Six of Cups
2023
The Six of Cups mural was created in the Spring of '23 for Kathryn and Lewis Shepherd. The mural sits in conversation with the early modernist visions of the Italian Futurists, Russian Constructivists, and German Expressionists while evoking the new world origins that inspired the creation of piece in its original Washington, D.C. home. Designed to fit the surrounding architectural perspective of the penthouse apartment's panoramic view, the metallic hues originally irradiated their light over the Potomac and the changing seasons of the city. The composition features six large bowls, channeling the lightheartedness of its namesake tarot card. David Normal wished to touch on the "natural kindness, that which is spontaneous and without artifice" of children or animals with this theme. The architectural nature of the piece, as well as its sheer size, welcome a revisiting of the playful tarot card against the scope of civic life. The mica powder pigments used here subtly change hue and reflectivity depending on the position they are viewed from, serving as a commentary on the individual nature of perspective in channeling a collective utopia. Since its creation, the work has been removed from Kathryn and Lewis Shepherd's Washington D.C. apartment and installed in North Beach, San Francisco.
Completed work (8)
Work in Progress
These photos trace the evolution of the project from quick sketch to finished project. David Normal created this painting as a perspective study, conforming the mural with the horizon line beyond the panoramic views of the large penthouse windows - in effect, creating one more window looking out into a fantastic world.
Work in Progress (15)
Six of Cups Book
This is a folio monograph, created by 'Book Arts' of Washington, D.C., on the subject of the Six of Cups mural. Commissioned by Kathryn and Lewis Shepherd and created by Steven Vanilio and John Paul Greenawalt, the monograph details the creation and execution of the mural.
