Back to Basics

After six months of quarantine I started becoming very uninspired artistically, and one thing always gets me going again--a good class. I signed up on Sktchy.com for a class on drawing the head, and even though I have been doing that for years, this class is very illuminating. I'm loving it. This is one of my drawings, of a woman who is beautiful in spite of her prominent nose--kind of like Madame X.

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The Black Hat, Portrait of Woman Original Oil Painting 8x10

$175

This is quite a departure from the 50-stroke paintings I've been doing. I don't know what got into me, but I really enjoyed this one. It has a vintage look but with a timeless feel. We need a little glamour now and then.

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Audrey Collage on Canvas Portrait of Audrey Hepburn

SOLD

This was a commission that I did a while back. I used pictures and articles from Audrey Hepburn's movies and it was a pleasant walk down Memory Lane. I still remember when "Sabrina" came out and we all went out and bought slacks like Audrey was wearing:

And from Roman Holiday, the way she tied her scarf became the way everyone tied their scarf:

When Audrey grew old, she didn't bother with a facelift, just faced the world with wrinkles and all and she was still beautiful. Here are some of her quotes:

For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.

I can testify to what UNICEF means to children because I was among those who received food and medical relief right after World War II.

Paris is always a good idea. 

 

Girl in Chair, Canson Drawing from Life, Female Portrait

 

I've been cleaning out my studio, and it's a walk down memory lane. This was drawn from life at the Artists' Guild in Melbourne, Florida. 

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Morning Has Broken, 24x48 Oil Portrait on Canvas, Girl in Kimono

NFS

This is a portrait of my granddaughter, Alexsa, done a few years ago, before I started doing small daily paintings. I haven't done anything this ambitious in a long time. 

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Woman in Gold, Female Portrait, Mixed Media on Canvas,11x14 Oil Painting

 

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This is a mixed media painting, using gold gesso, gold acrylic paint, ink, stamps and oil paint. I was inspired by seeing Gustav Klimt's work in Vienna and found his technique for painting skin as fascinating as all that gold. This was my response to the Pieces of 8 painting group's challenge for December, using materials I have not used together before. The gold is more metallic than it looks online.

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Rouge et Or, Oil Painting on Canvas, Portrait of Woman with Red and Gold

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I went for a bit of drama here. I used metallic gold paint, which is hard to appreciate on a computer monitor. I had some fun with it. This is a larger painting, not a "daily painting," 18x24 inches.

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The Harpist, 11x14 oil on canvas, Figurative Art

 NFS

This young woman was so beautiful, playing such a graceful instrument, with the light shining through the window. It's so much more attractive than a woman playing, say, a cello or a trombone. However, I do love cello music in spite of the awkward knee placement of the cellist.

This beautiful musician was playing at my beautiful niece's beautiful wedding.

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Ready for my Closeup, 24x30 Oil on Canvas, Portrait of Woman

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This is my dad's cousin Florence Chumbecos, who was a chorus girl on Broadway. I had a couple of her publicity shots but didn't know her last name. My cousin Vicki, who lives in Virginia, discovered our side of the family a couple years ago. She never knew we existed, and we have been solving genealogical mysteries via emails to each other. Neither of us knew Florence's last name, but Vicki found it through some detective work, and she found an article written by Florence about dancing with Fred Astaire. It was just like the movies: the lead dancer got sick, Florence filled in and danced in the role for a year. Mr. Astaire was just like you'd think--the nicest of men. Here is the article: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/23

Celeste, Graphite Drawing on Paper, 8x10

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I've been so busy on a big project with songwriter Bobby Braddock that I have had no time for new items to post. I did manage to find some time to do this drawing and had fun with the hair. 

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The Gaze, 6x6 Acrylic

PURCHASE

I've been painting a large floral painting that is quite detailed, so to loosen up a bit I did this little experiment. I used black and white acrylic over poured acrylic to get this effect. The poured acrylic was completely dry (which takes days) before I painted over it.

Today I got an email requesting the following custom order:  "A hand painting of steve Jobs that shows the white apple logo and says think different, and also it has to say in memory of Steve Jobs February 24, 1955- October 5 2011, I want the painting to be no more than $50, size 6x6."
Say WHAT? All that, in miniature, for $50? With lettering, yet! Wow. How insulting. 

Coincidentally, this morning I ran across this quote by an artist:

"I always wanted to live in poverty and be maligned and devalued by society and the business world. I succeeded beyond my wildest dreams." 

Aunt Bea, 16x20 Pastel on Paper

I have learned that lots of people, not just Opie, have an Aunt Bea. Mine was a corker. When she gave us stink eye we knew we were in trouble. She figures prominently in my book Crackers and Oranges. When my daughter Suzanne was a baby she fell asleep in her high chair with a pork chop in her hand and Aunt Bea said, "Hmph! She's faking it." Devious little baby. 

This portrait was done years ago when I was dabbling in pastels. It's the only pastel I've ever posted on this blog. I do enjoy the medium, but I need to concentrate on my oil painting. I had a period of doing caricatures in pastel, which really worked for that medium. Let's face it, there are only so many hours in the day and so much energy I can expend, so I am working on the application of squishy oils on canvas, which I enjoy most of all. And the occasional collage.