Art has always been an important part of my life, but I have strayed from it as of late. Like most people this year, it’s been super tough. So, I got back into and created this piece in the run-up to Christmas.
All I needed were acrylic paints, card, a small sponge and a paintbrush. I used a mixture of red-toned paint, dabbed on with a sponge to make a vibrant red background. After about 10 minutes, it was dry enough to work with. I cut a small piece of card, placing blue and white paint on the edge, scraping downwards to form wax candles.
The flames were made by pressing a teardrop paintbrush with white paint to make a base, where the yellow would show up. Once dry, a mix of yellow and orange were layered on top. The orange wasn’t quite bright enough, so a drop of fluorescent orange gave it that oomph! It needed to be extended outside of the white base for a more natural flame effect. It’s probably the quickest painting I have done, being a perfectionist!
This piece symbolises seeking light in a dark world. The candles have a Christmas vibe to them. Here in Hertfordshire, we are in Tier 4, basically, a lockdown where many families will be apart. It’s so important that we seek that light of the future and look out for each other, and stay safe.
As Linkin Park wrote, ‘Who cares if one more light goes out? Well I do’. Merry Christmas to all who are celebrating.
