A Sneak Peek at the Paintings inspried by the 2013 Storyteller Experience

I don't think I have ever been as inspired as I am right now to create a group of paintings!  I returned from Italy filled with joy, excitement, appreciation, and about 1500 photos all deserving of being translated into Paint.

So my idea for the first round of paintings is to try and capture 6 of the people who made the trip so special for our group.  There was Anna, the fabulous chef who cooked for us every day at the Casale...

(detail of Anna at the sink)

And Giacomo, the DaVinci Wine ambassador who answered every question, and shared so much of his knowledge of wine with our group.  His fabulous smile and warm spirit was so wonderful!

(detail)

One of the growers, who lives on a plot of land that can only be described as Heaven on Earth

(detail)

(detail)

And the hands of the gardener who taught us how to harvest, and also everything that needs to be considered with every cut, every trim.  I just noticed all the men are wearing blue shirts...

Two more paintings to get started this week - probably another one of the fabulous growers, and one of the vintners of DaVinci.  I'll keep you posted!

The final paintings will be revealed by the DaVinci wine company in November.  In the meantime, I hope you come by and visit the studio in November and see them in person!  

Friday Night Live

November 1st 6-9 PM

Woodstock Art and Wine Festival

12-5 Saturday November 2nd

1-5 Sunday November 3rd

Art Mob Studio Tour

Friday November 15th 6-9 PM

Saturday November 16th 12-5

Sunday November 17th 12-5

Aaron Westerberg Workshop Atlanta 2013

I am very excited to announce that Aaron Westerberg will be holding a portrait and figure painting workshop at my place, Studio 81, in Woodstock this October.  Aaron is a highly accomplished painter and has been published in numerous Art magazines.  He was on the esteemed staff at this years' Portrait Society of America Conference in Atlanta, where I had the pleasure of speaking with him in person, watching him paint an alla prima portrait, and I got a very helpful critique of my portfolio.

Aaron is a direct and engaging artist, and this will be a very full week of painting.  On Monday, Aaron will paint a portrait demo.  On Tuesday, the class will paint a portrait.  Wednesday, Aaron will demonstrate a full figure painting.  Thursday and Friday, the class will paint from the full figure.  The model fee is included in the class fee.

Class will meet every day from 10-5  Lunch will be one hour a day, and the studio is in walking distance of a dozen fabulous restaurants

 To register visit Aaron's website.  If you have any questions, please contact me.

Class is already filling up so register today! 

Oil Painting Portrait on Panel, The Woman with Dreads

A couple weeks ago our figure drawing group was working with one of our fabulous models, who has multiple tattoos and a head full of dreadlocks, ribbons and beads.  She posed for a couple portrait shots for me.

I worked on a panel that had already seen a couple of failed paintings, and got a fresh coat of oil primer.  When I primed it, I didn't worry about going all the way to the edges - I let a little bit of the previous layers hang around.

This is the "alien" stage...just a quick indication of the size of the head and starting to mass in shadows.

Blocked in some large areas of color.  I wanted the first few layers to be a bit more bold - I know I can always tone down the color, so I intentionally chose a more saturated orange

Considered the background, started playing around with blues and greens.  Very little detail in the eyes. Mostly shadows.

A few indications of the dreads on the rights

I like this stage, where there are transparent and opaque layers of paint.  Also, working on an oil primed panel, I can still wipe away a lot of paint

Getting a little closer to the skin tone, deeper shadows in the hair.  The shadows and light across her forehead were difficult.  I had to rework the area several times.

Deciding on a background color, and blocking in the rest of her shoulders.  I am using just oil paint and a touch of thinner, no other medium.  Rosemarie brushes all the way.

More interest added to the dreads, including some of the blue ribbon she has woven through her hair. I also toned down the highlights above her eyebrows, focusing more on the highlight on top of her forehead.  Three highlights was too distracting

(20" x 16")

Portrait Painting Step by Step

I know!  Two posts in two days?!?! Crazy!

This is a recent oil portrait on acrylic primed canvas (I only mention the acrylic primed because I am trying to pay a lot more attention to my surfaces...trying new types of canvas and seeing what works best for me).  I think the size is 16" x 20".  The young man in the photo was walking into a restaurant near my studio just as I was leaving.  Much to my husband's delight I walked up to the young man and asked if he'd be interesting in modeling for a portrait sometime.  Well, he was incredibly nice, and turns out he is a very talented musician as well.  (I also took several shots of him playing his guitar - I loved his relaxed stance as he started to sing)

Anyway...this shot was great - taken against the antique stone wall in my studio, just out of the light from the window.

