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Saturday, October 27, 2018

Harvest Chair

Harvest Chair   watercolor   20 x 13
combines all of my seemingly necessary elements to portray both the beauty and the mystery of the approach of autumn and, subsequently, winter.  I feel the change of seasons in every bone, the rhythms of which are so necessary to my well-being.  The items:  my antique turquoise green chair, chippy with old paint and covered in decals; a vine wreath formed from our own vines and, of course, pumpkins, whose shape, color and flavor so appeal to me.  The problematic crux in such a work is to suggest the encroaching darkness by eliminating the lighter, fun-filled colors of a summer work.  I was desirous of an entwining dark and light pattern that seems almost unachievable.

I am somewhat satisfied.

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Birdman - L

Birdman - L   oil/canvas   14 x 11
is a small oil painting done on site with a young dancer posing in a highly feathered costume.  I should say done...and redone...and redone.  While I did achieve a likeness at the session, I wanted to give more dominance to the headdress.  The background  was worked darker and darker to heighten, I believe, the sense of drama necessary to the subject.  My reference photo was over-flooded with light, so I decided to just go with it.  The goal was to sublimate the the facial features (a finely chiseled young male visage), thereby, throwing attention back to headdress.  I believe that I took this painting as far as it would go.

My recollection of the model was his discomfort from the overheating that it caused...imagine a hot summer day wearing a bird costume.....and more difficult yet....imagine dancing in it!