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To live and enjoy every day to its fullest, use my gifts to help others, I travel to wherever passion finds me.

What Will She Paint?

So many friends I met here...!

Saturday, October 30, 2010

A DIFFERENT LION KING

Not long ago I met Davy Liu on one of my Wednesday (very early) business meetings. 
You may not recognize his name, but you will know the films! He worked for Disney Animation on Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Mulan, and the Lion King. Also worked for Warner Brothers animation and of George Lucas on Star Wars. 

He started working on  his own animation films, when he realized that "most of the kids knew more about the Lion King than "the King of Kings." He left Disney for that reason and came out with "The Giant Leaf" (animal's perspective of Noah's Ark), Fire Fish  (the fish' view on the Red Sea), the animal's perspective of The Cross in Jordan's Guest, and the lions's perspective of the book of Daniel in The Royal Feast. These picture books can already be purchased in  major bookstores. (if you like to know more, visit www.Thegiantleaf.com).

 A few weeks later, I planned to paint for a Sunday audience, and had in mind on painting on something  I had already started on in the past. I took two canvases with me.
Since 1997 I have not touched the acrylic medium. But last year a painter gave me samples of the Golden Acrylics. This type of acrylic is very compatible with water colors because of their transparency. When this Spring some bigger paintings were sold I bought a bunch of colors of the Golden series.
Back to that Sunday...I chose the Golden Acrylics on the canvas with the outline of the Lion and the Lamb. Whoa, my eyes popped open wide, because of the brilliance of these colors.
It was like they were giving off light!

The Lion and the Lamb, 24 x 30 Acrylic, St.Germain

Very unlike my usual style with muted oil colors...but I had started and didn't want to go back! Okay, so it looks like a children's painting...but they need paintings too! Also, felt okay about it because I had just met Davy Liu.
Afterward I and hubby went out for lunch with a couple where she is from the UK and he is from South Africa. She told me that I just had painted the opening line of her book about animals. I was stunned.
One of the first lines goes on to say that an animal remarked  that the lion "had such majestic paws."
Isn't it remarkable how  some things come together like this?



20 comments:

Rudee said...

I love the colors in the painting and the subjects. This would look good in a book!

Pat Tillett said...

The colors are beautiful. At first glance it appears to be all WC.
very nice...

Stephanie V said...

The notion behind the lion and lamb image is so profound. I'm not surprised it glowed with color! Maybe some illustrations - I'm with Rudee.

Stephanie V said...

Me again, Jeanette. For Nanaimo bars recipe click on the link in my post. You won't be sorry.

Beth Niquette said...

Wow--what an inspiration you are! I would like to feature your blog and artwork on FAT (Featured Artist Tuesday) Artist Spotlight this coming Tuesday. Would you be open to that?

I totally enjoyed your blog today--I feel inspired.

young-eclectic-encounters said...

Serendipity at work! Isn't it great.
Johnina :^A

Jeannette StG said...

Rudee,
Thank you -something very different, but artists like change :)

Patrick,
Thank you -You are right, I put the colors on in a "watercolor" way, because my original plan was to put several transparent layers over each other.

Stephanie twice,
Thanks for alerting me to the recipe (hadn't seen it yet)!
I'm humbled by what you think of the notion of the painting, Stephanie. All I do is follow my gut feeling about it....:)

Beth,
who would not like to be an inspiration? I would be honored to be featured, Beth! Thank you so much!

Jeannette StG said...

Johnina,
Thank you, friend! It touches my heart when I can encourage and help others!

DawnTreader said...

" 'There is a way into my country from all the worlds,' said the Lamb; but as he spoke his snowy white flushed into tawny gold and his size changed and he was Aslan himself, towering above them and scattering light from his mane. "
C.S. Lewis/The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Ch 16 :)

Unknown said...

Very cool painting of the King!

Debbie said...

what a great painting! it really does have a glow!

Midwest to Midlands said...

I like the bright colors of the painting and the subject matter of course. Perhaps you can illustrate your friends book. It is strange (and wonderful) the way coincidences happen sometimes.

crochet lady said...

Wonderful painting Jeannette. It is good to step out of ones usual style once in a while and how interesting that the Golden paints seemed so alive.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Remarkable Jeanette! I love your picture -- granted it does look a bit like a children's literature illustration, but that just makes it more perfect to me. (never outgrown my love for that genre).

Interesting about Danny Liu. It really is true that kids know more about Disney books than any other. I also hate that a coupleof generations only know such children's classics as Winnie the Pooh, Aladin etc. in the Disney version

Merisi said...

Magnificent painting and what serendipity!

Jeannette StG said...

Monika,
How fitting is C.S. Lewis text here!
Thanks for sharing:)

JM,
Thank you! Not my usual painting style (see right side bar-top), but a number of people seem to like it:)

Debbie,
Right now I'm a little kid in a candy store with the Golden Acrylics:)

Jane,
Thank you! More people have suggested the same. Am waiting till the author comes up with that idea...:)

Jen,
I agree we artists have to keep from getting into a rut!:)

Sally,
It's sad that the commercialization and media hype keeps other children's books and series from being given a fair chance!

Merisi,
Thank you and I feel thankful for all the details of this:)

Vagabonde said...

It is a vibrant painting, it makes you happy. I wish you would do a series of animals like this and yes, that would be wonderful in a child’s room.

Jeannette StG said...

Vagabonde,
Thank you, friend! Mmm, I'm thinking about your suggestion - If I do, I'll let you know:)

Anonymous said...

Wow.. This painting is divine and I do mean divine.. It is all that it should be and soooo much more.. A children's painting is exactly what it should look like given the scriptural reference.. Who enters first into the "Kingdom" no questions asked? :)
I LOVE this, it's perfect!

Dutchbaby said...

I think this painting would look great in your grandchild's room! I like the blue crown and the rest of the beautiful colors. The rainbow sky adds a lot too.