It’s this window that returns me back to the images and sounds portrayed in the movie “To Kill A Mockingbird”, from the novel of the same name, by Harper Lee. And with this photo I’d taken years ago, I get drawn to thinking about the innocent contrast between the rose and the old window.
This window must be from Boo Radley’s house in the fictional town of Maycomb, southern Alabama. Looking at the window I can hear the haunting voice of the film’s narrator, Kim Stanley, as she voices the childhood memories of the central character Scout Finch.
It seems appropriate that this dishevelled window, tormented by the hands of time, would have a beautiful single rose flowering alongside.
The rose to me, is a symbol of the beauty and innocence surrounding Boo Radley. In making the choice to turn this photo into an acrylic artwork I decided to use the grey tone series and highlight the colours orange and blue.
I feature orange and blue in the painting because they remind me of classic novels and high school English lessons. The colour orange symbolises creativity, determination and fascination. Like the determination and fascination that Scout Finch had for the unseen Boo Radley hiding behind his window. To compliment orange, I needed blue. Deep blue represents the slow, calming and trustworthy nature that was Boo Radley’s persona in “To Kill A Mockingbird”.
I have enjoyed the challenges this artwork presented me, and I’m grateful that in completing the project it has connected me back to a great film and book. In the presentation video I’ve created for the artwork I was pleased to showcase the many colours this painting works with.
