I spent a helluva lot of hours on this grandmother/grandson portrait. It took me over a year and a half(!!) — though most of that time was spent dreading painting, rather than putting brush to linen. It was commissioned by a friend and based on her photos from years earlier, rather than observation — never a great thing.
Grandmother and grandson, with hydrangeas. Oil on linen.
My next post will show a portrait that I did in a weekend ~~ things work (and look) much better without anxiety!
Here’s the final painting I’ve just finished for the Gallery B show that started yesterday in downtown Bethesda. This one is close to home ~~ drama glimpsed during a morning walk. A blindingly white, newly refinished house, over which a white-crusted eastern plane tree rose like a majestic crown, over which floated the daintiest puffy white clouds I’d seen in awhile. I quickly captured the stunning column. Here.
Crispy White x 3. Oil on linen panel. 2018. 16×20.
This one seems to pair well with yesterday’s painting. I wanted to do them simultaneously so as to capture, if I could, somewhat of the same, dreamy, calm, mysterious feel. (It’s actually based on a faded Polaroid photo I have in my stash.)
Day Dreaming in Cream. Oil on Arches oil paper. 2018. 12×12.
Today’s painting is decidedly different from the others you’ve seen so far. It’s one of two that have a different color palette and strike a very dreamy mood (in my opinion). We happened on this scene while zipping along on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It reminded me of a life very different from my own. Fortunately, folks on the Eastern Shore and in my own Biloxi, Mississippi, still take the time for such contemplation.
Fishing in Cream. Oil on Arches Oil Paper. 2018. 12×16.
This scene is a souvenir of a wonderful long weekend my husband and I spent at a waterfront inn south of Easton, MD one lazy August. Both sons and their families were there, along with one set of parents in law. There were white lawn chairs, hammocks under beautiful pines, and a fire circle down the shore. We went crabbing in the bay, fishing in the river, and had a wonderful crab feast to top things off.
Wade’s Point Inn. Oil on Linen Panel. 2017. 12 x 12.
This might be my favorite among the new batch.
Lavender Canal. Oil on Linen Panel. 2017. 16×20
It will be exhibited at the upcoming month-long show at Gallery B in Bethesda, MD.
Eastern Shore Blues. Oil on Linen. 2017. 16 x 20
My husband and I love to go driving on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. There are always luscious views of marshes, fields, the bay, and the many streams that flow into it. Fertile ground for painting. This new painting will be shown for the first time at our upcoming exhibit at Gallery B in Bethesda.
Six art buddies and I are set to open a new month long exhibit next week. (Kick-off public reception on the 12th – details to follow. ) Have been crunching to do SEVEN new paintings for the show. Here’s number one:
Dark Pines on the Bay. Oil on Arches Oil Paper. 2018. 16 x 12.
Here is a portrait of my grand-nephew Les, younger brother of Ceci, whose portrait was featured in a prior post. You’ll see that he, like Ceci, was captured with bright sunlight flooding over his head and spilling down onto his eyebrows, nose and cheeks. These are unusual poses, but were great fun to paint. Sweet sweet children. In the meantime, another baby brother has joined the family. Once he gets a bit older, his portrait will be painted as well.
Les. Oil on Linen.
One of my nieces and her husband asked me to paint portraits of their two children. Being a big chicken, I procrastinated for quite awhile. Finally I dived in. Here is the final of their daughter Ceci. Here are some some of the steps along the way, if you’re interested.
