Anita Marci's "Sunset Mountain" Painting

Sunset Mountain Painting

Photo reference for Sunset Mountain

     This the the "Sunset Mountain" Painting- 8"x 12".  This painting was made to be a donation for a worthy cause championed by my collectors Katherine and Christopher Berman (of ESPN TV).  Every year they host a benefit dinner and auction for Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury (CT).  This program helps people of all ages learn to read. Reading happens to be one of my favorite past times and I cannot imagine not being able to read so I  agreed to make this donation painting.  It looks so clean and simple when I look at it. This was another challenging piece that required three studies before I got it right.  I kept on editing, removing colors and forms.  I even made several adjustments on the final painting- which rarely ever happens.  I was happy to hear that a dear friend of Katherine's bought this painting.  I knew Karen had been wanting a smaller piece of mine and so she got her wish!  

Anita Marci's "Lyrical Leaves I and II" Paintings

  

  

Pillow Case Fabric Reference

     These paintings are titled "Lyrical Leaves I and II" and they are three feet wide by five feet high.  This was a very exciting and challenging commission.  I was given a fabric swatch (see above) to work with. Well, actually it was a pillow case. The client selected the two original studies painted with a monochromatic (single color) palette of green.  My challenge was to redesign the color palette for the art and make it work with the bedding.  The room was huge and as you can see there was a very large flat screen TV to contend with.  The paintings had to be large enough to accommodate the wall and the TV.

      I set to the work of redoing the art.  It sure was a challenge. Sometimes the art just falls out of me as smooth as could be and other times, I must repaint the art several times. These paintings required three additional studies before I felt I had achieved the goal.  I never settle. No matter what. This is a rule I adopted for myself and my art many moons ago.  Believe me, there are many times when I want to settle, but I always dig deeper inside of me until there is that little twinge I get in my gut that tells me that I am there.

     One of the reasons I feel that I am so successful, is the ability to determine when a painting is good, bad or just unfinished.  Many artists struggle with this determination. Lucky for me, I have a great gut instinct to rely on. I am very grateful for this gift.

     So, then I went to show the client the finished studies. He said the words I strive to always hear: "You nailed it- they are perfect!!"

     We settled on a price and a delivery schedule and off I went to paint the big paintings.  That's when the real fun started.  First of all the color mixes were difficult. The more colors there are in a mix the more difficult it is.  These were very complicated mixes. I persevered and got them all mixed. It is also challenging to gauge the amount of paint to mix. Well, I kept running out of paint. The canvas was a little different then I was used to and the paint seemed to be sucked right into the fabric. By some miracle I finished the pieces, had them stretched and then delivered them.  So very happy to complete this project. Another happy customer!!

Anita Marci's "Matisse's Makai"

     This cut paper painting is titled "Matisse's Makai."  It was made for my collector's daughter's bedroom. Unbeknownst to me, a Matisse exhibit was their very first art experience as Mother and Daughter. I love when a wonderful synchronicity like that happens.  It makes the art so much more meaningful to the collectors. 

     I have always been a big fan of Henri Matisse. I adore his color and I am particularly excited by the cut-outs from his later years.  I did my research on these cut-outs, and found that the artist had assistants paint large sheets of colors that he had mixed.  He then, cut his shapes, for his art, with a scissors.  I love the child-like quality of his shapes, and it was my intention to capture that in my work.  

    This bedroom faces the Pacific Ocean in West Maui.  Makai is the Hawaiian word for Ocean.  This piece is inspired by Matisse's "La Piscine," which is french for swimming pool.  I transformed the swimming pool into an ocean by bringing  in sea elements such as sea weed, starfish and fish.  There is also a whale tale at the top. I enjoy the way the shadow trails off the tale, like a splash of light instead of water. 

     In much of my art,  I consciously add a male and female element in some form or other. I like the balance of the yin and yang.  So, notice the male figure on the left and the female figure on the right.  I then commissioned a custom plexi-glass case to protect the art, which is not shown here. I also enjoy the large denim pillows and their texture next to the painted paper.  A very fun piece, don't you think so!

