Oil pastel. 2020
This is Amy Lorenz and I am the artist that created the artwork titled “Lunar Lilies”
Lunar Lilies is an oil pastel that was painted during the full moon on September 2, 2020. The big white water lilies were as bright as the moon. I wanted to capture the moon shadows on the dark pond being illuminated by the sky.
I created this piece on a 5x7 canvas board primed with a red gesso. Once dry I begin sketching out my drawing in chalk. When I have the general composition, I start to fill it in with the color. I like to use Sennelier oil pastels because they are buttery and smooth with rich colors that are vibrant and deep. I use blending tools that help move the color around for specific details. The red gesso appears through the texture of the canvas in places that the oil pastel can’t reach. I intentionally leave areas that show through for contrast. Once the piece is complete I spray fix it and allow the art to cure. It becomes a hard surface like an oil painting over time and doesn’t need glass. The framing style I’ve chosen gives the canvas board substance to complete the package. It can sit on a table top or hang flat on the wall.
I began creating art on a regular basis thanks to the COVID-19 shutdown in March of 2020. For this particular piece, I’d just returned from a road trip with lots of photographs of waterlilies. I’d been a fan of Claude Monet all my life and found his Water Lily paintings the most peaceful. Painting, is like meditation. It gives me stillness and serenity. Creating artwork kept me grounded and connected with Source during a time of uncertainty and world wide loss. When I create art I am quiet. My sweet dog, Buddy, lies on the floor next to me. I use my photos as a reference to capture the same feeling of awe and bliss as when the photos were taken. I add blessings of joy and tranquility mixed with vibrational energy that radiates in color to the viewer. My hope is for healing humanity through my art.