"Chains"

Alice McMahon White

"Chains"

Pastel on Kitty Wallis sanded pastel paper, from “The White Album” series. The tooth of this sanded paper takes many layers of pastel. I prime the surface with rust colored nupastel rubbed in with turpenoid before working.

Inspired by the Beatles cover of Carole King’s tune of the same name.

“Chains, my baby’s got me locked up in chains and they ain’t the kind that you can see, oh oh these chains of love got a hold on me, yeah!”

In April 2007, “Chains” won round 2 of the International Saatchi Showdown Online Competition and was shown at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

I received this email January 6th, 2009 from the Saatchi Gallery:

Dear Alice

I am delighted to inform you that your work is currently being exhibited in the Saatchi Gallery – please find attached a photograph of your work on display. Below is the label that we are using for the work.

SAATCHI ONLINE

ROUND WINNER

ALICE MCMAHON WHITE

Chains

2006
Pastel on paper

55×38 cm

This work also has received awards in Chicago Pastel Society’s National Juried Show 2006; Pastels USA, Pastel Society of the West Coast, Auburn, California
2005; Best Drawing, Plaza Art Competition, Beverly Arts Center, Chicago 2005.

"Chains" belongs to the following groups:

1 on 1: The Fine Art of Portraiture , * Painted Ladies *, ! 100% !, "Real" Life Artwork (No Photography), Alt, Contemporary Pastel Painters (2 per day), Contemporary Professional Painters and Sculptors, Live, Love, Dream: , Outsiders, Painters In Modern Times, Realist Traditional Art, Shameless Self-Promotion, Solo Exhibition and The Best of Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints and Framed Prints
"Chains" by Alice McMahon White
  • Trace Lowe

    Trace Lowe

    Great art! Well done

  • Holly Werner

    Holly Werner

    Love your stuff. Excellent.

  • Antanas

    Antanas

    Great composition…

  • Michael Oubridge

    Michael Oubridge

    This is amazing a real talent :)

  • gemynd

    gemynd

    Tour work is simply stunning…..just beautiful great perspective in this

  • Brittany Callis

    Brittany Callis

    I am in aww of your work! Amazing job on all of you art!

  • Sean Farragher

    Sean Farragher

    gifted work

  • Lee Wilde

    Lee Wilde

    Masterful work, Alice. I actually came to check it wasn’t a photo. This level of work lifts the bar for everyone. Brilliant.

    Lee Wilde
    Moderator, I on 1: The Fine Art of Portraiture

  • JP100

    JP100

    nice work great feeling and the colour! what more can i say.

  • pauldrobertson

    pauldrobertson

    oops… forgive my last comments on your other portrait obviously you KNOW ALREADY!
    congratulations on your wins you deserve them.i saved this piece about a year ago to my pc. blew me away then too.

  • Alyson Pearson

    Alyson Pearson

    wow, you’re work is amazing!

  • Valerie Simms

    Valerie Simms

    Alice the first piece I saw of yours and I’ve been hooked ever since! love it!

  • Joe Valcourt/MODERNUS ART STUDIO

    Joe Valcourt/M...

    love this—my older teens dress like this.

  • Elf Evans

    Elf Evans

    Nice seeing it again, after first seeing it on Saatchi…have a wonderful New Year!

  • Mariska

    Mariska

    What a fabulous work you do , wonderful portfolio , Alice you are an awesome artist !!

  • hatefueled

    hatefueled

    awesome!

  • rachelle

    rachelle

    all your art is amazing you are so talented at what you do

  • Jaytee

    Jaytee

    so well painted, you are a great talent.

  • dmeijden

    dmeijden

    Superdeluxe!

  • pauldrobertson

    pauldrobertson

    how can this not be apprecited – orirginality forged in innovative MASTERY.

    (and as you know… well. we know. sorry to sound like a toser. but i know that you are. one in what 30 million people ever get close to this?)

    you have in this drawing more, in some ways, than so many make in their lives

    with deep respect. paul

  • Ash rebeltherace

    Ash rebeltherace

    i am officially in love with your mind
    carole king?
    the beatles?
    you RULE.

  • Natalie Broome

    Natalie Broome

    This is excellent work!

  • jomash

    jomash

    Lovely artwork.

  • Damian

    Damian

    This is beautiful! Congrats on all of the awards this has recieved!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thanks Damian! Actually, I forgot to add it here, but this piece will be shown at the grand opening of the new Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea, London. The reception is scheduled for October 7th 2008, and I plan to attend with my husband, flying in from Chicago. I wrote a bit about it in my journal. Quite a coup! =D xx ~ Alice

  • Jarko

    Jarko

    GREAT! CONGRATS!! :)

  • Angi Baker

    Angi Baker

    Great comp

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thanks Angi. So excited this is showing at Saatchi, London right now! I hope to be there in a few days to see it with my own eyes. xx

  • beverlyclaridge

    beverlyclaridge

    What beautiful work!! Congratulations on your Saatchi selection!!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thank you Beverly, we will be in London next week! Too exciting!

  • Kate Eller

    Kate Eller

    Congratulations Alice…...I know that must be such an exciting accomplishment. This is such an outstanding piece. I can well understand the accolades. You are a real artist and I love to see a talented artist actually get the recognition they deserve, Keep it up girl..and I know you will.

