Creating Comfort In Dark Times

If theirs one thing people could probably agree on today, it’s that 2020 has dealt us the most significant hardship of our lifetime. This struggle came close to home for me in February when I became sick with coronavirus and suddenly found myself in survival mode for several months. Add to this illness an unexpected relocation back to Maine from Florida with my family, temporary homelessness, unemployment, and the never-ending political divide created by our American news media, and I’m learning to cope with uncertainty like never before!

In these dark times of instability and doubt what remains solid and true for me? This summer I started craving nostalgia in the form of good food, 80’s music, classic movies, family cookouts, and familiar places from my childhood. Superficial things perhaps, but I’ve come to realize its the divine qualities of faith, hope, and love, nostalgia generates in my soul that I’ve been needing.

These preliminary drawings are part of a series I brainstormed while tackling the many obstacles of my life earlier this year. Childhood memories with my parents and grandparents brought essential wholeness and healing to my life - they’re like a warm quilt wrapping my heart and soul with love. I want to re-visit those healing qualities in this series not only for myself, but also to remind people to reconnect with what is intimate and true in their family lives. To recall childhood memories and hopefully illuminate this challenging year with divine qualities that bring comfort.

Starting with a basic outline for each image, I coat my preliminary drawing with a sepia oil underpainting and then lift out highlights, (illumination - my favorite,) from the sepia with a dry cloth and clean brush. This technique is classically known as a grisaille, where the values are established in a monochromatic hue which can then be covered in final passes of oil color.

I’m combining thematic elements of nature, children, and family intimate moments. I believe these are the essential ingredients for our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being that are missing in our predominantly digital world. With social distancing in popular practice after years of virtual communication, people desperately need the remedy of human intimacy and relationships both within and without.

Here I’ve started rendering details of the boy's face in white, defining his features and further establishing overall tonal values. The entire composition will be brought to a resolve in this hue before the final pass of color. More developments to come! These original paintings will be available to purchase on reserve so please contact me ASAP with interest at: daniel.lovely@protonmail.com