Before and After Challenge, Eva-Maria Nerling
Continuing with the Before and After Challenge, today’s artist Eva-Maria Nerling provides us with her images and the story behind their inspiration and her process.
This painting is part of a cycle in paintings and fiber art on the theme of Joseph and his brothers.
I created a cloth piece and finished it with red acrylic paint to make it look stained.
At the same time, I started the latest painting (22×40″). In the 1st picture, you see it unfinished. Yet, after filling the last white spaces with coloured squares, I found it very unsatisfying and by far not abstract enough. So I left it on the easle where it kept pouting. Then, one day this june, I woke up and knew what do do and worked on it to the phase in the second picture, and I think it is finished now.
It is another variation on a fake piece of evidence, maybe the earliest in history (I have not doubt). It is what the father sees: something within the coloured clouds that appear before our eyes when we are in a shock, and at the same time radiating with the glory of his favourite son.
Before
After
Thank you for sharing these, Eva. And the coat itself is wonderful as well. I hope everyone will click on the links to see the rest of the story.
NOTE TO READERS: This morning we will be embarking on a 4-day road trip to look for a house in our new area. I will keep you updated as I get time on the computer. I am taking my laptop with me, but my ability to post to the blog will be limited by the time that I have. We have to find a house and be ready to move by the end of July! Yikes!!
An Artist's Journal 
I hope your looking for a house means what I think it means – fingers crossed for you both! Have a good trip! – Candy
Hello Eva,
The coat is very well done. I prefer it in the first piece, because, I find the drama of the coat with it’s folds etc, is lost in its bright and painterly surroundings.
But, it’s an eye-catcher all the same.
You know I thought that was an actual coat framed on first glance of the first version?
The second has lovely colors! The bottom would make a fine piece on its very own.
i had followed this story…. so nice to see it shared here as well.
Absolutely love it! I really like the way you carried the squares in to the background with the after.
Martha, I have been following the before/after stories on my iPhone, so I dont know if I missed a big announcement: Moving by the end of July?!! You can do it. Trust me! I’ve done in short times and long — much prefer the short ones. No time for piddling aroung; you just do it! Good luck.
Annette