"Atsila" Portrait in Expressionism style

I am really enjoying some practice with expressive painting. Expressive or Expressionism painting isn't about the actual expressions on a person or animal's face, but more about emotions of the painter,showing bold colors and strokes. This one is named "Atsila", which means fire in the Cherokee language. I have posted below a good defintion  about  the Expressionism style taken from About.com.

Definition:


Expressionism is a term used to describe a movement of the early 20th century (c.1905-20) that was most prominent in Germany and Austria. The aims of an Expressionist were to express emotions through the use of vivid colors and strong, distorted lines, rather than capturing a likeness or reality. Their work was characterized by intense, violent, and non-naturalistic colors, painted in a textural manner.

The first group of Expressionists, called Die Brucke (The Bridge), was formed in Dresden in 1905, by Ernst Kirchner, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, and Erich Heckel. The other major Expressionist group was called Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider).
Expressionism is the opposite of Impressionism, which emphasized painting what the artist observed. The work of Vincent van Gogh had a lot of influence on artists who are now classified as Expressionists.

I pray you all have a warm place to stay during this super cold weather, a hot cup of cocoa (or coffee) in your hands, and a warm heart for those less fortunate.


Blessings,
Sandra Reeves Cutrer