Mesmerized

Alice McMahon White

Mesmerized

Featured in the group “Out of the Past”

From the Black Butterfly series, The subject is an artist, and the butterfly in the crystal ball is her muse. The narcissus flower in the frame is also symbolic of the subject looking into the mirror. Charcoal on mylar drafting film in vintage 1967 mirror frame. Image size 20×11” framed to 30×17”

Model, Myspace friend Lana Gentry, from a photo by Kristy Evans.

Mesmerized belongs to the following groups:

1 on 1: The Fine Art of Portraiture , * Painted Ladies *, ! 100% !, All Things Poetic, Artistic, Philosophical, Alt, Dirty Filthy Art: Charcoal, Fine Arts, Mature Woman, Out of the Past, Outsiders and Woman Appreciation
Mesmerized by Alice McMahon White
  • Ming Myaskovsky

    Ming Myaskovsky

    I love your art work, it is mesmerized, great title and I love the antique frame, such a wonderful choice!! :))

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Hi Ming, thanks so much! I may tweak a couple of things and rephoto in the morning. I liked the reference photo as soon as I saw it, and thought it would make a good addition to the series. I kind of like the crystal ball/mirror-mirror idea here. xx

  • Tara Lemana

    Tara Lemana

    Beautiful piece of work Alice!!!!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thanks Tara!

  • Lynda Robinson

    Lynda Robinson

    WOW! and what else can be said about this!!!! Another WOW, maybe!!!! You are an amazing artist Alice, and your work is just breathtaking!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Hi Lynda, and thanks for your kind comment. The subject here, Myspace friend Lana, is someone that is often the subject of art created by her friends and fans, and she is also a talented visionary artist in her own right. I thought Lana would make an appropriate model for my butterfly-as-muse series. Here she is (seen as muse of another Myspace friend, photographer Kristy) musing and mesmerized over her own butterfly-muse in the crystal ball.

  • Simon Aberle

    Simon Aberle

    Great artwork, and beautiful frame. Well done :)

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thanks so much, my talented friend. I was planning on drawing this for some time, but I wanted to find the perfect frame. I think this does the trick nicely, and the frame is just 3 years younger than the model! LOL! I have a few more in the planning stages for this series.

  • MoonSpiral

    MoonSpiral

    That is one intense stare she is giving us. Awesome work Alice :))!!!!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thanks Moon Spiral, Lana is a common muse among the Myspace community. Couldn’t resist adding to her collection.

  • Lora Garcelon

    Lora Garcelon

    I love the expression on her face – You’ve captured the intensity perfectly.

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Lana is intense, alright, but all honors must go to photographer Kristy for the initial capture. She has a way of getting to the essence of her subjects. I’m grateful she allowed me to use the reference. xx

  • Tahnja

    Tahnja

    How you get such perfection with charcoal is totally and utterly beyond me. You are such a master and what a pose! That frame is absolutely to DIE FOR!!!!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    :) Thanks for always being so kind Tahnja! I’m still trying to work out how to mount this into the frame, it’s an old plastic number and I usually use glass spacers to keep the drawing away from the glass. I’m not sure the rigid spacers will flex enough to work in the oval frame. I may need to have a sliver of a custom matte cut to fit. Ugh $$$! ;)

  • Tahnja

    Tahnja

    Yes, I know what you mean when it comes to framing but it’s such a beautiful frame, even if it is plastic lol. I love frames like that, they are just so beautiful and sadly, very hard to find, at least here they are.

    I too must work with what I have and I only tend to work on paper when I am trying something new and can give it away as a gift. I let the owners frame it when they’re good and ready. Otherwise I stick to framed canvases that are ready to hang, makes it so much easier all round but I know you can’t do that with drawings of course…..

  • Les Smutz

    Les Smutz

    Ditto, ditto, ditto…This is a fantastic drawing, Alice. If I were closer I’d help you out with that spacer having the oval matte cutter and all. You could probably do it, though, carefully using a utility or x-acto blade. I’ve done such myself in a pinch. Anyway, a truly splendid piece!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thanks so much Les! I suppose as long as the matte doesn’t show, I could do it by hand eh? Thanks for the tip, and the kind comments! xx

  • SHRyan

    SHRyan

    The frame gives an already wonderful drawing even more character, Love your work,xxxxSandy

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thanks Sandy! I love the old frames, and it’s really part of my process.

  • Jean Hildebrant

    Jean Hildebrant

    Beatufiul!

  • WonderlandGlass

    WonderlandGlass

    Your ability to catch the spirit and, yes, even the soul of your subject is amazing, my friend. Your subjects’ eyes are truly the windows of their souls and the intensity and vitality in your presentation is remarkable. This subject is offering, no daring, the viewer to gaze into the crystal and be transfixed by the spirit of the muse that dwells within. Then there is the framing issue ( I recall your stories of framing issues past). This seems quite the finishing touch… making one guess at the age and place of the subject and giving a timelessness and bit of mystery to this work. a bit of foam weather strip (reasonably price and found at most hardware/home-stores) might do the trick and fit nicely & unobtrusively inside the edges of the frame…easy to cut and place and available in many thicknesses. But that is an area outside my bailiwick, so take that suggestion with a grain of salt, preceded by a shot of tequila and followed by a taste of lime or lemon… My age is showing in my rambling discourse…. I’ll go quietly…. peace

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thank you Doug. I like how viewers are interpreting this in many ways. Good idea about the weather strip. I’ve actually tried that before, but I’m always concerned about the adhesive not being good enough, would hate to see the strip slide down over the work after time. I prefer my tequila in a margarita, thanks! ;)

  • Sorina Williams

    Sorina Williams

    beautiful..

  • WonderlandGlass

    WonderlandGlass

    The varied interpretations is a testament to how your work has the ability to speak to each person who views it, allowing them a personal interaction with the work and your particular vision… something an allegorical or thematic work permits that is not always available in direct portraiture. Amazing stuff! (Linda prefers margaritas, too) ;-}

  • Lynsye Medalia

    Lynsye Medalia

    She reminds me of an old gypsy! I don’t think I’ve ever seen your signature like that….very very cool! :)

    I wanna be in your series! LOL

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    My, seems RB has changed yet again. Everything looks weird. I’m sure you’d make a lovely addition. I’ll let you know when my well starts running dry. So far, I’m full to the brim with ideas!

    Thanks Lynsye! xx

  • ISMAIL ALAOUI ABDALLAOUI

    ISMAIL ALAOUI ...

    beautiful work again, i love your softness!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thank you Ismail! xx

  • danita clark

    danita clark

    Wonderful work !! She does appear to hold knowledge bewteen her hands…

  • stephanie allison

    stephanie allison

    Congratulations! Your image placed in the TOP 10 in the Best Hair Challenge in the Painted Ladies group!!

    ♥

Add your comment

You need to login or signup to add your comment to this work.