Many of you have written to me lately.
Some to share their feelings, some to extend their compassion, and others to try and find some comfort in getting another token of their love for him.
Prince died recently, leaving a taste of unfinished business behind him.
He had much more to give.
In my case, on top of everything, there was actual unfinished business…
As you may know, I had the luck of working with him, through his team (no, one does not just work with Prince…). I got to sell him the rights to a couple of my images. Already a dream come true. Twice.
But there was more to come. Much more.
Thanks to my friend LV (the graphic deigner behind many of the images coming from NPG lately), I was considered to decorate the main recording studio in Paisley Park.
Let's read this again: me, decorating the main recording studio in Paisley Park.
This, would have been the closest I would ever get to paint my very own Sistine Chapel.
I will never get to finish it, but at least, now, I get to share it with you all.
The name of this studio is Purple Rain (what else ?…) and it was to be the theme of the paingings. Purple Rain, from the 1st Avenue to the movie, to the Mann's theatre, to the tour… the whole story.
They gave me a rough sizing of the room (it's huge, by the way, like 10m by 15m, and more almost 5m under the ceiling) and a few (very bad) pictures.
We started in January, just a bit before he started to setup the Piano and a Microphonetour. Just before he would come to Australia (no, I didn't get to show anything to him in person, and yes, I tried and I was totally expecting him to show up at my studio in Bondi. Why not !).
The first sketches were not approved, and needed rework: "Not enough colours" they said :).
The tour got most of his attention by then, the project would wait.
The tour never ended.
Here are a few images that have been submitted (it was only the sketching phase) some quick montage on the photos they provided and some images from a 3D rendering I had made for the project.
I hope you'll enjoy the sneak peek. I surely enjoyed working on it.
I haven't been able to paint any Prince image since his passing.
After talking with a few fans, I decided I would accept commissioned orders:
if, through my art, someone can find a bit of reconfort,
it will be, by far, the best use I can put my skills to.
Peace, and be wild.
19 comments
I wish the estate would revamp, the Purple Rain room. 2 nclude your art work. Certainly would give life 2 da room!!! Love your talent & thanx 4 sharing.
I SOOOO wish they had left the room like this, it is absolutely beautiful and such a great way to capture the spirit of that period. It would be great if they could restore the room in this way, with the artifacts in the room. Much more fitting that how they have it at the moment. Thanks for your great work!
Thank you
WOW! just…..WOW!
What a dream. It looks amazing, transportive even. You bring life to those naked walls and I’m amazed that the project didn’t see fruition when it was oh so close. As a museum, your art in this studio would have told the Prince, Purple Rain worldwide love story. You breathe new life and freshness into a nostalgia that remains timeless. If you find it in your heart to paint him again, know that it would be received with love, respect and appreciation. Your lasting impressions can do much to lift so many that miss his presence. I hope the Paisley Park estate “people” see this; Prince’s vision through your interpretation. It’s fair to say that Prince’s endeavour to fulfil this project is a salute to gratitude; his main studio tributed with the global phenomenon that Purple Rain catapulted his music career into. It was the landmark from which everything else; the music, the life, the fans and the following would continue, and still, does. I hope this does too.
What a shame it will never be finished but what an even bigger honour to have been asked – Purple Hugs – Sue