Original Eyes wide open Brain engaged Heart on fire painting. Size 36x48 gallery wrapped on canvas heavy thick oil paint. Texture, has been sealed with archival fixative.
"The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart." ~ St. Jerome
This is a striking and emotionally charged piece of mixed-media art. It balances classical imagery with raw, expressive textures and a powerful written mantra.Here is a breakdown of the elements I see in your work:
Visual Composition
- The Central Figure: You’ve painted a feminine figure that feels both ethereal and grounded. She wears a crown of lush green leaves, which is peppered with small, watchful "eye" motifs, suggesting a connection to nature or a heightened state of awareness.
- The Contrast of Sight: There is a profound irony in the text "EYES WIDE OPEN" being placed over a figure who is blindfolded. The dark, textured material—which looks almost like burnt earth or thick impasto paint—weeping down from the eyes creates a sense of "seeing" through pain or intuition rather than physical sight.
- Color Palette: The background and skin tones are soft, using airy blues and muted peaches. This makes the vibrant orange fire on the left and the deep, dark textures on the face pop with intense energy.
The Typography and Message
The text is integrated beautifully into the composition, using a stylized, swirling calligraphy that feels both vintage and modern. The message creates a powerful three-step progression:
- EYES WIDE OPEN: Awareness and the refusal to ignore the truth.
- BRAIN ENGAGED: Intellectual presence, logic, and active thought.
- HEART ON FIRE: Passion, empathy, and the driving force of action.
Artistic Style & Mood
The mood of the piece is transformative. It feels like a depiction of an awakening. The way you’ve applied the thick, dark texture over the face gives the painting a 3D quality, making the "blindness" feel heavy and real, while the fire feels like it’s providing the light necessary to see without eyes.
Observation: The juxtaposition of the soft, blurred edges of the body with the sharp, crisp lines of the lettering creates a "poster-art" meets "fine-art" aesthetic that is very compelling.