The beginnings of Medusa

As mentioned in a previous post, I was working on a very large piece. This is the beginning of it. My idea was to incorporate beauty with death. The vision for this one is Medusa's face in the center surrounded by beautiful things like flowers. To me flowers and foliage represent life and perseverance. There will be other more morbid things incorporated within this seemingly pleasant picture.
I wont ruin the finished piece so that's all I will say about it :)

Glorified Cancer

This is yet another unfinished piece. I painted this after I saw a photograph of a beautiful woman smoking a cigarette.
I find it funny that artists and photographers can make smoking look so glamorous. I am a smoker myself but know it's health risks, the additives and can cause permanent damage. Back in the 1920's it was considered fashionable to smoke. Some of the most beautiful people smoked and was considered very socially acceptable.
I was in Montreal when I was 19 and everyone was allowed to smoke in the strangest places. I was at a night club and there were numerous smokers on the dance floor. Dancing in a crowded place with a smoking person seems dangerous to me, I definitely lost a few good shirts from burn holes that weekend.
This piece was my second black and white, I was experimenting with techniques and the usage of shades of grey. This was done in acrylic.