"Rain Monkey"

Artist: Gretchen Kirstel             Medium: oil on canvas                     Size: 16" X 20"         Date: 2008

"Rain Monkey" is an example of the artist's extraordinary versatility, imagination, and choice of brilliant colors found in many of her works.  This painting began with a photo taken of spider monkeys in Costa Rica.  The photo was blurred because the artist moved when she snapped it, as she was chasing the monkeys.  She began the painting, and her imagination went wild as she added tropical flowers and a macaw in flight that she had taken photos of in Costa Rica.  To complete the painting, she used her imagination and memories of her rain-drenched trips through the rain forest.  Colors took control of her brushes as they swept over the canvas, and waterfalls, sunlight, and raindrops appeared magically.  

Scroll down to view the painting of "Rain Monkey".