Another hollyhock painting, this one of a crimson hollyhock that I planted by the white fence in my front garden. Hollyhocks originated in China, and I will forever be grateful that they made their way here. Hollyhocks make me happy, and I just love this particular rich dark red against the various warm and cool greens of leaves and their shadows surrounding it, and all of that offset by the white fence behind.
This is a painting of my musical idol, a young Stevie Wonder. I love this man so much, not only for his incredible R&B pipes, staggering body of work and virtuosic mastery of songwriting, but for his activism and social conscience as well. You don't need eyes to see his genius, just a heart and an open mind.
This portrait of Nat King Cole is the second in a series I'm doing of Black American singers and musicians, and I've decided to expand the category to include Black artists of all stripes. This one was painted with a very limited palette of burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, ivory black, and white. The portrait of Billie Holiday was also done with a limited palette, the same as this with the addition of Indian yellow.
Nat King Cole is one of my all-time favorite singers, and his version of "Nature Boy" is, quite frankly, one for a time capsule; it is the definitive rendition of one of the most poignantly beautiful songs ever written, and NKC's voice lifts it to the heavens.
Changing gears here with a portrait of Billie Holiday. I have it in mind to do a series of portraits of Black American singers and musicians as a way to honor their colossal contributions to American music. I was once a singer myself, and Billie Holiday (aka "Lady Day," aka Eleanora Fagan) was a great inspiration in my younger days.
