NEPTUNE’S DAUGHTER (2018) by Michael Whelan

The fourth installment in his 2018 LEFTOVER’S & PALETTE GREMLINS gallery project.

While washing out a Japanese sumi brush at the end of a painting session, I snatched a scrap of paper out of my wastebasket. Before rinsing off the brush, I executed strokes with the soapy acrylic paint and enjoyed playing with the bubbly textures that came out of it. After painting a half circle on the paper, I set it aside and went back to washing out the brush.

The next morning when I glanced at the paper, I thought it looked like a hat or crown. My imagination kicked into gear and I added more in colored pencil over the acrylic paint to complete the image.

I suspect the influence came from the song “Can’t Get It Out of My Head” which we saw exquisitely performed by Jeff Lynne in concert at Madison Square Garden recently.

Can’t Get It Out of My Head - Electric Light Orchestra

Midnight, on the water
I saw the ocean’s daughter
Walking on a waves she came
Staring as she called my name
And I can’t get it out of my head
No, I can’t get it out of my head
Now my whole world is gone for dead
‘Cause I can’t get it out of my head
Breakdown on the shoreline
Can’t move, it’s an ebbtide
Morning, don’t get here tonight
Searching for her silver light