Painting #1: Preparing for Shura

The background for this painting is provided by several sources. A friend from my regiment, Andrew Richards, recently came home from a tour in Afghanistan. One of the photo's he was nice enough to give me is of him and some PPCI and EOD folks blowing an IED they found north of Haji Baba, which is the outskirts of Nakhoney, Panjwai. This makes up the right side of the painting. The main picture is of an elder who organized shura's for the Canadians in another district (redacted). Shura's are sit down meeting that village elders have to conduct business, trade and manage village affairs. They are also one of the main means of conveying ideas and proposals from reconstruction teams and/or area commanders to the village.

This painting is not on canvas but instead I've decided to use board. These next 10 painting will all be on 22"x42" Canadian Maple. As you can see, I start with a red background, much the same way painters have done for the last 200 years. It gives a rich base and provides a glow to the paintings that I really like. It makes the painting pop.

Although its hard to see, I also construct my painting with a 3rd dimension. The village elder is on a separate board that is raised 1/2" off the main board. This gives depth (literally) and an interesting juxtaposition that makes you look twice. I started this little trick when I was in school and I decided a while back I was going to re-visit it for this series of paintings. I find it also helps to create smaller watercolors of the project as a proof of concept. It really helps me conceptualize the final project and come to grips with how I will approach it. Below is a water color of the elder I did in my sketchbook some months back.

Adding the details is critical. It's the difference between a half-realized concept and a fully fleshed out story. The real test is knowing when to stop, when to back away and stop painting: To know when you're done. Although this is my first full size painting in 10 years, the mussel memory is there and I find that working the paint into the painting becomes easier with each brush-stroke. That said, I still have a ways to go before I'm even close to regaining all the skills I use to have...

Christopher B

Painting to Afghanistan

This is the first of 10 paintings about my friends who have served. The Canadian Reserves has a long tradition of serving in peace keeping missions, wars and conflicts all over the world.

I've decided to document, through paint, my friends and regimental fellows who have served in these conflicts. These are individuals who join the reserves and volunteer to leave their civilian jobs, school and family in order to serve their country, prove their skills, make money and/or to support their regimental brothers and sisters. In Canada, reservists are not called up or forced to go overseas to serve a tour of duty. Canadian reservists have to volunteer for duty. They conduct work-up training, serve a tour and then come home, back to their civilian lives. These tours might be as long at 18 months including the work up training.

I don't intend this to be a commentary on the necessity of war, nor do I intent to politicize the debate on our current engagements throughout the world. What I intend is to document the history of my friends and former regimental family who have decided to go to war. To capture them in their element, to provide context to their stories and give meaning to my own contribution. That said, it would be disingenuous for me to suggest I am unbiased. I also served in a reserve infantry unit for over 20 years.

This blog will document the creation of these paintings, the creative process and final product. I welcome both constructive and critical feedback.

Christopher B