September 22, 2015

September 22, 2015

My second piece was another Donovan song, ‘Hurdy Gurdy Man’.  Don’t ask me why Donovan got two pieces.  The ones I mainly remember are ‘Mellow Yellow’ and ‘Sunshine Superman’.  But the idea of a hurdy gurdy player was fascinating.  I googled images of hurdy gurdys and found a wide range of styles.  I also found a wonderful photo of an old man playing a hurdy gurdy in a park with his dachshund at his side.  I loved that photo and wanted to try and paint it.  However someone else had taken the picture.  So I went to the website and e-mailed the owner asking for permission to use the photo in a painting.  He replied in the affirmative, so I was able to use the picture.  The background was unclear so I did have to make up a park and cityscape behind the man.  It is winter and he is playing for money, but he has made sure that his dog is comfortable.  The dog not only has a jacket, but his dog bed and blanket if he gets cold.  This is a large piece and took weeks to finish, but I am happy with it.  The collage elements include the tree behind the man, his vest, the dog’s blanket and the money in his hat.