“Had I the Heavens” is named after the first line in W. B. Yeats Poem “Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven” where Yeats explores the idea of wanting to give gifts to someone you love, but having only the greatest gift of all, your dreams, to give. This is how I feel looking at this painting of my beautiful daughter who is my model - I want to give her the world!! Inspired by the streaming sunlight that envelopes her from a photo captured underwater whilst on a photo shoot in Bitter Springs, Mataranka, Northern Territory. I loved how the light captured the small particles floating up through the water into the light and her carefree and open pose. Bright and contrasting colours of the season - orange and blue, purple and yellow - with a backdrop of grey - to give that fresh vibrancy that would be perfect for the beach house or the pool pavilion.
I have used a contemporary approach using techniques such as expressionism and pop art to capture my model in contrasting colours to give a sense of movement and energy.
Beautifully framed in Tasmanian Oak.
