CALLIOPE Painting

Calliope is an original painting by Amy Devlin. My process starts with taking the photographs I work from, I like to experiment with angles and light in the photographing. Every inch of the canvas has multiple layers on to build up the feeling of light, water and body, every layer focusing in on more detail until there is a balance of tight detail and watery fluidity. Every summer I do a number of photo shoots and then spend the rest of the year exploring them from different angles. This painting is part of a recurring theme that I keep coming back to, focusing on the sparkling water and movement in the swimming pool looking from the top down into the pool. I loved the way the sunlight sparkles off the water and rippling reflections in the water and the shine of wet hair as her head breaks the surface. I am low level obsessed with painting wet hair and love the way the hair shines in the light.