dior but still were not seen much! Meals were taken separately. He praised their cooking and their devotion to the family!
Of course I had heard these stories before but having it told by the man I was to marry a few weeks from then it made me shiver.
I am a bit of a rebel and certainly a free thinking woman. And it got me thinking!
This gave way to an idea for a painting. A proud woman I envisioned in a turban, facing the viewer! I was also influenced by one of my favorite painters: Gustav Klimt! It is called: Blue Lady - Homage to Klimt!
This is me on my wedding morning, my friend taking care of my hair at home! Behind me you can get glimpses of the painting, then still not quite finished. We lived in a shoe box studio apartment and painting was done in stages...There was no studio in this apartment...



And so she came about and she has been with us ever since. She hang a long time in my husband's home office, but I thought she might look really good in our living room! She has matured!



Do you have an artwork, which you love to live with? Any good stories with it? Do tell me.....

And have a lovely weekend!

XX
Victoria





All images and artwork by V.Zlotkowski

14 comments:

  1. very cool....how could you not love a blue woman...i like klimts work as well....yes i actually just hung some of my own pieces these past couple of weeks....i also have a framed scarf from a shop in the south of france in my living room which i bought when my husband and i were on our honeymoon in june of 2000.

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  2. OH DEAREST! I am making this short only because I am at school...but your artwork is STUNNING!!! THANK YOU FOR VISITING ME...I will come back later, but this truly is wonderful! Anita

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  3. This is a lovely painting. How often has one seen ladies these days wearing a turban like that? Not very often...unless you are an actress in a Noel Coward's play. My dear, even if you lived in a small space, your interior had a great taste and beauty.

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  4. What a wonderful story to go along with a beautiful piece of art. As a woman it is so hard to imagine having to live the life that these women do. Like you, I'm an independent person with a bit of a rebellious side so there is no way I could tolerate what they must. It was nice to see a confident and beautiful representation of the Saudi woman. I'm sure that side of many is screaming to get out.

    Tricia

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  5. HI Victoria..you are an artist.
    have a nice weekend

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  6. congratulations! she's still beautiful..
    eugen

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  7. Whoa, excellent work. I think your painting is outstanding.

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  8. I love your Blue Lady!!!The story behind the painting is beautiful and the painting itself is even more beautiful!

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  9. Hi Victoria, I think your Blue Lady is lovely. I have several favorite pieces of artwork that speak to me...stuff I could never part with. Congrats on your wedding and thank you for the nice comments on my new blog. Linda

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  10. lol....I was so excited to receive a comment and wanted to thank you that I missed the part about your wedding being in 1995...Linda

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  11. Oh, such a gorgeous work of art, Victoria dear!!!! How are you sweet one? Thank you for coming on by this morning....have a MARVELOUS DAY, Anita

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