I wanted to take a bit of time off from painting this year and experiment with some other mediums. This is my first foray off untreated canvas into a new direction of treated canvas. I had no idea how challenging working with untreated canvas was until I started painting on this type of canvas.
This idea came about from yet again seeing a poster I really liked in a record store in Vancouver while on a business trip this past January. It was for one of the new Buddha Bar (or Buddha Lounge, can’t remember which one) CDs being released. I inquired with the sales people if the poster was for sale, to which they said, “Um…like.. no.” Humph. Well fine…
I’ll just go paint myself one then, and filed that idea away. Then one day shortly after I returned from Africa, in a moment of contemplation (which for me means I was running on a treadmill, listening to The Killers on my iPod while simultaneously watching 10 TVs all on different channels with closed captions that were hanging across the ceiling in a long row in the gym I work out at – that is JUST enough stimulus to allow my brain to relax and wander freely) the idea came off hold and I first saw the “form” of these three Buddhas.
The image is inspired from a carved Buddha head statue I bought in India in 2006. I wanted 3 paintings, due to my preference of odd numbers, all with a different style to them. Since this was an experiment, I intended on painting them for my livingroom, which was in dire need of a new direction as well. The terra cotta colour on the walls in my house could not co-exist in harmony with many colours (namely red), and I found it had an energy to it that wasn’t overly conducive to relaxation. I wanted something with more of a spa feeling, but still with an element of great contrast. Something that would enhance the art on my wall, and not constantly be at war with it. So, before I could finish the Buddha paintings, I had to repaint my entire house first.
And for you Buddhists out there, the “green” and “red” Buddha’s do not really have anything to do with “Green Tara” or “Red Tara”, it is just the name the paintings gave themselves.
They are not perfect, but I am happy with my first attempt and absolutely LOVE the feeling they bring to my new livingroom scheme. Currently… I am working on my next set of three.
Red Buddha / Green Buddha / Buddha Blur
18″ x 36″ / Calgary AB / September 2007