Self Portrait With My Daughter - Part Two

OK back to the self portrait...here are a few shots of developing my profile...

I did my best not to over-work it...I love the cool light from the window on my profile, and the warm light from the floor on my chin.  And many of you know...I have an addiction to color, I mean it's worse than my love of dark chocolate.  So although I *try* to tone down the red, the painting always ends up feeling dull and lifeless when I do that.  I find myself thinking "Do I need to be bland to get into the big shows?  Do I need to use just brown and white to be taken seriously?" and truth is...when I do that?  I hate the painting.  I want my paintings to be fun and joyful and colorful, awards may not agree, but that's where my heart lies.

And here are a few of the process shots developing Arianna's face.  You can see it starts out very abstract, and features come into focus after I establish the larger shapes of the face.  No point in making a pretty eye that's too big, too small, or too far to the left - get everything else around the eye correct first.

These pictures are all from my cell phone, so forgive the poor detail.  The final piece...(well...a cropped version of the final...)

I have titled this piece "In My Shelter She Will  Live, Beyond My Shadow She Will Thrive"  It's a combination of a couple quotes I read about Motherhood.  We moms have a very difficult job, to support our daughters yet push them out of the nest as well.  I am realizing that my daughter is already doing things "just to make Mom happy"...like take certain dance classes she doesn't really like, because I want her to enjoy it so much.  I want her to have the chance I didn't have, which was to really take her dance as far as it can go (OK she's eight! I'll give it time!)  So here's the thing:  How do we moms give our kids the support and encouragement they need to succeed, yet give them their own spotlight?  I live with too many regrets, of always leveling out in everything I have done, never reaching a level just above "OK".  I don't want her to be almost 40, wishing she had achieved more.

And yet...she is not me...she is her own person...and my job is not to correct my mistakes though her, but to enjoy her every success along side her, and always, always, let her know that I will support any opportunity that comes her way.

Mother and Daughter Painting - the Start

Well hello 2015....when did you get here?  I haven't been blogging...sorry...but I have been painting!

Early this year I began a self portrait with my daughter.  Quite accidentally, actually.  I was taking photos in the studio one day, and my kids were there with me.  I asked Ari to be my photographer, and then I asked her to jump into the photos.

This is the self portrait I worked on from the photos that day...I will post a better picture when it is all dried and finished!

Of course she couldn't just sit - first she gathered up a mask and some roses to "accessorize" our pose, and THEN we could take the picture.  So about a hundred photos later, I cut and pasted a few together that gave me the look I wanted in her face and mine.

This is just one photo so you can get the idea of the window light on the floor, and of course, see the fancy accessories Ari added.

So first steps are shown below - I have so many pictures I am going to break it up into a couple posts.  But my plan was to start with bold colors and big shapes, then work into the shadows, then the details.

This is a wood panel, 36" square, primed with oil.  I did put a 9 square grid on the surface so that I could get the scale correct of the two figures.  I only began to work on the faces after everything was blocked in - no reason to have the perfect face, and then find out later it should have been two inches to the left or a couple inches smaller! I purposefully aimed to have Ari's face in the middle.  When I moved the entire composition to the right, it became to mom-centric.  It was a very conscious choice to move me to the left.

Painting Classes with Kristina Laurendi Havens

Tuesday Morning Painting Sessions
Please note that there are two options for painting classes at Studio 81.  Each session lasts six weeks, and reservations are required.  The first six weeks: Tuesdays are regular class, Wednesdays are portraiture with instruction and a live model.  The second six week session: Tuesday mornings are portraiture and Wednesday will be the regular class.  

Make up sessions will be limited, so please register according to your availability.  

Questions? Contact Kristina 

Tuesday and Wednesday Morning Painting Classes

Oil Painting classes are available to all levels on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at the studio.  Students are encouraged to start with still life to develop an understanding of color and composition, and how to work with paint, before advancing to other subject matter such as portraiture.  

Tuesdays 9:30 - 12:30
(Doors open at 9:15)

January 6th
January 13th
January 20th
January 27th
February 3rd
February 10th

Cost is $150.00 for all six sessions, drop in rate is available at $30.00 per session and reservations are required.

Wednesdays 9:30 - 12:30
(Doors open at 9:15)

February 18th
February 25th
March 4th
March 11th
March 18th
March 25th

Cost is $150.00 for all six sessions, drop in rate is $30.00 per session and reservations are required.

