Thurs. evening at the Clague's studio

It was another great night at the Clague's studio.  Eileen's son modeled for us and did a great job.  Wonderful music accompanied the evening also!  Just imagine this:  10 artists, 1 model, wonderful music, fresh coffee brewing, homemade cookies (wow Andrea those were good) and all in a cozy studio space.  Heaven on earth!

Ryan

Crystal

My painting

Crystal

Jacqueline's painting.  She really captured the model.

Adam

Ryan

Andrea's

Adam's

Andrea

Eileen

Andrea's

Jan. 30: Martin

Martin
Oil on canvas paper/ Arches 9 x 12''
I don't know who took this photo of my friend Martin, but I asked Martin if I could use it as reference for a painting.  I love this pose of him painting with watercolors.
Today is the final day of the 30 paintings in 30 days.  It was a fun challenge.  I admit I painted 2 some days, then had to skip a day.  Life responsibilities gets in the way sometimes!  I do believe it is a great way to program yourself to paint every day you can squeeze one in.  My friend Tammy Dickerson started a painting a day over a year ago….and she is still at it!  Amazing.

NOTE:  I just found out it was John Lorenz that took this wonderful composed photo of Martin.  And I thank John for allowing me to post the photograph of my painting, using his photo as reference.  

Jan. 29 Hairdresser: Kim

Kim
9 x 12
Kim is my hairdresser.  She was kind enough to let me take some pictures of her after she cut my hair today.  The inside of her ear has a neat tattoo.  I was kind of surprised.  I like it.  I also took a picture of me with the foil on my hair.  Who knows, I may get desperate enough to use it!  Oh, and on my drive home at 1:30, I followed the salt trucks…..I didn't know we should expect bad weather.  I hope it SNOWS!!!  

Jan. 29: Bonanza

Bonanza
6 x 6 oil on canvas paper/mounted on board

Jan. 28: Mom

Mom
6 x 8
This is the sweetest photograph of my mom when she was 13.  She loved to dress up.  Look at those little socks with her heels!  And yes she was very thin always.   I think she always weighed about 95 pounds!  People commented she looked like Judy Garland.
Mom's sister, my Aunt Rosie, was 100 years old this year!  She still gets dressed up with earrings and nice clothes every day in the nursing home!!  

Jan. 28: Daniel #3

The sketch, in oil with a brush.

Sometimes the painting just seems easy.  This one was 'easy'.  I am trying the loose and unfinished look.  Avoiding every single fiber of canvas covered,  small brush to get every beard hair, ADD approach.  What a relief.  (I did soften the hard lip lines and nose edges after I took this photo.)
9 x 12 oil on canvas paper.
Daniel #3

New one: Break Cookie

underpainting for values: a mix of black, cad red medium and yellow ochre.

When I took this picture, Andrea was taking a break and eating a cookie. I would love to have more photos of her.  She is such a pleasure to paint.  We were just lucky the night the model didn't show and she modeled.   I like the models caught off guard the best.  I have one of one of the models on his cell phone I may paint next.  This one will need a little more work, but I like that look of parts unfinished.  I looked at a slew of artists today on the web.  Sorolla, Rose Frantzen, Zorn (of course), Susan Lyon, Gerome, Repin, Bastien-Lepage and my favorite William Adolphe Bougereau.  I also looked at Jeremy Lipkin, and I love his work.  Thus….I tried the unfinished look for the less of importance areas.
11 x 14 oil on gessoed wood
This is not one of the 30 x 30 set.  Those are all finished and on a schedule to be posted.  Now I am just trying to keep in the groove to paint daily!

Jan. 27: Daniel #2

Daniel #2
Oil on canvas paper  9 x 12

From a position seated below the model, I did this painting last night in the studio setting.  

Jan 26: Heather

Heather #1
As you can see from one photo to the next (see below), the paintings look so different.  Heather is blond and fair skinned, but the photo below is not accurate.  Neither is this one.

The photo I worked from is tucked behind the left painting.  

Heather #2

It's funny how you can do two paintings of exactly the same thing, and they are so different.   Heather is my cousin Carole's daughter, sister to Betsy from a few days ago.  Heather is this calm, peaceful, beautiful woman of which I don't think I captured in either painting.  That's what the challenge is for, practice!

JAN 25: Sweet Thing in a Red Skirt

Sweet Thing in a Red Skirt
9 x 12 canvas paper

A couple of years ago I was at Jim Love's birthday party and saw this little girl.  She was so darn cute, standing in the sunshine with that bright red puffy skirt on.  The face and skirt were a blast to paint.

Jan. 23 at the Clague's studio: Daniel Modeled! What a treat.

First 15 mins. and I had the nose to long.  I was seated below the model, and that was all new for me.  Not to mention being seated!  I don't know how Adam does it.  The nose will change.

Break time for the model.  They had a crowd there last night.  Probably 14 or so.

I love to photograph the work in early stages, and document changes.  This is Andrea's painting.

Cathy Kline is using the Zorn palette.  I was surprised at this start.  But she ended up with a dandy painting.  The canvas is quite large too.  I am guessing at least 16 x 20.  Ambitious.  

The painting here was a painted over landscape.  I don't put her work on Facebook.  she is really private, and doesn't like that.  Enough said….as they say.

This guy is amazing.  Ryan joined the group last week.   Wait til you see the final product!

Just to give you a sense of how crowded it was.

Andrea's painting taking shape.

Color added to Ryans.

Cathy's beginning to come alive.

Andrea and Ryan.  My station is the low spot.  Note to self….don't be late again.

Adam's painting.  It was so packed it was hard to get around to take pictures like I usually do.  I do not have anymore of his.

Cathy's

Our great model…Daniel.  He was amazing.

Ryan and Andrea's work.

New person, working in pastel.  The hair was great.

Andrea's.  Beautiful.  Her palette is below.  Yicks!

Ryan's end painting

Andrea's end painting.  She captures light like no other.

Look how large Cathy's was compared to others.  

Adam's mom, who must be nicknamed Ms. McGiever, made that table prop the model is on.   Adam said she also covered the chairs with new fabric.  I would enjoy meeting her someday.

How I miss my mom.  She would do the upholstery , not the carpentry work.  Wow, I just looked at the calendar, and mom died about 15 years ago this month.  I buried my mom and my dad on the same date, Jan. 28th, their anniversary.  They also died on the same date, although, they died years apart.  She knew what day it was, and peacefully left us to be with dad in heaven.  I can say that now without crying.  Time does that.  Heals.  

Cathy

New guy, never caught his name.  New girl seated, didn't catch her name either.

The light catcher did this one…Andrea.