Hair Hair!

Michael Bennett Hock

 16 x 20

Oil on Raymar Panel

NFS

My oldest son, Michael, has the most fabulous hair!  It is thick and curly...just fabulous.  I love painting hair and love it when he lets it grow so it gets really curly.  I am constantly asking...no begging... anyone in my family to sit for me.  Every once in a while I wear them down!  Being snowed in I have been able to get my husband to sit...though he does fall asleep.  I guess hiring a professional model would be ideal...but not always financially viable. Suffice it to say I have been having a great time, experimenting, painting and planning with no pressure or expectations.  My favorite way to paint.  

Salute - Steve Campbell and Colonel William "Wild Bill" Campbell

Salute - Steve Campbell

20 x 16

Oil on Raymar Panel

This Salute portrait has particular significance in many ways.  The subject, Steve Campbell is a veteran and currently works as a pilot for commercial airlines.  He is a friend of my brother, Mike Bennett, who is also a veteran and commercial pilot.  I met Steve at Mike's retirement ceremony.  I was excited to meet a veteran at the retirement ceremony and then I found out Steve is the son of a Tuskeegee Airman!  How exciting!  His father was Colonel William "Wild Bill" Campbell.  You can see a short video tribute to his father here.  He was an amazing man and our county owes him great respect for all he did for us.  

This is my first post of 2016 and I am very excited to begin the year with a  tribute to two heroes that served our country.  

If anyone is not familiar with the Tuskeegee Airmen you can see a short clip here.

Riley Patrick Hock has arrived

My Son

10 x 10

Oil on Raymar Panel

NFS

Illness has totally thrown me off the 30 in 30 wagon.  Not serious but enough to have me out of commission for a while.  I have been sketching a bit and trying function normally but moving slowly!  I headed to my easel and decide to do a quick sketch of my son and his son. Riley Patrick was born recently and needless to say I am overjoyed!  Painting one of the photos my son and his wife sent makes me feel closer to them.  It made me feel better. ;)

Look, Up in the Sky - Portrait of my Son

"Look, Up In the Sky"

30 x 40

Oil on Canvas

NFS

This is my oldest son, Michael.  I have been contemplating his portrait for a long time.  The journey to get this done has been interesting to say the least.  Michael is an amazing person...future high school teacher, BBQ expert, blogger (see badshakespeare.blogspot.com), and if you haven't friended him on FB and read his humorous status updates you are missing out.  That is not to mention how kind and supportive he is to his family and friends.  You can see him every second Saturday at the Workhouse Arts Center art walk with is lovely wife Marissa, supporting me and my artistic endeavors.  

While preparing to paint this portrait I called him over for a photo shoot.  I made him put on a suit jacket with one of his favorite tee shirts and pose in lots of different places.  Did I mention that months before I asked him to let his hair grow?  He has fabulous hair...I digress. 

I thought this was a good one...on the steps...looking scholarly...

An another with the books...he loves books.

Then amid a pile of books on a a leather couch with an old leather brief case that belonged to my father.  

Then leafing through the books...yes,  reading...he loves to read and this pose really shows his personality...

I even went so far as to begin a small 12 x 12 thumbnail sketch to prepare for the large portrait.  

Nothing seemed to express his personality...that larger than life...happy go lucky person who lives life to the fullest and is always smiling...that is when I realized that it is all about his personality.  It is not the setting...it is not the clothes...it is the personality and no pose or scene is going to project the larger than life personality he possesses...SO...that is when I decided to paint his smiling exuberant expression with the caption "Look, Up in the Sky" to emphasize his love of comic books and specifically Superman.  

Now I know Paul Emsley was given lots of grief for painting a large portrait of Princess Kate's head...it was said that you can't do that...blah, blah, blah.  I just know that I paint from my heart and this is what my heart sees.  

And now my humorous closing...I was planning this blogpost and was looking for the thumbnail sketch I began and could not find it anywhere.  I have never been accused of being neat and the sketch was hopelessly lost. I looked for days.  I finally decided to write the post and continue to look for the panel later.  Well, I found the 12 x 12 white panel on the floor, face down, right on top of my white 12 x 12 tiles in my studio.  It was placed perfectly and looked like a tile to the lady not wearing her glasses!  

Stay Safe, My Sweet Son

Stay Safe, My Sweet Son

16 x 20

Oil on Raymar Panel

NFS

It has been said that I wear my heart on my brush and that was very true today.  I waxed nostalgic and started thinking about my children when they were younger.  It started when I read multiple FaceBook posts about the trials and tribulations of young ones returning to school.  It made me think about taking my boys to school...making sure they found their rooms and were safe and secure.  

I still worry...I still want my children to be safe and secure...

Wheee! Mother and Child

Wheee!

8 x 10

Oil on Board

$100.00

I love the relationship between parents and their children.  While in Paris I spotted this woman playing with her young boy...it was such a special moment...and could have occurred anywhere.  The feelings are universal.  

Deployment

sold

Deployment

8 x 10

When my son was born I never imagined I would watch him leave for a military deployment...wheeling his weapon through the airport... but there I was.  My heart was breaking but I was so very proud of the man he had become.