Portrait Painting Classes
Tuesday and Wednesday Mornings

By popular request, I have alternated the schedule to include blocks of classes that will focus on portrait painting.  The first three classes will be working on studies of portraits, either from photographs or busts.  The last three classes will focus on painting from the live model.  The model fee is included in the class fee, and a minimum number of students will be required to hold the class.  Each class will start with a 30-45 minute demo.

Wednesdays 9:30 - 12:30
(Doors open at 9:15)

January 7th
January 14th
January 21st
January 28th
February 4th
February 11th

Cost is $195.00 for all six sessions.  Reservations are required.

Tuesdays 9:30 - 12:30
(Doors open at 9:15)

February 17th
February 24th
March 3rd
March 10th
March 17th
March 24th

Cost is $195.00 for all six sessions and reservations are required.

2015 Juried Art Exhibitions

Two portraits were selected by esteemed juror Michael Shane Neal  for the 2015 Portrait Society of Atlanta Winter Exhibition.  The show will take place at the LONA gallery in Lawrenceville December 31st - January 29th.

"The Agronomist", painted for the DaVinci Wine Storyteller Experience

and "My Heart, Away"

I also have two portraits selected for the Women Painters of the Southeast 4th Annual Juried Exhibition at the Blue Ridge Arts Center April 3rd to May 1st 2015.

"Portrait of a Florentine Tourist"

"Dauntless"

Glow: The Auction of the Woodstock Vignettes

In just a couple of weeks, the largest group of paintings I have ever created will be divided up, and head off to new homes.  It’s a bittersweet moment for any artist to say “good bye” to just one painting, let alone almost 40 all at once, TheWoodstock Vignettes.

As an artist, one of the biggest compliments I can receive from someone is “You've inspired me”.  It could be a student, a collector, or just an admirer.  My great hope with this group of paintings is that I have inspired more people to believe in, and support, the dream of the Elm Street Cultural ArtsVillage.

The Elm Street Cultural Arts Village will embrace all aspects of creativity, from the visual arts to the theater, the musical stage to the culinary arts.  Whatever you are passionate about, whatever feeds your spirit, you will find an aspect of it that can be nurtured through this endeavor.

The painting Auction, “Glow”, will take place on the Event Green on September 20th.  Live jazz music from Tayrn and the Wednesday Trio, hors d’oeuvres from one of your favorite downtown restaurants, a cash bar, entertainment from our fabulous Emcee and Elm Street Theater actor Joe Lemmo will all come together under the huge tents.

The money raised by the auction of the Woodstock Vignettes Paintings will benefit the restoration of the Reeves Home: the future site of an Art Gallery, art classrooms, and studio spaces.

Renditions of the Reeves House Renovation

Registration is required for this special event, as seating is limited. Please visit www.elmstreetarts.org/glow/   by September 12th to purchase tickets.

Follow the Woodstock Vignettes on Facebook at facebook.com/woodstockvignettes for special preview nights and more information and how you can be part of supporting the Elm Street Cultural Arts Village.

Portrait Society of Atlanta - Spring 2014 Juried Exhibition of Members

I am very honored and excited that two of my portrait painting were juried by Rose Frantzen into the Spring 2014 Portrait Society of Atlanta Juried Exhibition of Members.   The exhibition opens Friday, August 22nd at Roswell Visual Arts Center.

A Few Recent Original Art Sales on Etsy

I am thrilled to see some of my favorite pieces are off to new homes in the past couple of months.  Saying "good bye" to some of these has motivated me to create some new work!

Pastel drawing from the live model on dark blue paper.  More original pastel drawings available.

Original pastel drawing from the live model.  I love that 70's green fabric!  More original pastel drawings from the live model are for sale.

This was one of my favorite paintings for a long time.  The monochromatic pink color scheme was based on a beautiful photograph of some delicate pink roses.  More original oil paintings are available.

I love working with pastels on colored paper!  The fuchsia pink jumped from this olive green paper.  More original pastel figure drawings from the live model are here. 

Two watercolor sketches from the live male model.  They are a combination of purples and browns.  I love working from the live model, finding and losing shapes in the chest and abdomen as the model breathes.  More original watercolors are in my Etsy shop.