Judge's Pick Winner - May 2015- Daily Paintworks juried monthly contest

 

I have been a member of the international online gallery "Daily Paintworks" since it was created a few years ago. However, this month, for the first time, I entered one of their monthly juried contest. The work submitted was my  "Neptune's Sea Horses - Florence" a 15" x 31"  ( before framing) original watercolor....( see detail below) .....and I found out this morning that I was one of the Judge's pick winners!

Check out the winners and entries of the May competition and the previous ones :http://www.dailypaintworks.com/contests#previous

"Neptune's Sea Horses - Florence"- detail of watercolor by Christiane Kingsley

What a nice way to start the week!

Revisiting Neptune's Fountain in Florence

Very strange! My post seems to have disappeared.
Here is the painting I had shared:

"Neptune"- from Neptune's Fountain in Florence, Italy

It is my latest watercolor painting and measures approx. 14.5" x 21.5 inches before matting and framing. It is on Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper.
About a year and a half ago, I painted the lower part of that fountain, my " Neptune's Sea Horses" and wanted to paint the top of that fountain, Neptune's head.I fell in love with the details of this white marble face. I decided to add warm colors on the left hand side of the painting and cool colors on the right hand side. The photo was taken inside with a flash ( still too cold in Ottawa to take photos outside,I feel), so the colors are not entirely accurate.

It represents the head of a huge marble statue by Bartolomeo Ammannati (1563–1565) which was commissioned on the occasion of the wedding of Francesco I de' Medici with Johanna of Austria in 1565. The Neptune figure, whose face resembles that of Cosimo I de' Medici, was meant to be an allusion to the dominion of the Florentines over the sea. It stands in the middle of a beautiful fountain.(Wikipedia)
I hope you will like this painting!

Small Study: Michelangelo's David - The eyes!

I saw Michelangelo's David in Florence for the first time a few years ago. Immediately, I knew that I wanted to paint those wonderful eyes!

David is a 17 ft marble statue of a male nude created by the Renaissance artist Michelangelo. It soon became to symbolize the defense of civil liberties in Florence. David's warning glare was turned towards one of Florence's rivals, Rome.

This small watercolor may be the study of a larger painting one day. It is 8" x 10" on Arches 140lb cold press paper and is matted in white to 11" x 14" and is protected by a clear plastic sleeve.

Neptune's Sea Horses - Finished...for now

"Neptune's Sea Horses, Florence" is finished for now. It measures 15" X 31" and I will take it to the framer's this weekend. It's from my own reference photo taken last fall in Florence, Italy, and it represents, at least partially, three of the four marble horses of Neptune's fountain started in the 16th century.The horses seem to be jumping out of the water and pulling Neptune's throne.

I now have to go back to my large commission of a Green Man and hopefully some smaller pieces for three upcoming shows in March, April and May respectively.

I hope that you like this painting. Take care.