"Standing In the Tub"

Standing In the Tub

Image 3" x 4", Paper 5.5" x 7.5"

Edition of 8

Oil based inks on Masa paper

This is a figure study of my daughter, Lysistrata. It is my fifth small-scale baby print, and I plan to do more. I captivated by infant body proportions. They are both cute and alien. And while I do enjoy the intimacy of these tiny prints, the main reason I began working in smaller scale is because since having the baby I have much less time to work in my studio. I'm still doing big work, but I need to do these small works in between larger projects or else the achingly slow pace convinces me that I'm not doing anything at all.

I wanted to keep this image light and airy, so I went with the bright, complimentary colors and white outline. I suppose I did this because I have so many positive associations with bath time, which have been recently reinforced by Lysi's enjoyment of baths. I especially love the pose here. Her arms are bent and raised as if she is triumphant. Maybe I made this image to celebrate Lysi's learning to walk - that seminal achievement that separates the babies from the toddlers. My baby is a toddler, hooray!

The greatest aesthetic challenge with this study was striking a balance between too much and too little. I think I did okay. In fact I think this particular style could be applied to a illustrated narrative. Maybe I'll make an artist's book. So many ideas. So many "maybes". Wish I had more time.

This print is available for purchase on my Etsy store here.