Rebirth of Wonder Anne Herbst
When Anne emailed me some photos of her latest painting today I felt like I had just visited her studio (which is now 1,000 miles away). Isn’t it the most wonderful painting? To me, Anne’s paintings are like journal entries. This one brings to mind her beloved dog Carmen who died recently – and also the city-wide celebration of Ferlinghetti’s 100th birthday last month. The title of the painting is taken from his poem I Am Waiting.
Here is how Anne describes her painting: This painting was made by rubbing out paint as much as applying it. There are areas of built up paint as well as canvas showing through with very subtle washes of color. I wanted to create multiple layers as Carmen transforms throughout the whirling cosmos. The egg in the center is like a star bursting open. Tracing my feet and hands represents my presence and witness of her rebirth. The colors are much more vibrant than the photo with my iPad. Working with her image allowed me to create one of my most complex paintings – my infinite love of her emboldened me. I traced a cut-out from a photograph of Carmen lying down in front of the gallery and used it as my pattern for the painting. Somehow, the spiral always finds its way into my paintings.