Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Mural Commission for a nature center

The concept for the mural was to portray 24 hours of the sky with certain cloud formations, a night sky with the Big Dipper, and a storm/tornado. Shown below is the far right portion of the mural before it was sealed.

I wanted to have high drama with color in an otherwise mostly blue and white palette so I chose to paint a tornado at sunset. The blue painter's tape is still in place here!

The entire mural is about 25 feet in length on the outer curved wall of a small planetarium. When visitors walk in, the view below is what they see first.
The tape has been removed and the entry into the domed room is visible - as well as a portion of the night sky. Due to the curve of the wall, it is not possible to see or photograph the entire mural. My camera was giving me focus fits perhaps due to the curved surface. I'll post more photos with better acuity soon!

The final shot shows cumulus, cirrus and stratus clouds as well as the icy mare's tails or fallstreaks. I added a sun dog at sunrise just because I happened see one driving over the the nature center very early one morning.

My design won a competition to execute this mural. A great honor - and a wonderful surprise!

11 comments:

Roy said...

Good work, Patrice! I hope it was financially profitable, too.

Patrice said...

Thanks Roy. The remuneration was definitely worthwhile. Generally, work seems to be picking up in the art world.

Crazy RAvens Studio said...

This is an astounding work Patrice. Glad to see you back (and encouraged by the thought that the economy might be picking up in the states...all we are hearing is doom and gloom up here).

Jeane Myers said...

hello Patrice, it is wonderful to see you back in blogland and hear that your circumstances have somewhat improved - this mural is just amazing - you are such a good painter xo

Patrice said...

Thank you, Paula. Good to see my friends again! I just got another mural job in a private home, so yes - I'm hopeful there's dissipation in that gloom.

Patrice said...

Hello Jeanne! I flew past your blog yesterday - and I was blown away by your wonderful words. Thank you.

DJ said...

Patrice, What beautiful work, and so difficult on a large-scale surface which an artist can't move! One has to work according to the environment, and you did it brilliantly! So glad to know you, my friend.
Love & Laughter...

Mrs Mac said...

WOW! OMG! This is amazing! What an incredible talent you have! Congratulations on winning the competition- well deserved!

I have never heard of the term 'sun dog', btw :)

Patrice said...

Thank you DJ..!

Patrice said...

I've no idea how the name sun dog came about for a prismatic effect of light through cloud/ice particles... My friend Carol keeps referring to it as a "corn dog". heh

Thank you for all your kind words.

GetSoiled said...

FAN-TAS-TIC!!!!! Gives me goosebumps!