Christine U'Ren - "Lady Susan" painting

special sale - original oil painting

This painting was created as part of the set design for Bella Union Theatre Company's world-premiere production of Lady Susan in July 2009, performed at the Berkeley City Club. Per the set designer's specifications, the piece was painted to evoke an unfinished 18th-century portrait, in the style of artists such as Sir Joshua Reynolds, George Romney, or Thomas Gainsborough, but with a modern feel. The main figure's face is in shadow, in keeping with the play's theme of a new artist in an early — and incomplete — stage of development. The composition was inspired by typical elements of 18th-century portraiture, including an outdoor setting, monumental sculpture, drapery, a "classical" gown, and a theatrical mask, but is original.

This striking, decorative work would be perfect in a loft, restaurant, retail store, or eclectic home.

Size: 45 in wide x 67 in high x 1.5 in deep
Oil and acrylic paint on canvas
Price: $300.00 plus California state tax ($329.25 total); shipping/delivery extra - please contact the artist.
Click photos below to see larger. More details about the painting and the artist below.

Questions? Please contact the artist.

Above: detail. Right: full-size view Below: real-world size-comparison photo.

Above: real-world size-comparison photo.
		Above: the painting as it appeared on the set of Lady Susan at the Berkeley City Club, July 2009. Photo by Gene Mocsy.

The artist, Christine U'Ren, is a Berkeley, CA resident who has studied painting and art history at UC Berkeley, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and City College of San Francisco. She has also worked as a designer for several San Francisco Bay Area theater companies, including Eastenders Repertory Company, Bella Union Theatre Company, and Theatre Rhinoceros.

Because this piece was created for a small-budget theater, the stretcher bars and canvas are not of the highest quality — hence the unusually low price for an original, one-of-a-kind painting of this size. The canvas is slightly angled at the bottom, and the surface is rough, with a few dents. The paints are of a high-quality, artists' grade. The stretcher is set for a hanging wire. Although the work is heavy, it can be supported by a single thick nail or screw. However, caution and standard picture-hanging practices should be observed.

*Warning: lead paint was used in the composition of this work: it should not be displayed in an area where children can pick at the paint or lick the surface.

Questions? Please contact the artist.