Discussions with Mark Norseth

I love drawing.

I love the discipline mingled with the exciting possibilities, the reminders that occur as I examine how wonderfully we’re put together.  The lines, shapes, the unbelievable functions, and how they complement one another.  The economy of it all. We’re vessels in many ways, vessels that house a soul and spirit as well as mechanisms.  What better use of time than to spend an evening each week  drawing the figure of an enthusiastic model?

My usual practice is to use a good quality paper,  and draw the sequence of poses on one or  two sheets. This can result in a more interesting final piece, if  things work out. That’s the point of using a decent paper, I want something archival for those times when I get something truly worth saving. One never can tell when that will happen.

For the gestural poses, those five minutes and under, I look for the relationship of the three main masses and a line of action. Sometimes I use block forms, sometimes not. I compel myself to do things that are not the usual, like beginning with the placement of the feet and working up the figure. or making all of the quick poses tiny, and creating a montage of them in serial form, arranging them to create a pattern on the page. One can do whatever one wishes, and for a professional artist it’s great to be able to play with no strings attached, no public to please.

For longer poses, those up to one hour, I simply do as much as I can. “Seeing the whole”, measuring well, finding better ways to express a form,  and hopefully creating a  palpable image…. these are my goals.

Here are a few of the things I’ve done in the last six months or so.  The bad ones get tossed, and  believe me, they are plentiful.  But some evenings, you pull something together with some quality that you are pursuing, and it’s delightfully rewarding.

If you’d like to join me and some like minded enthusiasts, I conduct  a life drawing studio class at the Academy School at Linekona.  Call 808.532.8742 to get enrolled. It’s great, and it’s open to you.

I’m busy photographing the 14 or so pieces for my show at the end of the month, and thought I’d post the final version of this painting, which I introduced in a post a ways back.  I’m still debating a title, but the work is finished and ready to be placed in it’s frame.

“Kewalo Basin, the Laysan” 24 x 18″ oil on panel

I hope that it somehow captures the truly remarkable color and light that one is dealing with at this place, and without overstatement, which I always seek to avoid. I would guess that the painting was developed over about a dozen visits to the location, but  I always forget to count after about five, because it doesn’t matter.

My students were around several evenings at this location with me, and I’ll be interested in hearing their opinions of the final work.  Am I practicing what I preach?

This painting, Lanaika Point, is about finished as of today.  I will let it sit for a few days and actually move on to other things, and have a fresh look at it on Friday or Saturday to se how it impacts me.

As I’ve mentioned, my goal, to capture the freshness and color of this place in a small painting (11 x 14″) is pretty much realized, I could only continue to add nuances that are, at this point, rather unlikely to enhance the effect.

I had proposed to add a figure for scale, but discarded the idea this morning.

Here’s where I was with this painting a little over a week ago, the initial lay in. It’s fun to look back and see how things have developed.  I have about six more such paintings in development for my show hanging at the end of this month.

Here’s another, a rather subdued tonal painting that I’m enjoying…I feel it may be too austere for some, but it has an appealing and emotional feel for me.

Dusk, Kailua 11 x 14″  oil on panel

Taryn Wright was an art student, model, and friend whose life ended on Friday, September 3, 2010 in a tragic accident. For those familiar with my blog, you may recognize her from past postings.

I knew her originally as a model who appeared on the scene almost two years ago, ironically as a replacement for a man who had to cancel at the last minute. I was mistakenly expecting a 40 year old named Karen to arrive as model for my class at the Honolulu Academy, and in pops this fresh young lady, (half the anticipated  age) named Taryn. We fumbled around with that for a few seconds, and then got to work building a professional relationship and friendship  that lasted up until this week.

Taryn, portrait study, oil on linen, completed in August 2010

All of us, myself and students, enjoyed her…I think it’s safe to say that she quickly disarmed all of the men and women in my classes, almost all of whom were older than she.

Taryn made it rather easy to recall being 20; she was often out of breath upon arrival because she was running a bit behind, hadn’t eaten much (or had forgotten to eat altogether), or was planning on cutting/changing her hair color yet again. For we mature folks, more established in life and identity, it was fun to be around someone in the place she was in. Her presence transported  us back to that time in our own lives, the time of being a bit on the edge, struggling, searching, and choosing.

Taryn had plans on becoming an artist, and I believe that with appropriate training and guidance she would have done well. Her student efforts were more than impressive, she had a natural gift of draftsmanship, as well as a talent for value and shape relationships, which are key components.  I liked grabbing other students and instructors and having Taryn show them her work, building up her confidence and getting her used to putting her work out for comment. Our last conversation was about her future (into which I always tediously inserted my own two-cents-worth) and I promised that once we got classes going in September that she would be busy working for me again. As we now realize, it was not to be.

I’m grateful for Taryn’s gifts to myself and my students.  Her life has been cut short, and I see no other recourse but to remember her in our prayers, and recall her presence with fondness and affection, which is so easy for those of us who knew her.  The lesson I take from all of this is an old one; to remember, always, to let those around us know in no uncertain terms that they are loved and valued as if it was the last time you would see them. At some point, it will be.

A quick post…

this morning went quite well. Out the door by 7 AM, setup and running well before 8.  The light was actually the only drawback, in that the sky was almost perfectly clear, and I realized that I’d have to adjust my values throughout.  The darks were darker, essentially because I’d  lost a bit of the atmosphere that a touch of cloud cover veils objects with.

No matter, I’ll get that effect again, since it’s one we commonly  have, and having the deeper tones won’t be an obstacle. I’ll merely select the tones that work best when I tie the painting together towards the end.

Here’s a reminder of where  I left off yesterday morning.  The basic values and shapes are loosely established on a warm-toned panel ( 11 x 14″).

Today’s session (of about an hour and a half ) brought the values and colors closer to nature (closer to what the eye objectively sees), and I  was able to work over the entire painting due to decent light conditions.  As some clouds finally rolled in, the darks warmed a touch and lightened very slightly, which allowed me to get something closer to what I mentioned earlier, the effect I’m anticipating in the final work.

Working with a three-part medium, as I have most of the summer, and many good sized, pointed round bristle brushes on this, which leave a shape-mark that I like.

I’ve been noticing that I’m shying away from filberts recently for landscape…they seem somehow androgenous to me these days.

From here, I’ll take a day off and get back with this on Monday, weather and God permitting, to make it more More.

One change  is that I’ll need to add a figure to make this work…the size of this grove of Ironwoods is deceptive, they are  bigger trees than you might think from this little painting. It even surprises me a bit when a person goes by them, and this painting doesn’t yet reflect that contrast.

This is the setup I’m running with lately.

The vintage easel I picked up recently has become a great favorite of mine, mainly because I’ve seen it in photos of Willard Metcalf and others for years, and now feel I’m part of the club a bit, kind of like having the same brand guitar pick as Elvis or something.  In some ways not as practical as a French easel or an Anderson style easel, I still love this baby. It takes all sizes of canvases, brass and steel fittings, and surveyor-tripod spiked tips.

I found this photo of Edwin Dickinson working on the same easel  in Provincetown. (Photo courtesy of the Provincetown Artist Registry)

And, Wilson Irvine somewhere with same: