Ken Doll

Soon the beautiful summer blooms will be replaced by falling leaves and then snow, so I wanted to take on some figurative works to get me into that fall/winter mindset. I thought I would start this mental reorientation by reflecting on the latest fad in America, Barbie. It's not so much for the brand's cultural significance, but more about the color pink that the brand resonates. It's a fantastic color to paint with because of its soothing warmth and ability to literally leap off the canvas. Pink also compliments the cooler greens and deep reds of this work, and despite its dominance it somehow avoids tension between the warms and cools. It actually anchors the painting while the reds and greens do their work. I'm also a huge fan of yellows, again a brand favorite, and really enjoy the brilliant, super-hot lemon yellow of the tie which acts as a visual highway between the pinks and greens. I truly love color.