That was my regular visit to a nearby art and craft store where I saw a pack full of pearls. I bought them thinking that I may use it creating projects with my son. As we entered home my impatient son opened and scattered it on the coffee table. We started playing with them by creating different patterns. I took some photographs too. That was the first time I thought of making a painting of it. In order to bring the ‘still-life reference photo’ look, I started adding new components and took photos from different angles with different light sources and with new arrangements. After spending more than 4 hours I realised that there is no place in the coffee table. I had to become selective. I took decesion this way:

1. Those pearls were my main object
2. I wished to paint a crystal-cut glass/bowl so putting those pearls in a crystal cut bowl will do good
3. To bring the prism effects on the crystal cut I put a rainbow reflection sheet under the bowl. ( I had no idea how big challenge I have thrown myself into by adding that sheet.)
4. To accompany the rich and beautiful setup, I included the flower tub (that was a gift from my sweet artist friend)
5. Added two wine glasses to fulfill my another wish (to paint glass)
6. Added few more pearl necklaces that I had.
7. As empty glasses doesn’t look good and I wanted to do something romantic and different so I put one necklace on a glass and our marriage rings in the other glass.
8. Now needed to do something to bring the ‘uniqueness’. Spent another 2 hours. Searched for something that will match the already selected group of items and the colors.
9. Ureka!!! My pink mirror. Looks good with pink flowers. Again, spent some more times with those short listed lucky probs. Arranged them in different positions, photographed from different angles with diffetent light settings. Finally satisfaction came when I was able to bring that ‘Uniqueness’.

If you see the painting you may notice that the objects are shown from top view whereas the mirror image showing the side view and the wineglass with two rings only visible in the mirror but not in the real view. The whole thing created a suspense and that became my main inspiration for this painting.

The biggest learning for me from this project is ‘have patience and keep trying’.

I started this painting on 26th December,2017 with target to finish this project by 31st January. As I progress in the project, I was hit by challenges. First this was the medium (fine art using acrylic is utterly difficult). Bringing the crystal look and showing the light spectrum through the crystal cut was highest level or challenge. On top of that my progress was hit twice in past fortnight with sinus infection spread into my brain that forced me to take a break and followed by strep throat infection. I am glad that by God’s grace, today I am able to complete my project- ‘Shine with as suspense’.

Thanks for reading this.

Acrylic on Gallery Wrap Canvas.
Dimension: 20″ X 26″