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Sorry, I missed your comment! You are so kind yimusjane. Even more exciting, the piece has sold to a London collector! Unbelievable! Hugs friend!

  • stevetg101

    stevetg101

    Very talented. Well done on the exhibition.

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thank you again Steve. This work has been sold at the Saatchi Gallery. Doesn’t get better than that! xx

  • stevetg101

    stevetg101

    Nice one!!! Hoping we see some more of your work exhibited there one day x

  • Angel Warda

    Angel Warda

    fab! such an amazing portfolio! congrats on all your achievements….

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thanks Angel.

    Since you’re in Chicago, I’d like to invite you to the Second Friday open studio events at my studio building the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan, 4:30 to 9pm. Hope you can make it sometime! I’m also a member of 33 Collective Gallery – in Bridgeport. Sign up for the email newsletter – it’s at Zhou B Center – such a cool place to hang out!

    Any artsy things you know around town, please let me know. xx

  • cdcantrell

    cdcantrell

    Alice, Thats awesome I love it.

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    :) Thanks cd!

  • Tara Lemana

    Tara Lemana

    Wow Alice, this is stunning, I LOVE it!! It looks like a photo, I can hardly believe it’s pastels!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    :) Thanks Tara. I just returned from London,where it was on display at the Saatchi gallery. It was fun to watch people turn their heads sideways to get a better look. :)

  • Helen Chierego

    Helen Chierego

    Masterful pastel, Alice! I love your choice of subject, title and point of view. You are a rare talent!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thanks so much, and back at you! I don’t generally care for photo manipulation, but your work is high fine art. Congrats on your success!

  • Tracey Mac

    Tracey Mac

    Your artwork is sublime…..love the colours and all the work that has gone into this, just absolutely beautiful….

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thanks again Tracy. This was one of those rare pieces that was a bit hard to let go. But it went to a good home, so that’s a comfort.

  • ltruskett

    ltruskett

    excellent doesn’t seem to be enough of a word to describe this….........

  • sunsetrainbow

    sunsetrainbow

    I thought it was an actual color photograph when I saw the small version of it.
    Very nice. And the emotion in it is as good as the rest.

  • MoonSpiral

    MoonSpiral

    This is absolutely amazing!!! Sorry to be so full of questions, but why do you prime the paper with the nupastel and turpenoid?

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    The Kitty Wallis comes in white, and I prefer to work on a mid-colored surface. Kitty Wallis paper stands up to water and oil media, and even the paint solvents like turps. So, my method is to lightly rub nupastel over the surface, and then use an old brush loaded with turpenoid to rub it in and cover the surface with color. Once dry you have a nice colored surface to work on. Some artists like to use complimentary colors or different colors for the underpainting, etc. I usually use a warm rust or golden color. Kitty Wallis will hold many layers of pastel – look it up online, I’m not sure if it’s available in every area. I buy it by the large roll.

    You joining the pastel group made my day! The piece we featured is very creative and great to see in pastel. xx

  • michael byerley

    michael byerley

    fun and playful amd a bit of mischief !!!!!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thanks for the fave, the watch, and the kind words michael! :) Mischief, yes. That’s my girl.

  • Pinkham

    Pinkham

    Love the rug, gives this energy. I want to turn this upside down, but then I couldn’t read your name. Art kicks in emotion…this sure does.

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Haha! When it was on exhibition in London, I saw lots of people turning their heads to the side to get a better look. :) Thanks Pinkham!

  • doreen01

    doreen01

    Beautiful and expressive! I love it!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thank you Doreen!

  • ISMAIL ALAOUI ABDALLAOUI

    ISMAIL ALAOUI ...

    wow i didn’t see this before!!!!!!!!!!*
    this is wonderful
    i really love it,
    so precise and full of warm femenine feelling
    you amaze me with this piece! ::: !!!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thanks Ismail. I’ve done well with this one. :)

  • Roz McQuillan

    Roz McQuillan

    Great image – congrats!!!

  • Alice McMahon ... replied

    Thank you Roz, I love that group, and such an honor to be voted the winner of the challenge. Your work is always stunning, you get my votes! :)

  • stephanie allison

    stephanie allison

    Congrats! Your image won 1st place in the Quickie Best Lady Challenge

    ♥

  • ega39

    ega39 29 days ago

    Great presentation, nice texture and great colors

  • Alice McMahon ... replied 29 days ago

    Thanks so much!

  • maria paterson

    maria paterson 29 days ago

    love the pose, the angle and the beautiful richness of colour, great work alice

  • Alice McMahon ... replied 23 days ago

    Thank you Maria! This one took me all the way to London, but she stayed there. Kind of miss her. (besides – the model is also away at school.) :(

    Thanks for the congrats too! xx

  • maria paterson

    maria paterson 24 days ago

    Congratulations! you are in the top 10 winners for Something Within contemporary pastel painters challenge

  • F.A. Moore

    F.A. Moore 8 days ago

    Wonderful pastel. Just beautiful, Alice. Thanks so much for sending this up to Solo Exhibition. Happy to have you in the group. :D
    —Frannie

  • Alice McMahon ... replied 8 days ago

    Thanks so much Frannie!

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