Shayla Maddox

[*Shown in normal light (first), normal and UV light combined (2nd), UV only (3rd), and no light/glow (last). Made with candle wax and acrylic paint.]

This painting is so big, I couldn't transport it in my car if I wanted to. I loved working on it. My color-mixing skills are progressing. It is essentially the same design as "Summer!" from last year, although it's much improved. (Summer! is not for sale.) My goal with this painting was to make color the focus. I really wanted to show "edges" (of color) and feature many intricate layers of paint.

It didn't feel like "summer" this time though, perhaps because it was painted in February. So, I named it something else.

It looks gorgeous with both regular and UV lights on together, making the colors seem to light up from within. I'm thrilled that I was finally able to capture the "glow" in a picture, something I should be able to reproduce with each new painting now. Because of the size of this piece, the gloss effect works beautifully, like large, smooth panes of glass. It's difficult to see in the image, but the edges of the painting (including the sides) are purple, which really makes the oranges and yellows stand out.

This painting was made in part with the help of Arcade Fire's 2004 album, Funeral, which I listened to about 87 times while creating it. Many thanks go out to their wonderfully inspiring tunes.

Unless it sells beforehand, this piece will serve as the first of two 4ft x 5ft paintings which will hang in the gallery in Laguna this July.

http://www.shaylamaddox.com