"A Christmas Prayer"

Artist: Donald Zolan
Genre: All Genres
Size of Original: 30" by 30"

Zolan seems to have Renoir's fascination with children's skin tones. The skin of the little girl here looks real enough to touch and seems to glow from some inner light. Zolan has built it up with a series of thin underglazes in different colors. In the process he has exquisitely modeled her features, especially her nose and mouth. But perhaps the best part of the painting is her eyes. The work is a portrait of faith. Zolan feels faith comes naturally to small children and says he saw a way to paint this when he remembered "... the look of absolute trust I sometimes see on a child's face. It comes mostly from the eyes—big, round, unblinking eyes." He says he painted this girl as if she were looking out her bedroom window at the starry sky over her town. He has focused her eyes on something very distant. We can sense her awe and wonder just from her eyes, even if we cover up her praying hands.