Carol

Caarol   watercolor   14 x 10

 is a watercolor portrait done in my class.  It was Halloween and masks served both as a  holiday bit of fun, as well as a device to avoid too much detail in the way of likeness.

Although it is a bit messier than my usual, I still like it.  Some of the usual slower deliberation and care were sacrificed for the goal of speed.  I think that this would be my choice over the don-over-several-days of careful painting where details and smoothness of strokes can easily disintegrate into a plastic-like feel.

Sometimes these works are more honest?

Things Get Messy

Things Get Messy   oil/canvas   14 x 11

And...speaking of masks...So often, for many people,  it seems that the notion of "portrait" means a smiling face and pleasant demeanor...conjuring up all of those photography portrait studio pics we all grew up with.  A painted portrait is so very different to me...a relaxed countenance that will hold up for hours while the artist does the work.  I crave honesty above all....

For the past couple of years (during the covid outbreak), it has been more and more difficult to keep up the smiling mask.  Our family has been blessed in so many ways and lucky in many ways, to be certain.  And still, the overall atmosphere of doom and the multitudinous ways we have been forced to adapt have taken a toll.  So many more things to consider and so many more hoops to jump through.  This self-portrait was painted from a reference selfie shot in my studio with the help of a strong light source.  The weariness and the stress are evident and, to me, tell the story of this point of time far more accurately than the many mask-wearing self-portraits that have been shown in many exhibitions.  

This is what is underneath the mask.
 

Masks

Mask   oil/canvas   14 x 11

 are frequently seen and worn this time of year.  Putting on a different face allows us to transform ourselves into something we are not....oh the psychology of it all!

Irregardless, the study of masks of all kinds has propelled and interested artists forever.  At one time, I knew an artist who pursued her master's degree creating a collection of masks.  The study of the sculptural qualities (form) of the mask allows beginning artists to note the undulations of light and shadow that define subtle or sharp changes of planes, preparing us for the study of the human head.  Although we are tempted to begin such a study by describing the ornamentation, we must hold off on the fun of it all.  The FORM of the thing is most important...its subtle shifts greet and recede from the light not only describing its formation, but the material from which it was made as well.  Mask before calligraphic brushstrokes.  The folds of the skirt before the plaid.  The hanging of the curtains before the flowers.  And the fold of the tablecloth before the checks.

The description of this mask was quite fun, actually.  When the background shift seemed way too abrupt for the intricacy of the mask, I applied a tone-on-tone pattern with the lid from a paint tube....that satisfied me.  

Bat Marian

Bat Marian   watercolor   13.5 x 10

is the result of a life painting situation.  Marian and I were seated across from each other, both wearing masks.  Painting from life increases speed in decision making which results, I think, in a more spontaneous painting.  These works are often quite different from a more thoughtful approach, where sketches and decision-making are more prolonged and labored over.

Thinking sculpturally is a great advantage here where a knowledge of how a light source affects the landscape of a face helps it to read three-dimensionally.  Without this knowledge, which I like to call "understanding the nature of things", any work from life without a particular light source can become flattened.  Likewise working with a photo source.

Marian's mask was cast from metal....quite unusual.  I am pleased with this work.  I feel that it captures many of the effects which I constantly pursue.

Odd Devil Out...

Devil in Disguise...a sketch

At the Halloween mask session, we had an uneven number of artists in class that evening.  Lucky for me, the mirrors on the side of the room provided a place for me to study my own portrait.  The devil mask of cloth was a relief compared to the other choices in my dress-up box which included several full-face rubber masks.  The cloth mask seemed less irritating to my head cold.  My goals were:  to describe the mask in such a way that viewers would be able to understand the material from which it was made; to bring up the likeness on the bottom half so that it would contrast with the mask on top; and to describe the eyes in such a way so we understand that they are in shadow and definitely on a plane behind the holes of the mask.

I found that the eye-cut-outs were askew and that tickled my fancy.  That added to the fun of it all.

In addition, I find that whole devil/angel notion of paired opposites to be interesting as well as intriguing.  Positively devilish.

Halloween Parade

Kitty   watercolor   10 x 13.75

The highlight of all-childhood-Halloween-memories-that-meld-into-one was the Halloween Parade where all of the classes lined up and paraded the block around Windermere Elementary School in Akron where homeowners and eager parents  looked on.  They seemed to be amazed and delighted with our transformation from "just kids" into superheroes and monsters.  I, myself, was amazed and delighted.  And so, today, I present the Halloween parade of most of the paintings and drawings created last week in class.

We were transformed.  Please pretend to be amazed.

The Other...

Kitty   watercolor   10 x 13.75

As a child, I wasn't certain whether to be scared or thrilled at Halloween. But the prospect of becoming something else was just too exciting. In painting class, we, too, become the "Other". We come to class prepared with a mask, draw names, and sit across from our chosen partners. The object to paint a portrait that isn't so intimidating....just the learn the facial planes....and have some fun without the pressures of correctness and likeness. Of course, there always other lessons involved: painting hair as a mass; things that are in front of other things; and always the illusion of the third dimension. Spooky. Fun.

My partner Kitty Waybright had created a homemade "kitty" mask. My task, as I saw it, was to keep the mask in front and on the surface. Pushing the reality of Kitty a bit back. To keep it a bit ghoulish, I altered the color palette and pushed a bit towards a yellowish-green, a color that isn't so natural. I like it. I like the fact that this is an adult woman in a cat mask. I also like the colors. Thank you Kitty. Meow.

Concoction...

Witch Mask   watercolor

Concoction is a wonderful word that conjures up images of a witch's brew. But, really, it is just a mixture of one's own making. We painters who paint from reality often use that reality as a crutch, I think. Myself included. By making up an image, we are able to pursue art and mark-making with no known precedent....thereby entering the territory of questionable rights and wrongs. Of course, good design principles will hopefully guide us. There are a few artists I know who routinely make things up. Their imaginations seem to be more accessible, closer to the surface. Judy Gaiser and Jana Volkmer are a couple. "Witch" was painted from memory of a mask I had as a child. It was delightfully sculpted and textured, and had an unforgettable smell from the rubber from which it was made. I could actually smell it as I painted. 'Tis the season for concoctions....don't you think?