kevin flannigan finds therapeutic release in his watercolor wonders

The natural simplicity of life captivates the creative energies of Kevin Flannigan. He uses watercolors to set his mind at ease and create a calm, soothing reality. Nature is big with him. He painted a girl hugging a deer (right) in a forest with a purplish hue, amidst red autumn leaves. The girl seems to be part deer herself, horns protruding from her head. Flannigan has also created a stylized French cityscape (far left) in red and yellow hues. He doesn’t name the place; instead, he says, “It can be anywhere in the world you want it to be.”

Flannigan has also created an image of a dark-haired gypsy woman with colorful hat and jewels. She appears to be out of the 1930s and possibly associated with the Harlem Cotton Clubs. There is a silent eeriness to some of Flannigan’s creations. You can see the emptiness in the cold blank stare of a devilish wolf with purple and red streaks in its hair (above, background). It evokes a hungry animal stalking its prey.

Flannigan creates not only pieces that haunt the soul, he also creates pieces that uplift it. His microphone (left) is bright and splashed with splotches of color to evoke the vibrant musical “American Idol-ish” atmosphere that music often generates.