Generations

Generations

16 x 20

Oil on Raymar Panel

$1200.00

It all started with a visit to see my cousin Mary Ellen in Maryland.  We get together every so often to have an art day.  It always involves lots of art, laughter and good food!  On this visit I had the presence of mind to load my car with some of my hats from my prop closet and a couple of my kimonos just in case anyone was up for a photo shoot.  My good fortune continued when I realized that Virginia, Alice and Alvah we also going to join us.  After a respectable amount of time at the work table I approached everyone with the option to add a photo shoot to the fun.  They were all game and tried on hats and kimonos and posed for me.  What fun! Alice pulled out her violin and posed and even got some great shots of her Dad playing his guitar!  When I am not fortunate enough to have a live model in the studio...I opt for my fabulous collection of inspirational photos.  

Here we have Virginia and Alice...grandmother and granddaughter.  They were both so much fun trying on hats and kimonos.  I love the relationship between these two.  The love and respect is obvious.  I worked on this off and on for the last couple of months and may work on it some more...but for now I am going to call it done. 

In other news, we are getting ready for our move to North Carolina.  I have been cleaning things out.  I don't believe my studio has EVER been so clean!  I purged the space of my rejected paintings and put things away.  Of course now I can't find anything!  

The Flower Girl

Flower Girl

30 x 40

Oil on Canvas

$1000.00

This little girl when through a lot to get where she is.  I loved the composition of the girl and her grandmother...I loved the feeling of the piece...but I wasn't sure what to put in the background.  I thought maybe a realization of the church.  A flower girl being led into the church by her grandmother told the story I wanted to tell.  An artist friend, Lydia , suggested a church.  She even researched a few source photos.  So the trials began...

I painted the girl and her grandmother.  I am pretty pleased with the placement and the gesture.  Now what to do with the background.  I have since learned that I WILL have a complete concept before I begin a piece...the lessons continue...

I brought my painting into photoshop and "cut out" the figures and placed them on a blank "canvas".  I then laid in the picture of the church and blurred  and faded it a bit to see how it would look.  I liked the result so I decided to proceed. 

Here the church is too realized...the sidewalk is too straight and that bow on the back of the dress!!!!  What was I thinking???

I softened the background...still not happy...

At this point I am trying to figure out what direction to go...Why have I not fixed that bow yet???  AAUUGGHH!!!!

I tried brightening the background a bit and extending the sidewalk to the bottom of the canvas.  Oh, yes, that is my mahl stick hanging down across the grandmother's backside.  I also am not pleased with the little girl's left arm...and the tie in the back (formerly known as the bow)  is now more subtle...hanging and looking looser.  

Undaunted, I decide to try something else with the background.

This is where I landed.  Not everything has to be spelled out...this painting is a story.  A rite of passage.  The grandmother is taking her granddaughter on the first of what could be many trips down the aisle.  My wish is that when people see this they will read their own story...remember their own rites of passage.  The background now lets the viewer find their story in this piece.  

Kathy - Portrait with her grandchild

My Grandbaby

16 x 20

Oil on Raymar Panel

NFS

One of the most magical moments in life is when your child puts your grandchild in your arms.   This is my dear, dear friend Kathy looking lovingly at her grandchild.  These are the moments I love to paint...