work in progress: the waterman IV

have not progressed significantly on The Waterman, since I've been distracted by domestic issues and also by the making of my new website. the piece also came out with more details than I was expecting, and this is always very time-consuming. I've been enjoying working at it, although I tend to slow down when I take too long in a piece.




decided to change the little fishes at the bottom. I didn't like the former ones, which were more abstract.







I think I should start working in the other panels (did I say that's supposed to be a triptych?) in order to find more fuel to continue the job and also to give my eyes a little refreshment. when you keep working for too long in a piece your eyes tend to get a little tired; seems that your sight get a little "distorted" and you start to misjudge things. colors don't look right anymore, you feel that some details shouldn't be there, it's a total mess. nothing like changing your focus a bit.

in progress: The Waterman III

in progress: the waterman II

I finished the penciling, leaving some details for later, as usual. now it is ready for the first wash.

postcards are here!

they arrived yesterday, and I am amazed by the excellent quality of the job (sorry for the crappy pictures, my camera is not being very cooperative to me lately):





absolutely no flaws to report, all came up just like I designed and the material and colors are absolutely fine. I'm just excited to start spreading them around!

and when the service is good (and the prices unbeatable), I feel pleasured to recommend: Ps Print.

the Divine is naked.

now I guess I can show the very beginning of my new creative effort, a project I've been cherished for a while, and that I decided to call The Waterman.






I told my husband the other night: "I want to paint Jesus naked." he just responded, after some of his characteristic little jokes, "just go ahead, my dear. you have my support."

I had confessed him that I had some apprehensions about it. not really religious ones, since I am not a Christian and I do not worship deities, but I am a total admirer of Jesus Christ. this man is my life role model, the example I try to keep in my mind and heart every minute. although to me he is not God himself, but some kind of older brother and master, he is a sacred symbol for many. my fear was to create controversies about putting a sacred symbol naked, and I don't want to offend anybody. but then I thought, "hey, wait a minute... this is art, and art is not supposed to follow rules. and since I'm the artist and I'm supposed to express my thoughts, I think that there's nothing offensive in naked bodies. naked is beautiful and my Jesus will be beautiful and yes, he will be naked."

in my work, Jesus is the waterman. my starting point to this concept is Luke 22:10, that says "a man will meet you carrying an earthen pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he goes in." that was a kind of announcement of the age of Aquarius. I then saw Jesus as the own man with the pitcher of water. he was not just the avatar of the Pisces era, for his message is universal and it will stay forever. and in the age of Aquarius it will be finally understood and followed in its purity, without "the veil of the letter".

that's the meaning of the nakedness of Jesus: the purity and truth of his message. nothing more to hide or being corrupted by men in their political interests, no more manipulative interpretations. just the truth, as it is. naked.

talking to my good friend Marcelo Peregrino later on the msn, I told him about my project and fears. Marcelo is a big fan of Jesus as much as I am, then I knew he would understand me. he responded me with a song by Gilberto Gil, a famous Brazilian musician (please forgive the rough translation):

If I want to talk to God,
I have to be alone,
I have to turn off the light,
I have to silence my voice.
(...)
I have to have my hands empty,
to have body and soul naked.

and then, my friend said, "the Divine is naked."