Jane

Jane   oil   30 x 24

This past month I had the privilege of painting Jane, a woman whose beauty (inner and outer) and strength will put her in my personal trove of women to admire and to model myself after.  She is witty...a coiner-of-words as she herself describes it, personable and enthusiastic.  She has flown planes and piloted boats. She is a photographer who understands composition and visual lingo. She is well-traveled.  As I painted her, I pictured her as a modern-day Amelia Earhart.  Her life has been spent in several parts of the country but is recently transplanted and blooming in northeast Ohio.

Painting a portrait only works out well for me when I am able to feel an emotional connection to the model.  For that to happen, the sitter must be open to the silent visual conversation and intimacy that must take place.  For me, all of the pieces fell into place.

And her name?  Jane is simple, direct and feminine.  Thank you, Jane, for a wonderful experience!

Model relationships

Deb   charcoal and pastel on toned paper   16 x 11

There is an unspoken communication between the artist and her model....a relationship, if you will.  A give-and-take.  And the artist is on the receiving end...we work with what we are given.  Some models seem to be emotionally closed off.  Some  seem "above" the give-and-take that leads to openness. Needless to say, portraits resulting from the above mentioned situations rarely provide great work from me.  I relish an honesty and an openness that allows for both the model and artist to reveal themselves without ego getting in the way.

I was pleased to spend time during my gallery "watch" sketching Deb.  She has an upbeat attitude that spills over.  Quite simply, I am inspired by her being.  This work was rendered on toned paper with charcoal pencil.  The pink pastel was worked horizontally through after the session was over.  I think the work benefits from this high voltage pink, which is her favorite color.  Thank you, Deb, for the sharing of yourself.

Conditional

Conditional   oil/canvas   30 x 24 x .5

It is imperative for me to relate to a model before I can put my heart into a painting. This man posed on a bench with popcorn for the pigeons. There was so much about this person that I could relate to.....the story very personal and also quite sad...........but there it is. For me, painting involves growing as a person, as well as growing as a painter. His struggle is mine. Inclusion as opposed to exclusion. I decided not to put him into a scene..........no trees, bushes, plants, clouds, etc. I felt that the solitary figure would carry more power this way. To deny sorrow is to deny soulfulness. There he is in the rain.........no birds in sight.... I am there as well.

Dialogue

Trusting Chef Roger   oil/canvas   48 x 24 x 1.5

Painting from a model is like a dialogue ...it requires information from the two participants. When I am unable to cull something interesting or lovable from a model, the painting is a disappointment from the start. My art group painted a local chef of some renown. I was lucky enough to ride the elevator up with him prior to our first session. This large man was gentle and kind. He also had some similar features to my own family. When I asked him about his heritage, I found that it was almost identical to mine. I guess I felt like he was from "my tribe". When our three sessions were over, he treated all of the artist participants to a fabulous lunch at his restaurant. Since that time, I have heard repeated compliments from other people about Chef Roger. "Trusting Chef Roger" will be exhibited in Youngstown at The Butler Institute of American Art 72nd Midyear Exhibition from July 13 - August 24.

On Making a Connection

Hand Knit Scarf   watercolor   13 x 9.6

One of the reasons for failed paintings, I believe, is the inability to connect with, or feel committed to the subject. For me, this happens when someone else sets up a still life, or a model is distant or, to me, emits negative energy. It has happened time and time again. The young women I painted in "Hand Knit Scarf" was sweet and approachable. I felt the energy and time that she had put into making her own scarf. Although there are always many problems to solve in each painting, and often some resultant weaknesses, I am pleased with this overall result.