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Monday, March 9, 2009

Barbie celebrates 50 years today on her birthday, oil painting tribute




















Painting title, not yet decided upon, size, 12x16. Medium, Oil on Linen. Price, $250.00. SOLD. Here is my latest Barbie oil painting just in time for her 50th birthday. Barbie was given a birthday of March 9, 1959. She was released for sale at the New York Toy Fair that time, so you can consider it a birth of an icon. I am no stranger to this doll, I own fifty of the early 60's Barbies. This painting is of my blonde No. 1 wearing Plantation Belle, she is one of the few left of the first Barbies. I have a brunette also which I have painted from before. This is about my 6th or 7th oil painting of the No. 1 Barbie and they get better and better each time I do one. I wanted to paint the Plantation Belle outfit because of it's celebratory appearance, it's southern belle femininity, it's airiness, it's springtime appeal. I felt spring coming on, I felt Barbie would want to dress like she is going to a garden party with her fluffy white pooch running along her side. The sun is coming through her from behind and it leaves a shadow of the skirt with lace on the ground that I gave some attention to in my artistic way. I added spring colors behind her to keep with the season and to add a compliment to the pinks and pale violets. Her face is part in shadow with a sultry glance and so is her front bodice and skirt in shadow, it makes the sunlit areas stand out more. Her hat is just the perfect addition with it's wide brim and streaming ribbons. I made sure Barbie's facial features hold true to the 1959 doll with the inverted v brows and you gotta love her full brick red lips. Those eyes have it all with that side glance, she is the cat's meow of all the Barbies. Happy Birthday Barbie, you made it through half a century! I will place this up for sale on eBay, look for a link in a day or two.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

After 50 years Barbie is still in great shape; how does she do it?