Adrienne (first attempt)

I have moved on to painting other people. My friend Adrienne and I were at the Currier Museum of Art yesterday and I found some great light so I took a few pictures of her to study. I haven't painted someone else in over a decade. I'm not completely satisfied with my first attempt, the proportions are off, especially on the nose. However, knowing that I ran out of white (and I almost bought some yesterday) I'm not being too hard on myself. See for yourself...

 Don't worry Age, I'll try again. It's better that I learn from the first attempt.

Smile

I realized that I never paint myself with a smile. This could be in part to never being satisfied with how the teeth look. So tonight I practiced my smile. This is a quick "sketch" mind you....

Seriously, that's what my smile looks like.

Note to self: Get some smaller brushes for detailing.

Self-Portrait 02/13/11

I'm happy with the results of today's work. I really didn't have any idea of what I was going to do, I just did. This is a very common posture for me and it gave me practice on hands and eyes. I'm much happier with these eyes than I have ever been. This time the mouth is off, but I was focusing more on the hand so I'm not going to get hung up on that....  here it is,

9" X 30"

Broke the Seal

 For months I used the excuse of not having canvas to postpone moving forward with my project idea. I got a new roll of canvas for Christmas and it's been leaning in the corner ever since. I had a frame I found in a clearance bin at a craft store and this morning I decided it was time....

Broke the seal

Cut the canvas

Stretched the canvas

Now, let's see what I do with this. Kind of looks like an over sized chalk flavored piece of gum at the moment. I'm just going to pull out my supplies and go for it.

Seeking Progress

I worked on a lighted series for five years. I completed a piece in October and decided it would be my last one...

Vanity (unlit)

Vanity (lit)

At that point many people had asked me if I show my work or if I've ever had a gallery show or the like. No. I have not. I haven't even sought the such. Why? Because up to that point I had produced work I felt I had to explain, therefore wouldn't work on a wall alone, without that explanation. That may not be true. I may not be giving my work or myself enough credit. For whatever reason I was unable to let that work represent me. I realized I had grown beyond that work, therefore my work needed to progress as well.

For a decade I have worked in the realm of post-modern inclinations. I've decided to emerge from that comfort and move toward more indubitable work that could stand on it's own. I've decided on portraits; what can be more conclusive than a portrait?

I've been thinking about portraiture for three months now. I have determined the style and intent of these portraits. I've been asking my friends if they could live in any time when they would live. I will stylize the portrait according to their answer. For instance, if someone were to answer "1962" I might take into consideration Roy Lichtenstein's Pop Art work during that time and use that as a premise as to the theme of the portrait. I would execute in my own style of painting.

I have been painting a little for this project, but it's all been an act of practice. I need to hone my ability to again see in two dimensions. I've been doing a lot of self portraits in hopes that if I can conquer my own face and portray it accurately, then I should be able to translate everyone else to canvas as well. I'm having difficulty with eyes....

That's where I am at right now.  And as you can see for yourself, the eye eludes me.

Intent

My intention for assembling this blog is to satisfy an intricate part of my creative process. It wasn't until recently that I put thought into what my process actually is; before I had always just let it be. I don't know what changed. I've been doing a lot of letting go in my life. Like most, I am a creature of habit and tradition. When I turned thirty I seemed to subconsciously break ground to harvest growth beyond penchant and convention.

I've concluded that my process is the following; vague conception, mulling, vivid conception, deliberation, metamorphosis, cogitate, sketch it out, evolution, contemplation, and then... I talk it out. I don't seem to ever execute without talking it all out first. I call this my "bounce". It's when I bounce my thoughts off other people, whether they have any criticism or affirmations or not, everything becomes clear and the physical act within my creative process begins. I am one who puts more time into thinking about the project than physically executing. I find that when I do get to the act of creation I am very prolific. It's getting to that point. That is where this blog comes into play; it shall be my "bounce". It will be my act of seeking the ego so that my id may come to fruition.

Demurely Immure

We've experienced much inclement weather in the recent month. It's beautiful. There is something magical about the earth changing color. Sometimes it takes a certain mindfulness to see beyond the dirty snowbanks on road's edge to see that elegance, but it's there. Unfortunately I'm having an adverse reaction to this magnificent weather this year due to responsibilities, which I find a growing factor as I grow older. There appears to be a silent war for parking in my building's parking area. Everyday a battle.  For some reason, my opponents lack either motivation or common sense. Rather than shoveling a spot for themselves, they steal from those who have. I use such a severe word "steal" because of the feeling it gives me when another vehicle occupies my space. Violated. I recognize how petty this is. I recognize how charmed my life is when such a trivial thing can cause such offense. But all in all; it's the principle of the thing that upsets me. If I had a copy of The Art of War on hand, I would thumb through it for ideas. Alas, I am at the mercy of my own wit. I have decided to put on my boots and shovel out the whole of the parking area in hopes of three things; create space in order to keep my adversaries out of mine, enjoy a hopefully cathartic replacement and organization of the snow, and get my heart pumping in a way I typically deny myself in the winter's cold. And perhaps I'll be struck with creative motivation.

Doing This

I previously thought blogs were vacuous, but I am doing this. I have no idea what I am doing, though I am doing this. I'm not sure how to begin the doing this, however I am doing this. I don't know what this will be, still I am doing this. I have no idea if anyone will ever see this, nevertheless I am doing this. This type of exposure makes me nervous, yet I am doing this. The thought of clicking on "publish post" frightens me. I am. Doing this. Then I'll have done this.