Over the last few weeks I’ve been working on portraits of my three grandchildren — a task much less ‘fraught’ than the commissioned portrait I showed you last time. Here’s the one that’s farthest along, after about eight hours of work. I see lots of ‘issues’ still to be resolved, but it’s in a much better place than the other one ever reached. Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Four Months. Oil on Linen. 9 x 12. 2018.
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!
And then there’s the dog of a different stripe. Meet Pebbles. A friend who mothers this cute little ragamuffin commissioned this image of her pet.
Pebbles. Original iPad Painting. 2017. 1:1 aspect ratio.
I like to paint and draw sculptures, castings, molds and the like. It lets me focus on form and value without the distraction and mystique of glorious color. This majestic Italian lion from the BMA sculpture garden was great fun to paint.
Italian Lion, Baltimore Museum of Art. Original iPad Painting. 1:1 aspect ratio. 2017.
My husband planted some red hibiscus plants in our garden. We’ve enjoyed the resulting drama all summer long. And after spending a bit of time with my stylus and ipad, we can now enjoy the drama all winter long. . . .
Red Hibiscus. Original iPad Painting. 1:1 aspect ratio. 2017.
I’ve always loved the blue agapanthus. The last time we were out in Oakland visiting our son and his family, I spied this one in the street median. I snagged some of its seed pods and this image. It’s a bit rough, but I like it anyway.
Agapanthus. Original iPad Painting. 1:1 aspect ratio. 2017.
Father and Son at the Beach. Original iPad Painting. 4:5 aspect ratio. 2017.
And another father-son in the water! What’s sweeter to behold than a parent and child at play?
It’s football season and while watching games with my husband I often doodle on the iPad. I’m making some pictures to sell as prints during an exhibit this January. Here’s one that’s more personal, in honor of my Dad who passed away in August 2016. It includes comments from his last few weeks of life.
R.I.P. Original iPad art. 4×5 aspect ratio. 2017
OK. So, the leeks turned out well, aaaannnndddd ~~~~ I got sassy & decided to paint some portobello mushrooms the next day.
Bad idea! There’s not much ‘there’ there. Dull colors & shapes, arranged (by me) in an overly simplistic composition. Certain artists could make a good painting out of such drab components (Morandi?), but my first effort at ‘shrooms falls short.
I was so pumped up after Wendy Artin’s workshop that, after a day of R&R, I pulled out my paints and a couple of elderly leeks from the fridge and painted another watercolor in the manner we had been practicing during the workshop. Here it is.
Leeks at Home. Watercolor on Paper.
I was tickled that it turned out nicely. Maybe I’ll have to do more!