26 October 2023
A faint memory using photo references of my family photo with Lola(Grandma) in the Philippines in 2012. This photo was taken at the same place seen in my painting “Revisiting Lola’s House”, but on different couch. Using the motif of Kiwi fruit of ears and mouth. My sisters and I wearing our New Zealand school uniforms. While my parents and Lola wearing Kultura cultural Filipino clothing.
I decided to do a wash/tone of yellow orange acrylic to give a more warm and happy feeling. Same walls and picture frame from the reference photo. I painted like watercolour using oil paints with the background and figures clothing. However, everyone’s faces are painted more with realistic and some with abstract motifs. The kiwi fruit as a repetition of my sisters and I can only hear and/or speak Kiwi english.
I wanted to paint a halo on Lola because I wanted her to be the focus and to be the star of this painting. Unfortunately, she passed away. Hearing many stories of Lola being a generous kind person made me see her as a beautiful angel. So I painted her as I imagined her as a beautiful angel.
Crystal Monique Biaño 