I started by blocking in the large shapes - no under painting really - just right in with a close approximation of value and color.

A little more pushing and pulling on the edges - does the hair have to move to the left? does the chin tilt down more?  Big shapes and relationships...no detail.

Starting to define the end of the nose, the eye (keeping all of the details in the shadows - the eye should not pop out of the socket) and the mouth

Considered the background more at this stage - deepened the shadows, added more color to the shirt.  I wanted to be sure the value of my skin tone was correct in the context.

Finished blocking in the background, re-evaluated the highlights on the face, started to define the dreadlocks

To be continued...final product coming soon :)

Wrapping Up and Catching Up - Casey Baugh's Workshop and A New Painting

The end of April to the middle of May has disappeared in a whirlwind of activity.  Spring is normally my favorite time of year - the warmer afternoons that finish with cool evenings by the bonfire, the budding of the trees, the inkling to clean out all of the closets and drawers.  However, this spring has had a totally different feel to it.  The weather in GA was stuck in some kind of twilight zone, hanging on to cold temperatures and rain like winter was never going to end.

The crappy weather has impeded my progress on my summer tan, but has not hindered my process in the studio.  Of course, how could I not be inspired to be productive after spending a week with Casey Baugh teaching in my space?!?

Once I got over the shock of Casey actually walking through the door and standing in the center of my studio...I settled back in the comfy couch in my studio and just watched as he held court, talking about his painting philosophy and connecting with his students for the week.

The first day demo did not disappoint.  Casey spends a great deal of time on the set-up, settling into his surroundings, adjusting (and creating!) the perfect type of lighting scheme and posing the model until he can visualize the complete painting.  While this process may seem drawn out to those who just want to watch the magic when his brush hits the canvas, it's this mental process that Casey credits with much of his success.

The rest of the week was equally inspiring and insightful.  Casey demonstrated with two paintings based on photographs.  Watching him select the perfect shot, edit it, and again - visualize the complete painting before picking up his brush - was incredibly helpful.

Of course, the signature is a part of the painting - Casey has refined his signature and always places it with great care.  Often, this is before the painting is "finished" - considered part of the process, not the final touch.

Casey was so generous with his time, and hosted a more social gathering one evening where he completed another fabulous demo in more of a party setting...the vibe was much more relaxed as we talked, ate, drank, and heckled Casey as he created this masterpiece.

We also took some time to admire the sculpture that Matt Lewis has been working on in the studio.

On the final day, Casey arranged our lovely model against one of the fabulous 100 year old walls in the studio.  The lighting, the red dress, even her hair color were perfect together.  

Tucked out of everyone's way, I worked on a painting from a photo of the same pose.

Hearing Casey talk each artist though their painting, and watching him make adjustments, was incredibly helpful and I tried to keep two things in mind as I worked - push the full value range that I want to establish, and value is more important than color.

This is almost finished...I have since resolved the hand.  I will post another picture soon!

Great news:  Casey Baugh will be back at Studio 81 in August of 2013 AND in June of 2014.  If you are interested in getting on the waiting list for 2013 or signing up for 2014, please contact me.

New Drawings and Paintings of the Figure

Hey! Remember me?!? The lady who paints and draws every once in a while between posting on my blog?  Here are a few new pieces...

Charcoal drawing on white Canson paper, 14" x 17"

Charcoal portrait drawing from the live model, about 90 minutes

White and black charcoal sketch from the live model, grey paper, about 25 minutes

A small study that I did, thinking I may turn it into a larger painting.  This is actually a self-portrait.  Oil on textured panel, 11" x 14".  Working title is "A Simple Fix"

Oil on canvas painting, 9" x 12", live model, about 90 minutes.  I'm particularly happy with her hair.  "Lounging Nude on Purple"

And finally this oil painting of my little girl Arianna, who just turned six, and I got all weepy that she was getting so big, and had to paint this picture of her from when she was two...

New Painting Striped Tights and Sunlight

So here's the problem with taking a painting workshop like the one I did with Casey Baugh.  The second you walk back into your studio EVERYTHING you have painted before looks horrible.  You immediately see all the mistakes in every brush stroke, color choice, and composition.  You want to build a huge bonfire and burn every canvas.

OK that's a little bit of an exaggeration, but truly, it was overwhelming at first.  I am very proud of all of my work, but I had to realize that I hadn't learned anything new in about 10 years.  I was still painting the same way I painted in graduate school.  Fresh ideas, fresh perspective, can be a bit overwhelming.

