Artistic Murals By: Tamara Gerkin

CONGRATULATIONS


CHARLIE & JANE!


 

I wish you a lifetime of great happiness, success & health!


             

Welcome to the day by day progress of Jane & Charlie's mural known as "The Wall"

Day 1: Meet Jane and Charlie, they are a really neat couple that I adore! They are standing in front of a primed wall that has the early stages of the mural.  (Hi Charlie and Jane, I miss you!)

Day 3:  Blocking in (roughly sketching in shapes with paint) the major and minor shapes. Generally speaking, I'll lay color over the entire wall until I've developed the flow of the painting.   This thin layer of color serves as a base coat to which I will continue to build upon.  This is also the stage when the shapes are intentionally abstract and are void of definition. 

Day 5: I'm still blocking in basic shapes and compositional design elements that will enhance the mural.    

Are few areas are now being refined, but not finished. What you see now is a small resemblance of what will be.  Hope you enjoy the journey with this mural. I know that at times it might look a little scary and elementary, but this is how it's intended to look at this stage.  In the end, it will all come together and have a finished look that is very colorful, interesting and fun yet peaceful. There will be areas that will take your imagination into another world; one that exists in my mind and with a little luck from the painting God's, it will in yours as well.  

Day 6:  I've begun detailing, or rather adding in, various coral to set the stage for tropical fish. From this point I'll return to the sky and finish it before I go any further. 

            (These shot's were taken under a flood light which changes the color.) 

Day 8: Getting the sky to a nearly finished stage. Once this is done, I'll start painting in the trees, birds and plants...

               (tilted camera effect)        

Day 9:  It's been one of those very long days that begins at 3:30 AM and ends at 5:00 PM.  The sky is as finished as it can be at this stage. Now I'm working on the trees...

Day 10: Still setting the stage...

Day 11:  I'm nearly finished with the sky/tree tops and have begun painting in the right side of the mural.  

Day 12-14:  (Painting in the reef and other unusual shapes.

Day 21: It's been a week since posting any photographs... I've been busy developing & refining the reef and its inhabitants.   The turtle is Jane's and the grouper along with the ship wreckage, is for Charlie.   You might be wondering why Charlie gets two items in the reef and Jane only one.   You'll see the reason in the next few days.  Once I have everything for Jane, I'll post full views of the mural again.  Until then...enjoy. 

To give you an idea of the kind of people Jane and Charlie are...Charlie is a wonderful man that is an excellent chef as well as a computer programmer. He truly understands when I use the term "Zone."   Jane is the kind of woman that enjoys life, loves children, animals and insects.  She actually catches spiders, takes them outside and sets them free, which is something I don't understand.  On Day 1, Jane came dashing into the house to show Charlie and I what she had found. To my amazement and delight, she took us to see a real live baby Alligator (2' long) that is living in the ravine behind their home!  Naturally I named him...  

   Fernando I

Isn't he a cute little guy? Who would think that something so adorable could be so dangerous?  

• A few nights ago an Armadillo walked across the backyard.  What an unusual sight to see. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me or I would be showing you a photograph of the little critter. 

• 7/7:  Check out the neighborhood Sandhill Crane's!  This guy was as curious about my camera as I was about him. 

    Fernando II

"Here's looking at you kid!"

  Example of Charlie's cooking... This is a typical dinner at Charlie and Jane's home!  Who could blame me for not wanting to ever finish their mural with a culinary expert like Charlie in the house? Jane & loved every morsel of food and had friendly fights over desserts... Yeah...eat your hearts my friends and family, Charlie also bakes!  You should taste his chocolate cake...it's to die for! 

The last day:   For this particular mural, I've decided to keep it as a work in progress for the next 20 years, maybe longer.... By doing so, I  will have the enormous pleasure of Charlie and Jane's company, as well as the ability to indulge Charlie's excellent cooking.   In my estimation, it could feasibly take a week or so every 2-3 months for additions, alterations, menu planning, bike ridding, laughing, and having fun.