Anita Marci's "New Born Day" Painting

     This painting is titled "New Born Day."  It was made to coordinate with my above cut paper piece titled "Matisse's Makai."  I will blog about that on another post as it has it's very own story.  I woke up very early one day and I looked out my window at the beautiful and inspiring West Maui Mountains.  Well, the sun was just starting to peak out from behind the mountains. I ran for my camera and captured the moment.  The photo became this painting.  I adjusted the golds to match the Matisse art. I was so pleased to see how well they look together.  I love the contrast of the soft clouds and the hard cut edges of the paper.  I also enjoy the concept of presenting the sea and sky together in different media.

Anita Marci's "Twenty-fifth Anniversary" Painting

     This painting is titled "25th Anniversary."  I created this symbolic painting as a gift for my very best and most enthusiastic collectors.  Katherine and Christopher Berman.  I wanted to make something that would commemorate their twenty-fifth Wedding Anniversary.  The painting is meant to be read from the upper right corner to the lower right corner (counterclockwise).  It begins with the sun and the moon. I chose these symbols to represent male (sun) energy and female (moon) energy, which is the very foundation of the union. Next, the overlapping hearts represent the love energy between the couple.  The interlocking golden rings stand for the commitment energy it takes to make a marriage endure.  Last of all, The actual achievement energy of the twenty-five years.  Their wedding date is written below the 25 in the lower right corner.  Their full names are written vertically and horizontally in the center channels and they intersect in the center. Katherine and Christopher were very surprised and happy to receive this gift from my heart.  Their thirtieth anniversary will be this year. I am already thinking of ideas for that painting!

Anita Marci's "Icy Iris" Painting

     This is the "Icy Iris" painting. It is 30" x 24" Acrylic on Stretched Canvas.  This is the first of the next four that was painted.  I was approached by a colleague to decorate her showroom in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii. She has a beautiful materials showroom to showcase my art. Well, being a commission artist I do not have a lot of inventory, so I had to make some paintings and these are the new paintings.  Enjoy!

Anita Marci's "Heliconia Flower" Painting

     This painting is 16" x 12" Acrylic on Canvas and is titled "Heliconia Flower."  It was painted at the same time as "Banana Flower."  This again, is a very clean and simplistic piece.  Only five colors are in this piece. I usually use at least six or seven.  I enjoy the boldness of this art.

Anita Marci's "Violet Iris" Painting

    This painting is 30" x 24" and is titled "Violet Iris."  It has the distinction of being one of the few paintings that painted itself. Usually I have a vision for the piece before I begin.  I complete a study and work out the details of the art.  I did that with this, but when it came time to paint the final, everything started to change. As usual, in my editing practice, I start to ask myself if I really need that color?? Then, I proceed to form. I question every element. Do I really need that shape??

     Well, somehow this painting took on a life of it's own and when it was done I was surprised at how bold and almost masculine the art had become. This was painted right after the" Icy Iris" which is so very feminine.  I tend to try to keep a balance of male and female energy in my art.  This painting feels almost regal to me. I really enjoy the rich purples against the deep black.

Anita Marci's "Banana Flower" Painting

     This is a brand new 16" x 12" Acrylic on Canvas Painting titled "Banana Flower."  I took the photo for this painting on my very first trip to Maui in 2002.  It was taken the old fashioned way with film so I can not show the photo here.  Sometimes I will wait for many years before I use a photo to make a painting.  My vision is consistent, so this is not an issue.  Recently, I made four new paintings and they were all made from photos from 2001-2002.

     I love the simplicity of this piece.  More and more I am focusing on the editing of my art. I was recently re-inspired by some Alex Katz art.  He is best known for his portraits, but he has painted many flowers and landscapes that I really enjoy. His editing is very profound and although these paintings look simple, getting to this point is the challenge.

     The newest element in this art is to incorporate a black background. I always mix my colors and never use them out of the tube. Each black is a little bit different- as it depends how the color is mixed.  I find the the black to be a dramatic and striking backdrop for the main character which is the banana flower. Enjoy!