Surrealist, 2001 12x16 Print $30.00 (shipping included)

Surrealist - I arranged the contents of Surrealist by using an empty refrigerator as the center stage. In my original plan, I wanted the refrigerator to appear as a very obvious part of the scene. Things took a turn... for the better. Since the objects in my art project were filling up the space quickly, I decided to use the refrigerator for the intense light source, compact size and location of the head prop. I set up a surreal scene with a curly wig under a black hat, sitting on top of a large bowl, with the back of the head facing me. I spray painted dead tree branches off-white to give them more of a ghostly feel and carefully placed them behind the head. I arranged large flowers in front of and above the hat and took a series of black & white photographs. I developed the prints in the dark room until I obtained one good satisfactory photo. Once I had the final print, I scanned the negative into the computer. I manipulated it by adding tinted color. I created a charcoal drawing of closed eyes, scanned that into the computer and arranged it as a layer with an opacity of about 60%. I created a digital image of a protruding object with an eye. The image in its entirety represents surrealism. The surrealist eye is the key symbol for spotting a surrealist piece. The Surrealist in this image represents me, walking towards the Guiding Wisdom of my soul. I added the butterflies to soften the tone of the story.