Demonstration

Every now and then I agree to do a painting demonstration.  In this case, it was part of a group of Saturday art demonstrations at Summit Artspace as part of the Kaleidoscope 2011 exhibition.  My friend Jo agreed to model.  Demonstrations are difficult to do....mostly due to the fact that my intuitive painting process (done in solitude) is broken by talking and questioning.  I can actually feel the chaos that builds between my L- and R-brain as a result.  I find that my choices are not always the best in this situation.  Because Jo has been a friend for so very many years, I was at least acquainted with a color palette that I deemed to be her own.  I asked her to wear a coat that personifies her personality and has been her mainstay for a while.  So....the pose, the colors and the atmosphere of communion were her contributions.  She seemed at ease.  Her face was comfortable and giving, which I attribute to the fact that she is an actress and seemed to know just what it was that I wanted.  My own goals for the day were to relax and to make juicy, broad and expressive strokes on the canvas that broadly interpreted what I was taking in.  The audience was wonderful....the questions well-informed and thoughtful.  I was pleased with the image at the end of the session which lasted 2 hours.  I knew that it was something that I could build on later.

Jo   oil/canvas   20 x 10 x 1.5