Maggie

... just completed. Minor adjustments relative to where she was this morning .... mostly layering impasto white over the painterly color application which defines the structure of the face and expression. With the classical layering technique, the key to rendering white objects ... dogs, clothing, snow, clouds, and so on... is to establish the structure with color and then, wet into dry, layer the white on top. With a course canvass like this one, it's possible to brush the white on with a light enough touch to let some of the color underneath show through, and when it works, the result can be magnificent.  So here is Maggie ...   a week or so to dry, or at least dry enough to ship.... then off to Mississippi ... and for me it's off to the kitchen for a hamburger. 

Every Artist Has a Secret

Looking at Maggie in the (almost) light of day, I can see she's not quite finished. But there are some things that are working, so that's good. Many artists, after they've been at it a while, secretly use patterns or symbols in their work ... sometimes visual devices or mathematical relationships. Whistler had his butterflies.  Mine is hearts. OK ... teen-age-girl-cheesy ... I admit it. There's actually a very grown-up story behind it, which I'll share another time, maybe after adequate coffee. But, especially with these little pet sketches, I always hide a heart ...    

Maggie ... very close ... but need to sleep on it

Before the Painter was the Quilter

Mother’s recent move unearthed several long-packed-away boxes … one with an oddly random collection of objects from my past. If we had to label the box, it would look something like this: Things-Cindy-Made-or-Things-that-somehow-relate-to-Things-Cindy-Made. In-her-twenties-or-earlier. Plus-the-blond-ponytail-from-her-first-haircut.

Pictured on the garden seat at my makeshift kitchen island desk is small quilt …. looks like it was actually intended for this purpose, but obviously for a rectangular seat. For some reason I felt compelled to sign and date this ordinary little thing. CLS 1981. That was the year I graduated from college, and the summer I decided not to go to MBA school, instead to spend some time reproducing antique quilts, and ultimately to go to work for a television station, which was surely more educational than graduate school. Didn’t start painting till I was 40 … and not really professionally for several years later.

On the table you can see images of Roxy … today I'm starting a fairly large, classical (formal) portrait. Going to try to activate the surroundings with energetic patterns and colors … but not so garish as to spoil the Classical Mood ... thinking of the subject’s surroundings as wall paper, but still suggesting an interior space … something meeting in the middle. Well, at least that's the plan.

Yellow Sky after The storm

Here's a little landscape sketch, oil on paper. Paper is ok as an oil painting surface if it's triple primed with gesso. Make sure you prime in alternating directions ... 1st coat horizontally, let dry; 2nd coat vertically, let dry; final coat horizontally again, and when it's dry to the touch you can paint. And use a good paper .... this is a marvelous French watercolour block ... lots of tooth.

I'm seeing some interest in landscapes these days, which baffles me. Landscapes seem like something absolutely anybody can do, especially this sketchy style ... easy and fast. Honestly, I think it took longer to set up the easel on the porch than it did to paint the little picture .... and I was rushing to set it up, to catch the yellow sky before it went dark. The yellow sky is a favorite symbol for me .... saying true love is a force ... and after the mayhem of this violent storm look what happened ... the sky turned yellow.

Maggie in progress

Such a sweet girl from Mississippi. A birthday surprise.

Normally I try to paint subjects looking directly at us. Guess that harkens back to childhood .... constant insistence by my father that I "look people in the eyes when I talk with them!" Later when I was older the lesson morphed into this: listen to what people say .... but moreover, watch them .... micro expressions, hands moving, muscles twitching, skin colors, energy colors .... actions intentional and otherwise ... the place where truth blasts out louder than words ever dare to tread .... or as Daddy would say "don't listen to him -- watch his feet".  

But Maggie .... well, she seems to express her real identity gazing heavenward. At least that's how it looks to me. So eyes-cast-heavenward it is for this little portrait.

Starting with the traditional red clay ground on rough canvass, glued... with hide glue of course ... to birch plywood. Primed with lead white. Lessons drilled into me from the Florentine tradition, like those from my father, are hard to shake.

Look Homeward Doodle

Thinking of including gravestones on the Look Homeward painting.... maybe three markers below the three trees. Of course, an angel sculpture might work, but it's not a huge painting so the figure would have to have a fully articulated profile... minus the coffee ring. 

Look Homeward, in progress

My student had a stomach bug, so decided to take the morning off and play .... in this case "play" means start a little landscape. A nearby cottage. Actually, it's surrounded by other houses, but from this perspective it looks distant and solitary. As inaccessible as a forgotten dream. Perfect.  

You might ask why a just-started-painting is already signed and framed. Well .... I'm painting over a self portrait from 2010 .... one that always bothered me, and I seem to like it less every year. This morning it absolutely shocked me .... who is this person! Guess it's time to go, huh. Normally people yell at me for painting over paintings ... but not today ... so long ancient-portrait-of-me-I-never-liked-anyway. Sometimes it's good to see that the former things have passed away.

The Divine Miss T

Signed, framed, and ready to ship to Nashville ... Art and Invention Gallery's fabulous 15th annual Tomato Art Festival. Last year "The Doctor is In" won a merit prize ... which is better than it sounds considering over 500 professional artists entered, with only ten prizes awarded. This year ....  sending Missy Tomato ... The Divine Miss T .... not that it's about the competition .... BUT.... go for the gold, Missy ... bring it on home!

Low Country Boys

First two of a family suite .... darling boys shown with stylized landscape elements. 

Missy ... almost done

....just a little bit more to do.... there is glittery wire wrapped around the headress, and can't really paint that until very last ... after the feathers, butterflies and beads are dry. 

Missy in Progress

Beads and butterflies today ... our Missy Tomato!

Missy WIP

Just started Missy for an upcoming show in Nashville. OOH La La .... the Headdress. Feathers ... check. Butterflies ... check. Beads ... check. Some shiny funky wire .... check. Giant orange rose ... check.  

Wedding Portrait

Tell the world that we finally got it all right

I choose you

I will become yours and you will become mine

I choose you

Rise Up

Started back at Thanksgiving, I never could manage to get this Crown of Thorns picture finished. Inspired again by The March For Our Lives ... always knew the Crown painting would be born at the right time. So here it is.

RISE UP

We'll rise up; we'll rise like the waves.

We'll rise up; we'll rise unafraid.

We'll rise up; and we'll do it a thousand times again.

Gracie Ready To Sign and Deliver

Maybe a bit of touchup here and there ... but basically finished. Ready to head off to her new home. 

Sunday Evening

Well, she's not quite finished, but this is a great place to stop for a few days. Still need to detail the body (fur) and maybe a little more work on the face.

Sunday Morning

May finish up with our Golden girl today ... will certainly come very close ... out of the studio for a week or so, working with the other side of the brain, so would LOVE to have this one ready to deliver. 

Making Some Progress ...

Should finish this weekend ... well the carpet ... that could take some time .... but she is coming to life and that's the big thing. 

Color Underpainting for Golden Portrait

Here's the color underpainting for a formal portrait of Dianne's Golden. Want to deliver it by the end of next week .... four or so more days of painting ... just need a bit of warm weather since the studio has been chilly for the past few days. Oh well ... it will be summer soon enough.