Finding My Place in the Desert
If you’ve followed AlanaKayART very long, you know that I love bright colors. It is entirely possible there is teal running through my veins. But I also love a challenge. I am currently finishing a project that has challenged me in all the right ways. Last fall, I had the opportunity to complete a 17 painting installation for the Black Hawk Country Club in Houston. My artwork was a departure from the more traditional artwork they were used to, but the owners and members really felt as if my paintings made the newly renovated clubhouse come to life. In fact, they liked my work so much that in January, Black Hawk's ownership group commissioned me to pour 10 (very) large paintings for The Gallery Golf Club in Marana, Arizona. When I visited The Gallery, I was inspired by the peaks and canyons of the The Tortolita Mountains and the breathtaking colors of the Sonoran Desert. I couldn’t turn around without finding some new and amazing color. The only thing is, the colors in the desert were a very different pallet from the bright colors that normally speak to me. 
I flew home and immediately started putting together moodboards, drawing inspiration everywhere from desert sunsets to a beetle -- yes you heard me, a beetle.
As I surrounded myself with the sights and textures of the desert and began to pour, something happened. I found a deepened appreciation for deep blue, bronze and fiery orange. It was a fantastic reminder that our color preferences are not set in stone. Someone like me, who loves all things bold and bright, can still find beauty on the other side of the color spectrum. It was also affirmation that different colors produce different emotions. Teal and pink speak my language. They are energetic, confident and fearless and a little bit loud. But these ten paintings reminded me that there is also a time for rest, solace and quiet. A time to be still, take deep breaths and watch the sun set. This installation, along with some of my other work, will be on display at Press Cafe in Fort Worth on March 30 during the Fort Worth Art Dealers Association Gallery Night. This will be your only chance to see these paintings in Texas before they head to Arizona the next day. I would love to meet you and to show you these new paintings inspired by the wonders of the desert. The installation will kick off with a Meet the Artist Event at The Gallery on April 5 from 4-5:30 p.m.
I flew home and immediately started putting together moodboards, drawing inspiration everywhere from desert sunsets to a beetle -- yes you heard me, a beetle. As I surrounded myself with the sights and textures of the desert and began to pour, something happened. I found a deepened appreciation for deep blue, bronze and fiery orange. It was a fantastic reminder that our color preferences are not set in stone. Someone like me, who loves all things bold and bright, can still find beauty on the other side of the color spectrum. It was also affirmation that different colors produce different emotions. Teal and pink speak my language. They are energetic, confident and fearless and a little bit loud. But these ten paintings reminded me that there is also a time for rest, solace and quiet. A time to be still, take deep breaths and watch the sun set. This installation, along with some of my other work, will be on display at Press Cafe in Fort Worth on March 30 during the Fort Worth Art Dealers Association Gallery Night. This will be your only chance to see these paintings in Texas before they head to Arizona the next day. I would love to meet you and to show you these new paintings inspired by the wonders of the desert. The installation will kick off with a Meet the Artist Event at The Gallery on April 5 from 4-5:30 p.m.
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