"Sara,"

"Sara," Oil, 16 x 20in. From February 2016.  Found this painting recently and still liked it so thought I would post it. I loved painting this model.

From my Sketchbook: Luana Sketch

"Luana Sketch," 9x12. Oil on Gessoed 140 lb. Canson Watercolor paper. From Life

From my Sketchbook: Francesca

"Francesca Sketch," 9x12 in. Oil on Gessoed Canson 140 lb. Watercolor paper. From Life

"Bovine on Red"

"Bovine on Red,"13.5 x 19.5 in. Black charcoal and white chalk on Red Fabriano Tiziano Paper. This was an interesting challenge. This drawing was conceived around a black, white and red themed show. I had fun working on the values.

"Time and Cherry Blossoms"

"Time and Cherry Blossoms," Oil on Hardboard, 18x24 in.

From the moment I caught the model with that slightly pensive amused gesture and her beautiful silk robe, I knew that I wanted try to capture it. The painting would be a concept piece. The concept took some thinking and working out but once I hit on the Japanese doll, the whole thing resonated with me.

I used to collect international inspired dolls when I was a young adult. These were not dolls to play with, they were to wonder at and imagine.... flamenco dolls, Irish dolls, German dolls and the like all in national costumes. So here is the model fondly remembering a doll she had in her childhood. Also the glance while fond is also a bit bittersweet  -where did the time go? She belongs to a vast world; she doesn't belong to a place or a time per se. I wanted that positive image of her to come through my painting of her.

I then had to capture that reverie on youth and time in the background elements. I wanted some Japanese artwork in the background to tie her pensiveness, the robe and the doll together. I came upon one of those untranslatable phrases in Japanese, "Mono No Aware." It is when you look at a thing and say, "Ah!" realizing in that moment the beauty of the thing, its impermanence and transience all at once. The concept has infused Japanese literature, philosophy, and aesthetics. Cherry blossoms have come to be associated with the "Mono No Aware" concept more than any other thing due to their exquisite beauty and two week life span.

I incorporated the imagery in the background to pull it all together. The Japanese scroll on the left side wall  contains the calligraphy reading "mono no aware" and the cherry blossoms are on the viewer's right in the print on the wall.

My palette for this painting was: Winsor Newton Yellow Ochre Pale, Gamblin Cadmium Yellow Medium, Winsor Newton Light Red, Utrecht Raw Umber, Utrecht Cadmium Red Light, Rembrandt Viridian, Gamblin Coblat, Winsor Newton Indian Red, Rembrandt Ivory Black and Gamblin Pure Titanium White.

On the "Mono No Aware" and the cherry blossom concept, you can start with the following links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mono_no_aware

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_blossom

"Ale Sketch,"

"Ale Sketch," 9x12. Oil on Gessoed  Canson140 lb Watercolor paper. From Life about two 2.5 hour sessions. Palette of colors: Winsor Newton Yellow Ochre Pale, Winsor Newton Light Red, Utrecht Raw Umber, Old Holland Vermillion Extra, Winsor Newton Indian Red, Gamblin Cobalt Blue, Gamblin Tobalt Teal, Gamblin Cobalt Turquoise, Rembrandt Ivory Black, Gamblin Pure Titanium. White 

'John Sketch,"

"John Sketch," 9x12 in. Oil on Gessoed Canson 140 lb watercolor paper. I could have dug into the details and crisped up the sketch but loved the energy at this fairly early stage and decided to leave it unfinished. I went for this pensive gesture which differed slightly from the final pose he maintained. I love when John poses for us but have never captured his likeness before today.

My color palette was odd for me today: Rembrandt Yellow Ochre, Gamblin Cadmium Orange, Rembrandt Cadmium Red Deep, Utrech Burnt Sienna,Rembrandt Cinnabar Green Medium,  Williamsburg Ultramarine Blue and Gamblin Pure Titanium White

"Mementos in Turquoise and Copper,"

"Mementos in Turquoise and Copper," Oil on Masonite Panel, 8x10.  I decided to choose some favorite objects and combine vibrant turquoises with pinky copper tones. I have long wanted to paint this hexagonal copper pot and had the inspiration to use the ceramic Blue bird and cup from Istanbul pulling it all together with an enameled and gilded box that I love.  It was so much fun to do this painting.My ceramic treeasures were wedding gifts from a dear friend.

 My palette here was: Winsor & Newton Naples Yellow and Yellow Ochre Pale, Utrecht Burnt Sienna, Utrecht Cad Red Light, Old Holland Vermilion Extra, Williamsburg Alizarin Crimson, Vasari Capuccine Red Deep, Utrecht Thalo Blue, Old Holland Genuine Manganese, Williamsburg Ultramarine Blue, Gamblin Asphaltum, and Gamblin Pure Titanium White

"Study Break"

"Study Break," Oil on Wood Panel, 20x24 in.  What a whirlwind and transformation this painting has been through this week. When we set up the model leaning her arms on a pedestal with a pillow under her arms, who knew what would come of it. As I lived with my reference photo for the last year or so, her ennui and gesture reminded me of  someone lazily slumped over books during an all-night study session in college. Daydreaming... she would  rather be elsewhere. I originally started a full figure version and spent the month of March on it. Something was bothering me about the composition so four days ago, I realized that i'd lost the focus of my original concept which was the expression on her face, the boredom, dreaming state she had. So I scraped the whole painting down, sanded it and focused on her.

My palette was slightly new and loved the flesh tones I could achieve with it.  Gamblin Pure Titaniam white, Windsor Newton Yellow Ochre Pale, Windosr Newton Light Red, Old Holland Vermillion Extra, Utrecht's Cerulean, Rembrandt's Viridian. I added a few colors for the books: Venetian Red, Williamsburg Alizarin Crimson, Williamsburg Ultramarine Blue. 

"Aaron Sketch"

"Aaron Sketch," 9x12. Black charcoal and white chalk on strathmore 400 Series Toned Grey paper. From Life in Dominique Medici's Charcoal a Drawing Workshop today. While I missed the mark a bit on getting an exact likeness, there was a more important endeavor at hand That of learning to make the most of toned paper, maximizing one's time and honing one's observation skills when doing a straight on fully lit portrait. Most of the face was lit so it was a challenge to achieve the subtle value shifts in the lit part of the face. Lots of trial, sweat and tears to be done going forward to do this as it should be done. However, so much was learned today that I hope will find itself into my life drawing and studio practice.