More on Keeping It Real

It is so gratifying working directly from the still life beside me and not a photograph or a computer screen. I'm also seeing the benefits of weekly Life Drawing. After years of live models, quick gestures and the complexities of the human form - a bowl of lemons seems like a cake walk! 
I still haven't reached that "loose" stage yet and I'm starting to think I never will. It may just be in my nature to make sure I include every detail. OCD much?

Painting from Life

I've decided to get an inspiration boost from another "daily painting binge". 

I set up my still life box because I'm making an honest effort to stay away from painting from photographs. I'm "okay" with the result, but am trying (always trying) to paint more loosely. The wonderful thing about the still life box (inspired by Carol Marine) is the time it gives you. There's no need to rush the changing, fading light - I am not a fast painter. I started in the afternoon and completed it a few hours later, at dusk. It was fun!

Quince

Quince
8 x 10

I'm declaring this done so that I can move on to other paintings. The subject matter may be a bad choice, a lot of people don't know what a quince looks like ... it's not something regularly carried in the grocery store. It's a bitter fruit, used largely for jams and jellies.

Henrietta Howland Ronbinson Green

Lately, I have become obsessed with Hetty Green. I can't help but think what a great fictionalized tale her life story would make.


She was born in New Bedford, Mass. in 1834, to a well-to-do Quaker family. She lived with her grandfather from the age of two, due to her mother's ill health, and was at her father's side much of the time. By the age of 6, she was reading him the financial papers, and at 13, became the family bookkeeper.


She inherited $7.5 million in 1864 when her father died, and when she married a few years later, was the first woman to draw up her own prenup.


Granted, she was a very a difficult woman, with few friends and notoriously frugal. She was horribly maligned in the press, largely due to the fact that she was a highly successful woman on Wall Street, in the late 1800's. The media called her the "Witch of Wall Street" and spun wild stories about her miserliness ... that she wore one black dress until it turned green, washed only the hem to save soap, never used the heat or hot water, and owned one pair of underwear until they wore out. Okay, now how on earth would anyone know that?



It was a man's world, especially on Wall Street, but at the end of her life, her liquid assets were valued at $200 million. That's about $4 Billion in 2011 dollars. 

New Work

I'm desperately trying to organize my life, more time for painting, painting, painting. 


I've been working on this Quince for a few days. I don't always start with a grisaille underpainting, but this time, I'm really glad I did. It helped pull up the reflective surface. I'm not sure that anyone will recognize it as a Quince, because you never find 'em in the grocery store, but I loved the wrinkly surface, so sensual ... probably the only case of sensual wrinkles!

Studio Mishmash

I'm going to take a stab at different media for a change as I'm revamping my studio space. I took the time today to work on a drawing I started last night at my Figure Drawing Session. I picked up a slip? dress? at a flea market on Saturday, brought it home, hand washed it (twice) and took it to drawing last night. I fit the model perfectly and she wore it for the whole session. It was great!

Whew!

Now that the holidays are over, I'm hoping to get some painting done. I've sold a few pieces at the Bistro Bethem show, so I've got some wall space to fill. 


I've also been gearing up for a show that I've organized for the Figure Drawing group. I started the group back in May and thought that they were all such talented artists that they needed to get their work seen outside of the weekly drawing sessions. I booked the Library Atrium for July 2011. We will draw one of our favorite models in toe shoes, white leotard, and a full-length white tutu with a blue sash. The first session devoted to the show is this week and I'm hoping for a good turnout!