I Hope You Dance - The wedding, the bridesmaid and the flower girl.

I Hope You Dance

36 x 36

Oil on Canvas

SOLD

This is a painting I did a couple of years ago.  The source is from a relative's wedding.  I took lots of photos that day, but this one was priceless.  The woman in the foreground is one the of bridesmaids and the mother of the young flower girl.  As the flower girl danced with no inhibitions, twirling and swirling across the dance floor her mother lovingly watched.  I can just imagine the thoughts going through the mother's head...I hope you dance...I hope you dream...I hope you live life to the fullest!  What a wonderful moment!  I am happy to say this painting is headed to its new home...

This is the first piece I painted as a copyist at the National Gallery of Art.  It is one of my favorite paintings by John Singer Sargent titled "Beatrice Townsend."  I loved painting it and it graced my living room walls for about a year until my open studio in November.  Someone saw it and just couldn't get it out of her head...she stopped by last month to purchase it.  Though I was sorry to see it go...I am glad she found a new home and she looks lovely gracing the mantle.  AND...I can always paint another!  

This is a recent copy I painted at the National Gallery of Art titled "Masked Ball at the Opera" by Edouard Manet.  I loved painting it though it was a challenge with the dozens of black top hats across the canvas and black tuxedos under those hats.  It was fun to create the shades of black and gray needed to give the painting dimension and life!  I am proud to say it now adorns the wall over the mantle of a dear friend's home.  I love that she wanted to purchase  it...there is no better compliment to me.  

It is always nice to see my work find new homes and I love when the new owner sends me a photo.  

Zipper - preparation for the big day

Zipper

18 x 20

Oil on Canvas

$700.00

This is the last of the nine pieces in my featured artist show at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia.  The show is titled "Weddings and Destinations."  I share the billing with Kathy Strauss's fabulous destinations photography that compliment my weddings paintings perfectly.  

Here the bride is getting ready...helped out by a close relative with the final touches of her preparation for what will be one of the most important days of her life.  

I remember all the preparation for my own wedding.  It was a relatively small affair by today's standards but we arranged for photography, food, cake, church etc...all the bases were covered.  We even got ahold of an antique car to ride to the church...The one thing we forgot to make arrangements for is for my mom to get to the church!!!  In all the preparation I boarded the car with my maid of honor and my dad...my mom was left at home with the photographer!!!  She had to hitch a ride with him or she would have missed the whole thing!!!  So funny now...not so funny then!  

This series and show has been a wonderful experience for me.  I love painting series and look forward to starting my next project.

Now What

Now What

48 x 60

Oil on Canvas

$2000.00

This is the larger piece fashioned after the previously posted "Now What", 16 x 20.  I played around with the composition a bit and found that some thing worked in the smaller size but didn't work as well in this larger composition.  The only thing I left on the table was the illusion of a wine bottle on the left side of the bride.  I darkened the background more to really emphasize the dress...a wedding is always about the dress.  This is the largest piece in the show.

The reception will be this Saturday, June 8th from 6 to 9 at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton Virginia...building 16.

Toss! Throwing the bridal bouquet

Toss

18 x 36

Oil on Canvas

$900.00

This piece is part of my Weddings series that will be featured at The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia.  I am the featured artist along with Kathy Strauss, photographer extraordinaire,  who is contributing a series of "Destinations" to the show.  The reception is June 8th at 6 pm in building 16. 

The Lorton Workhouse Arts Center is a former prison.  It has an amazing history.  The buildings that were cell/dorms that housed the prisoners have been converted to wonderful artists studios.  There is a large courtyard in the center surrounded by these buildings.  A walk along the courtyard dropping in to see the artists at work makes for a wonderful day or evening!  

I love this action shot of the bride throwing the bouquet.  For this series I tried to represent many traditional and some untraditional scenes from weddings.  

My wedding was 39 years ago this month.  I married my prince charming and we are living happily ever after!  

The Veil - Weddings Series

The Veil

18 x 36

Oil on Canvas

$900

Today is the day I install my featured artist show at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia.  This is one of my favorite pieces in the show.  When beginning a painting I usually start with my shadows and darks and then move towards the light.  In this piece I began with the face almost stark white and then spent weeks layering on glazes to achieve soft, subtle definition.  The process was fun experimentation.  I had just watched a you tube video of Da Vinci's work and the process was mentioned.  I really had no direction other than the casual mention of the a light base and numerous glazes in the video but I thought I would try anyway.  It is supposed to allow the light to travel through the layers to the bright layer underneath and give a luminescent quality.  I am pleased with the result and will certainly try it again.

And here is my self portrait again.  I just can't seem to let go of it.  Every time I walk by I add color and definition to it.  I am having fun seeing how many colors I can use and experimenting with brush strokes.  It is such a great learning tool for me. 

"But I Don't Want to" A Discussion with the bride

"But I Don't Want To"

16 x 20

Oil on Raymar Panel

$600

This piece will be included in my "Weddings" Show at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, VA.  The reception is June 8th beginning at 6pm.  The show will be hung for the month of June.  

The premise of the show evokes emotions portrayed in different wedding scenes.  In this scene the bride and flower girl are having a discussion.  I love the gesture...the angles of the brides body as she bends over to meet the eye of the little flower girl looking up at her.  I love the play of light on their hair and long shadows revealing the late afternoon hour.  

Now What - Bridal Portrait series

 

Now What

9 x 12

Oil on Raymar Panel
NFS

This is a study for a larger piece.  I decided to do a series of wedding paintings for an upcoming show.  In preparation I am doing some small studies before I tackle the larger canvases.  This source photo was taken at my niece's wedding.  I took a little poetic license with the piece but am pretty happy with the overall result.  I am sure I will adjust a bit when I do the larger piece.  

I titled it "Now What" because so often there is a let-down after all the planning and celebrating is done.  Then we get on with our lives.  

Scroll down to see the process and experimentation for this piece.  

First I blocked everything in deciding to place the groom's head behind the bride's arm for anonymity of the piece.  I originally wanted the dress to be a warm light ochre color.  I used a pthalo blue to darken the folds.  I put a red flower in the vase at her elbow which I later found distracting and not really helping the story line. 

After the block in I darkened the back walls for a dramatic effect and "dirtied" the dress to make it look rumpled and worn because it is the end of the reception.  Her curls are coming undone...the groom is more relaxed looking.  I put a bottle of champagne and an empty glass where the red flower was.  

I am not happy with the result here.  Maybe too dark?  Maybe just not working in mind.  It is not what I wanted when I began the piece. 

Here I lightened things up and I am happier...but not thrilled...soooooo...

back to the top for the one I like best.  

Stay tuned for the final larger version...in a month or so. 

Julie and Kate

Sold

18 x 24 Oil on Canvas

This piece was commissioned by Emily for her sister Julie.  It was a very special moment in time the very day she and Brad were married.  It was an honor to be asked to preserve the moment on canvas.  The ceremony was held on a beautiful beach with Mother Nature providing the perfect weather.  With such a fairy-tale wedding, they’re just going to have to live happily ever after!