Into the Clouds.
Oil Painting.
project 22.

'Into the Clouds' was a gallery piece that was inspired by the 70th Anniversary of the Tuskegee Airmen. They were a group of African American men who were pilots during World War II. For this painting I wanted to explore all elements of 'Flight'. Flight in a Plane, Flight as in progress, and Flight as in imagination taking flight. 

​

The colors are striking, playful and vibrant, meant to inspire and attract children. I wanted to depict a young boy sitting in his play room with an imagination to be in the clouds. The window framing his paper airplane was symbolic of the flight he will someday take across the sky. And the outfit he is wearing is representative of older pilot uniforms that were worn. As well as the paper airplane he is flying is drawn to look like a freshly colored version of the planes the Tuskegee airmen flew.

 ​​

The imaginative marks all over the painting are made to look like childlike drawings in crayon. From the clouds and sun breaking into his play room, to the old style pilot outfit he is wearing. Even the red dotted trail he has flown his plane thus far. This red trail even extends to the edges of the framed piece, further pushing the idea that the imagination isn't just limited to the canvas it is on. ​​​