"The Inner Refuge" by Carlos Fernandez

My first piece of the new decade is the final piece I purchased of the last decade. There are some pieces that immediately speak to you when you see them. That was the case with Carlos Fernandez's “The Inner Refuge”. Carlos had posted the piece on Instagram after he finished it in early December. I saw it about 15 minutes after it was shared and I immediately emailed him to see if it was available which is something I don’t usually do. But as I said the piece resonated with me and I had to have it for my collection. The piece was available and after I asked about making time payments Carlos kindly agreed to hold it for me until January. I purchased so many pieces in November it just didn’t work out that I could pay in full but thankfully Carlos understood and worked with me so I could add this amazing piece to my collection.

Carlos’ drawings are always so beautifully rendered. The idea behind this image is absolutely brilliant and he executed it perfectly. To me the message behind the piece is pretty clear but I know there are always different interpretations. That’s what makes art wonderful. Each person can see a piece in a different way. The way I read the piece is that there are some times when you have to hide from the world and just put on a happy face even if you are feeling attacked by the people around you. We’ve all felt it and this piece beautifully shows those feelings.

The details are fantastic. From the weathering and cracking on the shield down to the flaming arrows. I mean just look at the shading on the sand. The portrait on the shield is stunning as is the lovely lady hiding from the barrage of arrows. You can just feel her sadness as she deals with being trapped inside herself. Not a detail was missed when giving the piece the feeling it needed to resonate with the viewer. Just an outstanding piece that I am thrilled I was able to add to my collection.

Size 10.5 x 8.5