I know it has been a slow winter. If you have followed this blog you know about the life events (health and deaths) that have taken time and energy. Now I am trying to get back into a regular routine. An exciting thing for me is working with a private student. I was concerned at first that I might not be up to this task but the student has made that concern vanish. This person is talented and completely dedicated to acquiring the skills needed to accomplish similar works but from a unique perspective. We are enjoying the interaction.
I am also concentrating a large segment of time/energy on the large piece for next year’s shows. I’m not ready to release much info about it except to say the following; the piece is quite large (I decided on the size based on the largest possible dimensions allowable for most juried shows and also, of course, on the composition.) The composition is very complicated and tedious although I am enjoying it. The subject is interesting, different, and captivating. Everyone who has seen it says it is their favorite, but they say that about each one as they come along! I wanted to have it done for last fall but all the personal things interrupted my work. Now it is moving along.
I am going to place photos of works in progress from my class on the demonstration page. We are working on a close – up portrait that I have painted before. You will notice that I am approaching it differently this time. I chose this portrait because of the facial features being cheerful and excited but mostly because of the lighting. When I finished it the first time, I did so in a hurry to have something for my art group. The finish was loose and painterly, not typical for me. Now I am working on a more precise rendition, what people sometimes call ‘tight’. My favorite artist is William Adolphe Bouguereau. His skin tones and surfaces were smooth and deep and his mastery of the human figure has no comparison. If he made such beautiful works of art with such a tight method, then I certainly can work in that manor as well. I’ve never conformed to someone else’s idea of ‘correct’. I paint what my heart tells me. I am going to download the most recent examples of this work into the category of demonstrations. As I continue, I will try to get some really good close- up shots of the work. The new camera we have should get some pretty good views. Hope this is helpful. (I’ll load these later today.) Shalom, Diana