Monday, June 16, 2008

Key #5


I just finished this small commissioned oil painting I'm calling "Key #5". It's (4x6") on gessoed board (My official favorite surface). I'm attracted to old wood with graphics or lettering on it as a background element in my paintings. I went on Ebay to find some old wood boxes with advertising on them and they are not cheap...I'm not the only one who likes them evidently. I may have to get lucky at flea markets or yard sales.

3 comments:

Holly Van Hart said...

lovely little painting. the cracks in the wood are a perfect touch. this painting makes me wonder what the key will open.

Todd Bonita said...

Hi Holly,
Thanks. I received an email privately from someone who suggested it was about drinking and driving..(the Key and the Jack Daniels box)..interesting thought but I have a tough time visually relating this key to a car (unless we are talking model T but I think those cars crank started) but I digress...If you scroll down my blog you'll find a previous post with an interesting take on my key paintings from art and critique dot com. I paint them for their nostalgic appeal and leave their meaning open to the interpretation of the viewer..it's more fun that way.

Diana Moses Botkin said...

Beautiful mysterious painting!

I used to rent an old Craftsman style house that opened with a skeleton key (about 4" long) at the front door. I've had smaller skeleton type keys for bureau drawers and old chests.

There is something fascinating about these kinds of hardware. One can't help but wonder who used them, what they opened and what they revealed. Getting a hold of one of these old keys is a bit like finding a map for buried treasure.