Moses Botkin August Painting Challenge: Statue

"Tale of Woe"
Original oil sketch on hardboard
6"x6" 
©2012 Diana Moses Botkin

Vicki chose our subject for this month's Challenge. When she named a statue to paint, I thought of several ideas and settled on this one, based on a sculpture I saw of Cain outdoors at the Louvre.

At the time I had jet-lag and had been scolded at Musee d'Orsay for putting my feet up. I had actually been reprimanded a couple of times by the guards at d'Orsay (in French which I don't speak well but I pretty much read their gestures). And I had been chewed out (in French) by the maid earlier that morning at our cheap little hotel in Paris for having food in our room. This sculpture spoke of how I felt when I saw this piece. I hope this makes you smile, as it does for me now.

Here are this month's paintings from the rest of the group, which I like very much. This was a good Challenge and got me to thinking, which is one of our goals for the monthly exercise.

It gets us out of our comfort zone a little, motivates us to paint something we might not normally think of, and is "fun" in a punishing stressful sort of way. Month after month, we accept the difficulties and yes, the dare, to paint our Challenge.

(below left) "Nymphs and Satyr" Oil on Canvas, 22" x 28" ©2012 Mark Adams
(below right) "Love" Oil on Panel, 16"x12" ©2012 Vicki N. Ross