"Catherine, Turquoise Teddy" 24x36 oil on canvas

Working larger than I've ever attempted and having a lot of fun with it. I have two more sessions to finish, and a few things that need to be changed. Unfortunately, I used a lousy canvas so the texture isn't good. Live and learn. But I feel like I'm making progress again after my hiatus, and I'm really enjoying my classes.

My second class is a drawing class, which is really fantastic. Great teacher, Gabriella Dellosso. But not a lot to show from the class. Lots of exercises, lots of learning. Just what I wanted.

Connie & Pigeon (18 x 24 oil on canvas)

I know, weeks go by and I post nothing, then two in one day. Inconsistent. But it's the end of two weeks of class, so here's what I've been working on. Unfortunately, bad photo. Color is off, as well as some glare. But I was so happy to get back to painting. And in spite of some drawing accuracy issues, I was pleased with my progress on this as a re-entry painting. I'm ready to work hard and make progress, and I'll post occasionally as paintings and drawings warrant.

Back to Classes

Cecily (10x20 oil on canvas). After 3 weeks off, I'm finally back to painting. Actually, I've been back for 2 weeks but did several days of sketches and color studies that I've chosen not to post. Unfortunately there isn't anywhere at the school where I seem to be able to get a good photo. Either too much glare or too dark. Oh, well. Here is the small painting from my afternoon class. Last week for this class. Next week I change to a morning painting class and an afternoon drawing class. I've decided that my weakness, and the source of much of my frustration is in the fundamentals of drawing. So I'm going to work on it. Not sure what I will feel like posting, but I will be back periodically with postings that I feel good about.

Hiatus Continued. . .

Fabulous Fall Foliage here in VT. A lovely mountain stream I shot while hiking near Camel's Hump Mountain, and a shot of our driveway with the changing leaves on the young maple trees. It is so beautiful here this time of year. Everywhere you look is a picture.

My hiatus from painting continues another week at least. I am having a long-buried wisdom tooth removed tomorrow, so will recover in this beautiful place for the rest of the week. Assuming all goes well, I will be back to NY and art classes next week. For now, enjoy my photography. . .

Keep painting friends.

A Brief Hiatus

Sometimes life intervenes. I will be going to VT for the rest of this week so John Henry and Marie will go unfinished. No great loss. I am not happy with my work in either of the classes. Having a bit of a crisis of confidence in my figure painting abilities. I knew I would struggle after the summer off, after spending time painting from photos not life. Suffice it to say, I am struggling. I have taken the unsuccessful attempts down from the blog. I'm also re-thinking how I deal with the blog. Not sure I can handle posting all the work in process. TBD. . .

Hopefully a little time off to attend to a few things will put me in a better frame of mind. For now, I am going to post two of my best from last year to encourage myself to keep going. I'll be back as soon as possible!

Keep painting, friends. I'll be watching you for inspiration and encouragement. Don't hesitate to get in touch by email or by Facebook. "Friend" me if you FB! Take care. . .

"Moored in the Marina" 8x8 oil on panel

Point Bay Marina where we dock our boat is in a lovely little harbor with the Green Mountains off in the distance. I snapped the photo as we were coming home one evening. My first attempt at painting sailboats.

"Caught Napping" (v.2) 6x8 oil on panel

A few final touches on my napping gentleman at the South Street Seaport. I also think you can see the colors better in this photo, except for a little glare in the forefront. I'm starting to inventory supplies for figure painting classes, thinking toward packing up the VT studio and moving the painting down to NY. It feels like "back to school" time. Excitement, anticipation, a little nervousness. Hopefully I can do one or two more daily paintings this week, and then back to school.

"Late Summer Field" 8x8 oil on panel

A quick sketch today, a little daily painting, but finally I am able to get back to it. It feels so good to be painting again. I wanted something quick and easy for my re-entry. Nothing frustrating or difficult or discouraging. It seems like it has been forever, and I've really allowed "life" to get in the way. It's been a good summer, though. Lots of family this year. But very, very good. I'm hoping to paint several more days over the next week and a half before I start back to the National Academy. Then I will have to find my way as to what i want to post on the blog. Figure painting from life is so much more of a struggle than these little paintings from photographs. . . Oh, well, we'll see. For now, a little taste of Vermont's late summer fields.

Finally!

Tomorrow. . . I get to paint tomorrow.

"Pigeon" 18x18 oil on canvas

I haven't had much time to paint and consequently no postings. Today I am working on my re-stretching project. Two of my figurative pieces from last years class with Sharon Sprung seemed to lend themselves to "cropping" when I photographed them. So, here is the 2nd one, being re-stretched from 18x24 to 18x18. This model, whose name was Pigeon (my apologies if I'm spelling it wrong) was so incredibly beautiful. And a sweet personality to match. So I think she will make it to a wall somewhere. The other one is on a previous post on the blog.

Oh, worth noting: my museum visits have been incredibly inspiring. Especially this week when I re-visited the Matisse exhibit at MOMA and then drove up to Williamstown, MA to the Clark to see the Degas/Picasso show. There were a few pieces of both Degas and Picasso that I had never seen. "Woman Ironing" by each artist were so moving, so expressive, so absolutely wonderful that I kept returning over and over. The Picasso one is angular and textured and very, very sad. The Degas is luminous and beautiful. Nothing beats seeing them in person. Reproductions just can't capture the colors, textures and vibrancy of oils. I was so inspired! Can't wait to get back to figure painting in September!

For now, the busy-ness of August continues. . .