Closing out the Workshop Season

...and there are some last-minute openings if you are interested!

First One:

  

Painting the figure from Photos (and a brief model session) ... 

We will learn to simplify and create powerful paintings!

Friday, October 27th and Saturday, October 28th

Atlanta Artists Center

Call Zindi (404) 237-2324

Second One: 

Paint from Life and Get Inspired!

We will focus on techniques to loosen up and to increase confidence...

Thursday, November 2nd and Friday, November 3rd

Quinlan Art Center, Gainesville, GA

Call Paula (770) 536-2575

If you can join me, we will experiment, learn a few new tricks, and of course, have some fun!

On Being Less Literal

"If you always do what you always did -- you'll always get what you always got," 

Unknown

Lately, I have been trying to be less literal, i.e. using my set-up for a starting point, but not necessarily sticking with that exact representation.  It's OK to change placement, colors, background, whatever, and still retain the power of painting from life...
Duh!  I guess it took me so long to be able to catch in paint the subject before me that I forgot or feared changing things as needed on the canvas.  Often this is a problem as well when en plein air or when using a photo reference.

Below are some peonies purchased last week from Trader Joe's, which I randomly placed in a sparkly glass and added a light source.   I've painted this-type subject a TON in my life, and while I do love white flowers, and the movement of stems in glass vase, I switched it up, as seen in photos below.

I made the decision to roughly paint in a grey-toned background, meant to  pop the pale peonies; the flowers were laid in with lots of palette knife slashes.  When I saw the grey, I thought -- how about a bright vase?  Below is a progress shot, where I have most of the peonies as seen, but then realized that something was needed on the upper left of the canvas.

So I pulled one peony from the glass, in order to see the light effect.  After adding that shape to the painting, it was obvious that the addition helped matters!   I used to be too nervous to change the arrangement (being my literal self and wanting to be able to reproduce the flowers as they appeared). 

Needed peony

 Progress photo with addition of new flower

Then, after correcting a few items, I decided to leave the background way less refined than usual, and was pleased with the pops of light and the spontaneous feeling.  I had to put this one in another room, however, so I would not work on it.

An artist never really finishes his work; 

he merely abandons it," Paul Valéry

Wild Sweet Things, 30 x 24, Oil on Linen

Just found out that three spots are available at the last minute for my Alla Prima workshop at Atlanta Artists Center next week (May 19 and 20th). If you can come, we will have some fun: painting fast and loose and being less literal😎   To join us, call Zindi at AAC -- 404-237-2324. 

Gesture, Feeling and Truth

"Drawing is like making an expressive gesture with the advantage of permanence," 

Henri Matisse 

That Magic Girl, NF, 24 x 12, 2017, Acrylic on Linen

Back to the drawing board!  I have been spending lots of time producing -- and not enough time on filling the tank.

Luckily, recently it's become quite clear to me that a return to the basics was in order. And, oh, the answers sought are right there -- just by drawing, even for 5 minutes, each evening.

For this painter, catching the essence of the subject is the goal.   Details and rendering are NOT!  Life is easier if I am fluent in seeing...and SEEING is honed by sketching, drawing and observing.  

Below are a few paintings of mine, one recent and others through the ages, as well as wonderful collected paintings here in my home...which serve as reminders of the truth of quiet study and easy flow.

Quiet Moment, NF, 16 x 8, 2017, Oil on linen

A couple of my studies from the (somewhat ancient :-) past:

Michael, 9 x 12, NF, c. 2000, Oil on canvas

Pensive, 16 x 8, NF, c. 2008, oil on linen

Sarah at Five, 12 x 9, NF, c. 2012, oil on linen

Now look at these gorgeous paintings in my petite collection, illustrating the humanity and universality of the subjects --  done with an ease of expression possible only from confident practice and frequent studies:

Conte Crayon Drawing, Susan Lyon, c. 2008

Simple Pose, Diane Eugster, c. 2003

Knowing Glance, Scott Burdick, c. 2002

For me, perhaps a bit of growth has happened, but for sure, the nice paintings in my home serve up constant inspiration, if I just remember to LOOK!

FYI, yesterday a few spaces opened in my figure study workshops next week here in the Atlanta area.  The first workshop is on April 4 -5th, and the second April 6-7th.  If you have interest, contact Rae Broyles, Fountainhead Art Space , raebroyles@me.com!

Quick Study of Annie, 9 x 12, NF, oil on linen, c. 2011