Rose Red
5.5″x6.5″ mixed media painting on paper.
SOLD
October 15,2009
I was asked to write about this one, so I am coming back to it a few days later.
When I was little I got this old fairy tale book that had some obscure stories as well as some more familiar ones. I don’t remember what the book was called but one of the stories was about two sisters, Snow White ( who was fair) and Rose Red (who was dark). I remember it really struck me because up until then I always knew of the classic Disney Snow White, who was dark. My mum used to say that when I was asleep I looked like Snow White because I had very dark hair, very pale skin. So when I read this new story, I once again felt a kin to Rose Red and instantly she became a favorite.
The other day when I was painting this piece, I began by making her hair dark and when I did the name ‘Rose Red’ popped into my head. The whole time I painted it I was thinking of this story, the book, and my connection to the character. I wanted her hair to be blue black ( a colour my Grandmother’s hair was often described as), her lips, cherry red and her skin porcelain (like mine used to be).
This is my version of Rose Red from that old fairy Tale.
