Warning Over Dover

 Price:  $1040
Size:  20 x 16
Description: Sold
I took a trip to London, England in the spring of 2013.  I visited The White Cliffs of Dover while I was there.  I discovered that the cliffs are made of chalk rocks and are very easily seen from a great distance at sea.  There is a natural harbor below the cliffs.  These days boats leave for France once or twice daily from the harbor.  France is only 26 miles away.  In years past invaders used the White Cliffs of Dover to navigate to the safe harbor at the bottom of the cliffs.  There is a large castle not far away.  It became a lookout castle for those who tried to invade England.  The castle would send out warnings to neighbors that they were being invaded.
While on my trip I gathered rocks from both places.  I used some of them to make the crown of the princess in the painting.  I have always loved birds and I use them a lot in my artwork.  I figured invaders upset the happiness of normal life in a castle so I added a Blue Bird of Happiness to the painting who is sending a warning to the princess that invaders are coming.  I also added some Copal stones.  They are yellowish and in the center of her crown. Copal is a resin based stone like Amber but is a bit younger than Amber..  The Mexicans burn it on The Day of the Dead to unite the spirits of family members in the next life with those on earth.
I love that idea and I have started adding Copal to many of my paintings.