Luckily, after about an hour of wandering around, frustrated with the work I had already started and not confident enough to start anything new, I happened to turn the corner and stumble upon this.

Matt the sculptor has slowly been de-constructing his beautiful sculpture (deep breath - he has already made the mold!) and using the clay to make new figure studies, which, apparently, he uses to entertain himself by randomly perching them on the woman's breasts, head and armpit.

OK so mission accomplished. I laughed.  Got over myself.  And got back to work.

I used a reference photo from a session with a model almost 2 years ago.

Start- with Casey in my head, blocked in rather than draw the figure.  Focus on value, not color.  NO detail.

I admit it was hard to just hint at the features of the face, consider them as shapes and values, not eyelashes and lips.

The finished painting.  

Detail of the face.

12" x 12", oil on prepped wood panel.

What I am so excited about is SEEing the whole process in a new way.  Granted, Casey's way of painting is still vastly different than what I am doing (who wants to be someone else anyway?!?) Blending his technique with what I already knew, which - after a few days of depression - was not all wrong.  That was what brought out this painting.  And I am so excited about what's coming next.

Casey Baugh Figure Painting Workshop Recap

Last week I was lucky enough to spend a week painting at the Townsend Atelier with the amazing Casey Baugh.  And I mean LUCKY - I think I got the last spot before he closed admission!  The class was only 12 students, in an open and well-lit space.  

I was first introduced to Casey's work about 5 years ago by a fellow artist who showed me a magazine article on Casey's work.  Beautiful figures in impeccable wardrobes staged in the perfect setting.   Each element of his composition were obviously well thought out and painted with certainty.  Paintings that are so good because Casey was able to make the difficult look effortless.

And of course, since that first sighting in the magazine, I have watched out for new work and kept on eye on his classes and demonstrations.  All made easier, of course, because now you can watch him on Facebook and Instagram, too.  So after making sure Grandma could fly out and hold the fort while I go paint for 5 days, I went ahead and bought my seat in his class!

The first day was dedicated to a live portrait demo.  As soon as Casey started setting up the questions came flying one after another..."what kind of palette is that?" (Edge Pro Gear... SWEET!!!) "how do you line up your colors?" "what kind of paper towels are those?"...and so on.  12 eager students just waiting and hoping for the magic formula...the missing ingredient in our own bag of tricks that will make us paint JUST LIKE CASEY!!! (I really do think it's the blue towels...)

Anyway...why am I still writing?!?! You want to see pictures!

After taking time with the set-up - adjusting light, moving around the model, fixing hair, and thinking through the painting, only then did Casey pick up the brush.  That was important - I tend to think "aaagghhh!!! I'm paying the model! I have to start painting the minute she walks in the door!!!" but then 20 minutes into the painting I see that my set up and lighting aren't that great...take TIME to set up!

I think the panel size was about 12 - 14 inches square. What is helpful with Casey's easel is there are magnets on the case and on the panel - you just stick the panel up and go!

No rush to show that he knows how to paint perfect features: a few quick strokes to plot out the scale.  

Blocking in.  Quick peripheral glances at the model only to determine value.  No detail. No drawing.  Quick mixes of color close but not exact hues.  Value above all else.

Watching Casey use the brush and the paint was fascinating.  The right amount of pressure on the bristles, the right flick of the wrist, made all the difference.

I was amazed at how "late" in the game Casey would boldly put a stroke of dark color on the face or the hair.  No preciousness was felt for any stroke or area - if a change needed to be made, he made it.  Solve the problem.  Whenever it arises. 

Quick shot of his palette.  Light and dark versions of each color - blue, red, yellow, and brown.

Before he declared the piece finished, he carefully added his signature - also an element of the design and composition.  Only when the signature is in could he say whether or not the entire painting felt "done".

This summary really only scratches at the surface of what I learned just by watching Casey paint.  He was incredibly gracious and generous to answer every question, with no pretension:  he didn't know all the answers.  He just knew how he liked to try and solve every problem.   He shared his list of 7 things to think about in every painting, he talked about his mediums (which he used sparingly...if at all) and the business of being in the Art world.  

After the demo we all turned in for the day...for tomorrow...we would paint :)

***Casey Baugh will be holding a 5 Day Figure Painting workshop at my studio in Woodstock, Ga, 30 minutes north of Atlanta, in April 2013.  Visit his website to register***