This lovely, otherworldly piece is my most romantic to date.  It borders on "swoony".  The hues are so dramatic, and the lighting is so exotic and the words are so direct.  First Love continues my interest in the subtle use of language in art.  There are two sentences painted in very small letters in the lower right corner.  They read, "We were just babies in the darkness.  That boy and I told some sweet stories."  This unusual emotional abstract is sure to bring a bit of thoughtful passion to any room.

I began by priming a canvas panel with black acrylic gesso.  Then I used palette knives to spread deep thrilling burgundies, browns, plums and dark metallic copper and bronze across the entire piece.  I used an ice scraper to clear the colors and textures from a small rectangular "Window".  Once that layer dried, I used a soft cloth to apply targeted bits of those same colors to key areas.   Then I used small detail brushes to create the tree scene and to add the words.  The symbolic landscape in the "window" is very lightly "framed" with a fine line of rich metallic gold paint.

First Love was  painted on an 8" x 10" canvas panel.  The image continues around the sides allowing you to display this piece unframed on a small decorative easel.  Or it can be easily and affordably framed as it requires no matting or glass.