Completed Painting – “Broken”

The title seemed appropriate. “Broken” describes not only the painting, but the pain and suffering written on the faces of people in the aftermath of death and destruction.

The urban setting, the poverty and lonliness that many lost soul’s experience also captures that feeling of brokenness.

I haven’t decided what my next painting will be about, but as I said before, Summer is a time for drawing and plein air experiences. I’ll be taking numerous photographs, and sketching scenes for potential paintings. Stay tuned!

I’ve never shared my “artist statement” with you, so here it is for the first time.

Carol Allen Anfinsen -- Artist Statement
Thanks to my grandfather, a former biologist and teacher; my uncle, a former professor of entomology at Berkely; and my father, a fly fisherman of great reknown; I was born an environmentalist, a lover of nature, and a lover of God’s remarkable handiwork.

I believe there is spirit, voice and emotion even in inanimate objects, but especially in living things. I have a wild imagination, and I envision each object, each life speaking out – no, shouting out to me. I try to portray nature as honestly and beautifully as I see it. Sometimes I exaggerate color and movement so others may share what my inner life sees and feels.

Portraits are a favorite of mine. The slightest crinkle in a nose or the twinkle in an eye can tell volumes about a person’s personality. Faces are as varied as the flowers in springtime; as deep as the roots of a tree or the depths of an ocean. I hope viewers will experience awe and joy when they look at my paintings.