November 8, 2011
Any snowflakes in your hood yet?
The painting below is one of the first I made after finishing my Art History degree. I really like the ambience in Degas’ ballerina paintings and I find the aborigin idea of Dreamtime and mapping out the world from above to be fascinating.
Dance in Black & White; oil, 80×60 cm Christina Rahm Galanis 2002 (sold).
So, here I have played with a motif from Degas in combination with the aboriginal way – to depict ballerinas from above.
However, if someone tells me this looks like flowers, I’m not going to object.
The painting is grounded with green earth pigment, used as a basic skin color by Michelangelo for example. Then there are several thin layers of white, each with slight differences in tone. 
Well, is it dancing?
It actually does seem to move in a soft swirl when seen in real life. More about this effect below.
Ice Venus, 100-65-100, Christina Rahm Galanis 1999 (melted).
can still pictures be…
Still Life with Oranges and Candle; oil, 65×54, Christina Rahm Galanis 1997
…moving images?
Anders Zorn, the world famous presidential painter, has a portrait hanging in the Zorn museum in Mora, Sweden, where the tip of a shoe appears to be moving along and always pointing towards the viewer.
Mona Lisa in the Louvre, by Leonardo da Vinci – follows you with her eyes as you walk by.
How on Earth is that possible?
the old couple
The Old Couple; oil, 65 x 54, Christina Rahm Galanis 2002. Available.
There was a branch leaning against a wall, creating an interesting shadow, that inspired me to paint The Old Couple. A stack of dry flowers in the actual branch were then painted with the Zorn shoe/Mona Lisa effect in mind. And it works! (Kind of…).
I would say that trick has to do with color perspective.
There are many tricks in the phantasmagoric world of vision. Take a look at the illusion below without getting dizzy.
Morning, LA; watercolor, Christina Rahm Galanis, 1999 (sold).
SIDETRACK: THE PHANTASMAGORIA
Once upon a time, in 18th century Britain, there was a talented traveling showman with a set of Magic Lanterns and a bend towards the dramatic. His name was E’tienne Gaspard Robert, later changed to Robertson.
The magic lanterns were used in slick theatrical productions designed and performed to scare people to death.
Apparitions, ghosts and the like would appear from nowhere and literally frighten patrons from their seats. This macabre entertainment created quite a stir in the closing years of the 18th century.
Robertson used fades, pans, dolly shots and rear projection as some of the tools, today taken for granted as modern Hollywood creations.
In English this theatrical phenomenon was known as the Phantasmagoria.
twitter art exhibit
I am considering making a donation to the Twitter Art Exhibit: Los Angeles, an international exhibition of original postcard art, benefiting Art Division, a nonprofit program for underserved youth (ages 18 – 25) showing commitment and passion for the visual arts. An opening reception will be held from 7-10 PM on Saturday, January 12, 2013 at E.U. Gallery, in Chinatown’s Arts District.
Small postcard original art will be for sale for only 35.-USD. I will let you know if I decide to send something in.
This one below was too large, so I added it to the store instead. Go and take a look – link here.
Landscape, watercolor, 15×20 cm, Christina Rahm Galanis 2007
Click to view this effect (and other illusions) in an even larger version:
Until next Thursday – have a great weekend!
WithFlyingColor 