Whispers
36 x 24
Oil on Canvas
Recently I hosted a "model party"! It was such fun. I invited 5 women over to participate. I was a bit nervous having not done this before and not really knowing the models well. Some I had just met, two I had never met and two I knew but had only brief encounters with. I just had a feeling they would all get along and had a feeling that they were up for some fun.
I welcomed each of the ladies and had prepared some light snacks, wine and non-alcoholic beverages for them to socialize and enjoy while the photo shoot took place. I thought a relaxed atmosphere would lend itself to helping everyone get acquainted and relax. I am fortunate to have traveled to Japan to visit my dear friend Carrie Roets Waller...accompanied by my travel buddy Debra Kierce...while there I was able to pick up some fabulous kimonos so I had a kimono for everyone. They tried out different colors...I photographed them in two's three's and four's and the grand finale of all 5 in their luxurious fabrics. It was such a fun experiment for me and, I think, for them too as I got many offers to return for another photoshoot!
This painting is of sisters...they are both young with fabulous, thick, curly hair. Every thing I suggested they were enthusiastic about. They were so natural and the connection between them is undeniable.
I do paint from photographs, obviously, but I paint from life as often as I can. When using the photos I often refer to life for particular body part. I will check out my hands in a mirror to see joints and shadows. If I need to see someone holding hands or a position I cannot see while I am painting I ask neighbors or friends to come over and let me see how a certain angle looks in "real life". Studying anatomy has also been a great resource. If a photo is fuzzy or out of focus I know what a body part usually looks like so I can put together things that are missing or hard to see. Most of my work is a conglomeration of photos, life and what is in my mind.
