New Painting, "The Road Trip"

"The Road Trip" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 36" x 48" x 2", 2012

Here is my newest painting, "The Road Trip."  I absolutely adored creating this painting, with the challenge of fleshy, rosy little cheeks, the strange intimacy of the overcrowded car, and the private universe each child seemed to inhabit--what was going on beneath their quiet exteriors?  What dreams were flitting through their still little forms?  They were together, yet very separate; each with their own distinct and immense dreams to explore beneath their closed eyes.

I wanted to convey the cramped quarters, yet how they still were able to find that comfort of sleep, even in the discomfort of an overloaded car.  Travel has its drawbacks, yet we deal with these annoyances to get to where we want to go to...we overcome to get to a goal, a better and greater destination.  This starts in infancy, and never ends until we are dead, and then it goes on from there as well.  What a wonderful cycle to delve into!

Each child looked as if they were engaged in their own dreamworld, with each of their expressions conveying a different experience, a different expression, which reflects in their personalities as well.  It was completely enthralling, and in the end, it was hard to wrap this painting up and end the experience of it.  I literally had to tear myself away, and resist the urge to keep working at it.