The Light Staccato

I can finally put this into “sleep” mode  and let it dry for varnishing.  The whole experience of painting it has been a privilege, really, as well as a continuing part of my education.

When I look back at my intentions, and see the finished painting, it’s not unlike what a parent must feel when they suddenly see their child through detached eyes, see them grown,  mature and independent.   They’ve become something that is part of you, and yet become themselves as well.  This piece is like that. It’s only partly what I anticipated, but perhaps the part that is “itself”  is better than what I had planned, and it’s good that it works that way.  I wouldn’t want full control even if I could get it.

Kailua

untitled, 21 x 27 ” oil on linen

As far as intentions go, I can say that it has the breeziness and movement that I was after, I find that my eye moves through it pretty well, and the color and contrasts are true to the look and the spirit of the place.  It’s got the being-there feeling that I think is the whole point of, well, being there.

My personal sentiments remain the same…I wonder where this painting will be one day, if people will recognize the care that is behind it. Hopefully so.  It may end up anywhere in the world, because you never can tell about these things.  But I’ve had the experience of the work itself, the being-there part. Setting up in the early morning, fighting the wind and the light changes,  meeting the people you will always meet, and rethinking and scraping down difficult passages; the whole bit.  Always wondering, always debating my choices.  The foreground has been reworked four times, I’d guess.  But it works now.

I rebuilt the stretcher bars to a lighter weight, the 4″ ones were too much, and the frame is currently awaiting it’s final finish.  I look forward to seeing it varnished…that’s like the baptism.  That’s when the deal is sealed.

There’s more coming, trust me.  I worked on two studies this morning, which may remain as small pieces, within yards of this place.  I guess it just suits me.

Like chasing the wind

I’ve finished Erik’s portrait.  The sittings, about an hour each day over Spring break, were a wonderful shared experience, but frankly more so for myself than the subject!

Erik was a trooper, but at 14, being painted by your father is not a high priority when compared with all the other things that teenagers have to occupy themselves. And I can agree with that.  However, that being understood, at one point I reminded him of the investement he was making.  It’s not about today, my son. After I’m gone, this will remind you of a sliver of time that has truly passed like the wind.  In hindsight, the time spent sitting will seem like nothing, and that’s when you’ll be really glad we got together on this project.   Trust me.

Erik Portrait Erik at 14 Oil on linen               20 x 16″

Once or twice I thought that the sittings might actually cause him to explode somehow.  Boys aren’t psychically built for posing, not at 14, and I remained pretty sympathetic throughout.  12 minutes on the model stand, 5 minute break was the pattern  Next time, if I can get up to bat again, I’d like to get him playing guitar or something characteristic of his interests.

My goal, to directly create a simple and fresh likeness with as little fussing as possible, is largely realized.  It’ll get signed today, and then we’ll wait a couple months for varnish.  The frame is under construction, a fairly simple 2″ poplar moulding I designed.  I’ll post that when the time comes.

Watercolor Morning

It’s good to break things up with a morning on the Waikiki side for some watercolor work.  Like anywhere one lives, it’s one of those areas that is sort-of off my radar unless I have a specific reason for being there. But it’s beautiful, no doubt, and there is always something to paint as long as you look with your own eyes.  And the weather is almost always something like what I had today.

Here’s this mornings catch…don’t have a title yet, but one will come, as they always do.

Waikiki11 x 14″ watercolor on paper

Arrested development

Here’s the latest on the beach painting I’ve been working on.  Surfaces building nicely, and character of the paint surface is coming along…the values are working better.

There are a lot of places for the eye to fall, and it’s difficult to arrange the eye’s path given that complexity.

kbeach

I still wish to build more complex, interesting surfaces. No reason I can’t, the subject lends itself to what I have in mind. It gets me thinking of William L. Picknell.  Now, that man created painted surfaces like nobody  else, like a pastry chef.

But, it’s getting hard to see this piece with a fresh eye, and to continue painting when you aren’t able to see the work afresh is almost as grave an error as waiting for inspiration.  When you hold on too firmly to what you think your strengths are, they eventually end up spoiling the game.

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Spring Break portrait

My son Erik is on Spring Break for two weeks, and so we’ve been scheduling sittings each morning as part of an attempt to capture the look of him at 14, and the crazy rate of growth he’s experiencing.  I know that it’s hard to manage the sittings at his age, but he’s giving it a good shot, and for me the time spent together is precious because I can see how fast this is all going away.

We’ll have time for, perhaps, three more sittings before school and life reclaim him.  But the likeness is there, and it’s minor shifts and  background work at this point for the most part.  Wish us luck.

EPKN 3

Erik at Fourteen, oil on canvas, 20 x 16″

Pastel portrait from life

A recent commissioned piece awaiting framing.   The pose and format were suggested by an earlier piece of the subject’s mother, done when she was about the same age, and for which this is a companion piece.

Rebeccah was a great subject and  a joy to work with.  Smart, funny, and headed for a career as a writer I’d say. Having endured a dozen sittings, I promised her family that Rebeccah would always retain a certain insight,  the model’s point of view,  into the portraits she’ll see in museums.

R.D.  Pastel on paper,  22 x 19″

Rebecahd

Drawings from Life

It’s a crazy week, finally preparing for a watercolor show at the Academy School where I teach figure painting and drawing.  More on that soon. I’m taking a break from getting show preparation done, mostly repetitious but necessary things,  and merely wanted to post something new to your eyes.  Here is a very recent drawing from the Life class.

TW red

Step down, then back

Today, Monday,  kicked off with winter weather that changed dramatically about every twenty minutes.  Since my friend Roger and I had already determined to paint something this morning, we set up in the local beach park and I dashed  out the beginnings of this little piece, about 4 x 5″.

Long filbert brushes and three part medium, a combination I haven’t used in years. It felt very good to paint solely for personal satisfaction and let the hour go where it may. It’s as good a start to a very busy week as any I can imagine, and though this painting is not much in itself, it does reflect recent inner rumblings I’ve noticed about doing some pieces that are more in the line of  personal, painterly notes. Subjects of little grandeur or consequence that matter only to myself.  I might give it a little studio work on a rainy day from memory…

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