ARBOL DE LA ESPERANZA

36 inches by 36 inches
Acrylic on Canvas
$2,500
50 Prints Numbered

This painting pulled me in lots of different directions. My inspiration first came from reading Frida's journal where she used the phrase -"Tree of Hope, keep firm"-. The podcast and books I consumed made me understand that Frida loved everything and everyone around her. She had many sexual partners both men and women because she loved them all. She loved animals and nature. I imagined reincarnating her after death as a tree in the desert of Mexico that she deeply enjoyed, where she could be peaceful, no longer in pain, surrounded by the beauty of nature. Frida turned in this piece into sort of a Mexican Mother-Nature. However, when this painting began to develop, and Frida started to look peaceful and alive, I was feeling very depressed for reasons that I can't remember, and I simply wanted to be 'with her'. My desire made me paint my self-portrait leaning against the tree, next to her as she reached out gently to comfort me. I was very emotional with this result. 
The next day, my feelings completely changed and I debated if to remove myself entirely. Focused on the desert and added a lot more vibrant colors, plants and they made me so happy that I changed my self-portrait into one that is doing what I love: drawing, with Frida going back to enjoying nature. 
As I continued to read her journal, Frida mentioned that she never wanted to be reincarnated. Well, I apologize. Now I wonder how SHE feels with this representation...
Style choice: you may call it Impressionism or Expressionism. This is usually my most used way of creating, where I lean towards a realistic image with exaggeration.