Category Archives: Alla prima

Some Scary Selfies

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Took an online workshop recently from Zoey Frank ~~ ‘self-portraits from observation’. It was weeks long – with almost 300 students (critiqued by five or six assistants). I didn’t get around to finishing the one self-portrait I started – just made a couple of smaller studies . . . before giving up in boredom at my composition.

  • 1st composition – too cutsie by half (or two-thirds). Oil on Arches Huile paper. 6″ x 8″.
  • 2d composition. oil on Arches Huile paper. 6″ x 8″.
  • Enlargement of 2d composition, 1st pass. Oil on linen panel. 16″ x 20″..
  • Documenting what I was ‘observing’ in 2d composition.
  • Second pass on the enlarged painting. Not sure if/when I’ll do more.composition, first pass. oil on linen panel. 16″x20″.

I’m now taking a watercolor class with Ed Praybe. He tasked us with doing THREE monochromatic self-portraits during one week – facing front & diagonally to each side. Under the short and specific deadline, I produced these three. Warning – it’s impossible to smile AND paint simultaneously, but . . . here they are anyway.

  • Looking/inclined left. Watercolor. 5″x7″.
  • Head on. Watercolor. 5″x7″.
  • Looking right. Watercolor. 5″x7″

It’s been awhile ~~ here’s my latest painting!

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I just finished an intensive four day workshop with outstanding local artist and teacher, Bernie Dellario. We were expected to make up a ‘color chart’ exploring the ways in which 3 tube colors (yellow, red & blue) + white could mix together to make virtually all the colors you might want.

We also painted ten 3-value monochrome paintings; ten 3-value color paintings; and a plein air painting which we then translated into a larger ‘studio painting’ (hopefully retaining the 3-value structure of the studies). Here’s my 16″ x 20″ studio painting of our cannas, through which we can enjoy our neighbor’s yard.

Cannas, Bamboo & Joe Pye?? Oil on linen panel. 16×20.

Here are the initial monochrome and color studies. Note that I included the bushy Joe Pye plant (?) in the black & white study; left it out of the color study; and then re-inserted it in the larger piece. Am glad I did – it’s now my favorite part of the painting!

  • B&W 3 value study.
  • 3 value color study.

Final Post on Day 7 ~~ Shells and Pearls

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It was Day 7 (and I was in a chatty mood): Hmmmm. Here’s a little still life I did day before yesterday. Dear cousins want oysters & pearls for their daughter’s new office. This was the first take; am now working on something bigger with a single oyster. Will share when it’s done.In the meantime, what are your thoughts on my current dilemmas: I set the oysters up on a white tablecloth (bottom photo), but the first cut was perhaps too monochrome & bland; so in the next pass I pushed the cloth toward lavender. I think it may now be ‘too too’. The background behind is probably too similar. Finally, the cloth, as painted, is wonky & needs to be reshaped & redone in any event. Ideas, y’all???

Shells and Pearls. Oil on Arches Huile Paper. 10 x 12.

2020.06.01. Reprise of yesterday’s facebook post ~~

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I’m heartsick at the events of the last few days. Clearly there are more than enough bad folks to go around, but DAMN. Black folks have had a rope around their necks or a knee on their throats or a bullet in their backs for far too long. I heard wonderful Van Jones on TV last night, describing ‘the talk’ that each black parent must gave to their young children of a certain age, and these words stuck out: your skin is your sin. I had to make a quick painting this morning before heading into an art workshop filled with ole white women making fabric sculptures of themselves. How quaint.

Your Skin is Your Sin. Oil on Arches Huile Paper. 12 x 9.

Paintings 24 & 25. Mock ‘Frescoes’ of Gouache Painted into Damp Plaster

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I’m currently taking a class on mixed media and was intrigued when teacher Susan Hostetler mentioned “mock frescoes”, made by painting gouache into still-damp spackle or joint compound slathered onto cardboard or other heavy substrate.  I decided to try it.  My first attempt was a simplistic sugar bowl sitting on our kitchen table.  My quick contour was misshapen, so I touched it up with some water-soluble pencils, moistening the marks to blend them into the gouache.

I then plopped down a seashell (interesting shape though dull colors) and tried again.  I was happier with that one, though disappointed when a little flake popped out sometime later.  Maybe a fixative would deter this type of defect — will have to research it. . . .

 

Painting #23. Another Experiment ~~ 15-Stroke Shells!

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Sometimes it’s fun to challenge yourself:  can you make a painting in a very limited number of strokes?  Say, 15?  I decided to try it the other day.  I placed three shells from my beach-combing stash on a sheet of paper and attacked, carefully plotting color and placement of each stroke.  At 15, I was itching to do ‘just a few more’ to beef it up ‘just a bit’, but gritted my teeth and concluded the effort.  Here it is, along with a snap of the shell subject.

In keeping with the spirit of the test, I made only a few light guidelines for size and placement, before constructing the design via ‘color-shapes’.

 

A Past Start Destined to Remain Unfinished. Dad on the 4th, 2010.

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In the last post, I included a photo I took of Dad during our July 4th party in 2010.  I have always treasured that shot.  Back in 2014, when I was beginning to experiment with gouache, I decided to hazard a rendering of the fuzzy image.  I got it to this stage in my first session and put it aside for further work.  I have never had the nerve to do more on it because I was afraid of messing it up or not doing Dad justice.  I’m now declaring it ‘officially unfinished’.  It’s not gonna be changing.  I like it ‘as is’, shortcomings and all.

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Remembering Our Recent Workshop on Mississippi Gulf Coast – Part 1

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In writing my last post, I realized I hadn’t described our recent workshop in any detail.  It was great ~~ a delightful mix of ‘7 Palettes‘ painting buddies and Kathy Stowe, another Maryland-based friend; two of my sisters (Ceci & Susan); and three other Coast-based artists — Marylyn Gibson, Sherry Carlson and Curtis Jaunsen.  And of course our most excellent instructor, Marc Hanson.

Marc and Terry Miura are two of my most favorite landscape painters (not to take anything away from our outstanding MD-based artists).  Painting ‘rock stars’ in my book.  I’ve taken workshops with each of them and our 7Ps group sponsored a workshop with Terry not long ago.  It was fun to learn that they both trained at the same school in California!  Must be something in the water (or the OMG) out there!

Here are the beautiful demos that Marc did during our four day workshop.  I bought ‘On Canal by Old OS Harbor’ as a memento of the wonderful experience.

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Painting #18. Toothiness I ~~ the Start of Another Intermittent Series

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My hubby and I stick our toothbrushes into a tarnished old holder in between brushings.  Awhile back, I started paying attention to how they’re standing ~~ are they facing each other leaning in for a kiss?  Are they turned away from each other?  Is one facing away while the other looks on?

It’s been fun anthropomorphizing these humble objects.  I’ve even started noticing brush positions at other folks’ homes — family, mind you, not friends!!  I’ve taken photos of some of these little vignettes and even crafted some arrangements.  They’re a form of truthiness — errrr toothiness, right??  Or am I just crazy?

Here’s a painting of our ancient holder and current brushes, from life . . . .

#18. Toothiness I. Oil on Arches Oil Paper. 8″ x 10″.