Oversaved

I started off using the most obvious photos of Joseph Smith. During the progress of the series. I liked the photos of Joseph Smith that look nothing like him. This is the first like photo that I have painted. Joseph Smith is an enigmatic figure. I think people like to add on to history. Maybe Joseph Smith looked altogether different? We have the death mask of Joseph Smith. We know what he looked like. Most of those alleged photos look nothing like that. I saw this photo online and was really enchanted by it. He looks like an old schoolmaster. I noticed that all my Joseph Smith paintings before had him in the center of the painting. I decided I wanted to have a picture of Joseph Smith pushed aside  On the right the figures are in an active role as assistants in dunking the main figure. Like all the figures before he is dunked over head with water. This time I used a gothic or scary heavy metal type of font with the "Holiness to the Lord." I decided to get a little lo

Oversaved 2, 36X36, Acrylic on canvas, 2018

Put the layer of red on. Doing the eyes, eyebrows and mouth. I do this first before applying the flesh tones. Put the flesh tone in. I usually do layers and then use brushes but mainly my fingers to apply the paint to the face. I also make sure the eyes have a lot of character and really pop. Photo I used Example of spirit writing I approached the second part of the series the way I did the  first painting. First, do the main face, then the babies then the background and put the text in. I painted the main face and decided again to keep the hair black. I'm deconstructing Joseph Smith. Does it have to look like him? Not entirely. He is a symbol, and on some level when I start distorting faces the realism of the face becomes irrelevant .  I think the eyes are piercing like th e photograph. I made subtle changes like instead of carrying watering cans they are holding water pails  But then it was looking too safe and pristine. I started twisting the words &q

There's a photograph of Joseph Smith where it looks like he has really dark hair. Which is odd because throughout my childhood he has blonde hair. When I did the painting of his hair I painted it in black thinking I'd add  red  highlights. But I liked the jet black look I decided to paint the eye brows purple because I thought the character would keep the Mad Monster Party look.  Also, the black hair would be better emphasized.  . I also liked using a light primary blue for the drips coming down his face. Often I do diapers on my figures but this time I did jock straps. I chose to do this mainly because I haven't painted that and thought it would look goofy.  I also like anything where I could do small roman drapery details. I decided the figures shouldn't just be floating into space. They should have a purpose. So the figures are carrying water cans with water in them. They are assisting in dunking him with water. I thought about what would be a good backg

I am starting this blog to mainly improve my skills to better talk about my art. I had a blog I did this two years ago with my Eye of God show:   http://shelleywhitingeyeofgodshow.blogspot.com/ . This blog will coincide with breaks for calls for art and pieces for group shows. But I will continue this blog as long as the pictures for the series progress. I will also being taking photographs of each painting as it unfolds. I was reading the church manual on Brigham Young. He said “No man   can be   oversaved .” This was a bizarre concept for me. When I heard this I thought of a church figure like a missionary or a priest with holy water coming repeatedly to save someone. Like an intervention that won’t stop. The figures are lightly inspired by a cute 1960s movie called Mad Monster Party. It is a claymation musical with Boris Karloff and vampires. It’s sort of like gothic cereal figures. Has a nice retro feel but also very silly. For years I have wanted to paint spirit bab