"Remembering My Make-Believe Parents"

"Remembering My Make-Believe Parents"
(July 2009)

William & Elizabeth Clark, my make-believe parents, born long before me and married before I was born. They were nicely settled in by the time I arrived. For how nicely life went for the three of us, I'd say we were all ready, well-suited for one another.

They and only they referred to one another as Bet and Bill. To me they were mom and pop, and I was their little offshoot, munchkin, third pea in the pod. Life wasn't necessarily quiet, but it sure was serene. So much of our lives spent at the small cottage at the edge of the shore's stoney beach. Mom always painting, pop always writing...the glow of lamplight in the night, me on the little screened porch watching the fireflies flicker in time to pop's typing.

He always signed his notes to mom...love always my sweet Bet...your Hemingway

The beauty of fruit...

Oranges Are Good For You

Bull's Eye

Bull's Eye
Nikki Soppelsa 07.09
(photogram/found papers/watercolor/ephemera)

Study I

Study I
Nikki Soppelsa 07.09
(watercolor/found papers/ink)

"Under & Overload"

"Under & Overload"
Nikki Soppelsa
(updated 07.09)
What a difference!

"Under & Overload"
Nikki Soppelsa
(05.09)

The collage above was done as my entry to EBSQart.com's Ripped Off '09 Show and is my interpretation of Paul "Popi" Anderson's oil painting:

"Overload"
Paul "Popi" Anderson

The prospectus of this annual show requires artists to pair up and 'rip off' one another's work in their own/chosen medium. You can see why I approached him for this show! His art is vibrant with juicy colors and this bold painting jumped right out at me. I tried to capture the texture/shading of his oils with a variety of textured/found papers (including some of my watercolor scraps) and another 'layer' presented itself giving the piece another dimension.

I have been staring at this off and on since April...his painting while I studied it and then mine for all the time it took to create it. I have not tired of looking at either one! There are so many smaller works of art within the whole and even more inbetween and overlapping. ...and the colors are just so brilliant!

Paul combined two of my watercolors Fish Fry and Rainbow Trout creating an oil painting Fish Eyes View. Serene, yet, again vibrant in color and not only a wonderful play with light (the fish appear illuminated), but also with his original captivation...the eyes.

I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge, the process and am more than pleased with our results!
(Thank you Popi!)