Rainstorm
Rainstorm (2007)
22½×18½ Pastel on Pastel Paper
Original is Sold
We often curse and avoid rain, either staying indoors or shielding ourselves with umbrellas and coats. But in the right setting, it can be beautiful: a city street at night bathed in the silver of falling rain, car lights glowing in the mist, and the patter as it hits the sidewalk. If you dare to venture into it, you will feel each droplet exploding on your body and rivulets trickling down your torso as your clothing clings fast to your skin.
The theme for Rainstorm, the joy of rain, came in part from a stage show I recently saw that celebrates childhood memories of playing in the rain. Remembering some slides my dad took of our local downtown on a rainy night when I was a kid, I recalled how stunning all the lights and reflections were. When I started, I thought the intricacies of the background might be overwhelming, but finding a balance of fine detail and loose impressionism got me through it. On top of the complex setting, I needed to render a wet figure in a totally soaked and revealing shirt, not cowering from the rain, but reveling in it.
