Sharon Reclining Redux

Oil on board, 10" x 6.5 NFS

Jaclin Posing in a Kimono

Oil on Board, 5" x 7 1/2" , $100.00 SOLD

This is another composition that I have played

around with several times. I took a series of

photos of this model in various positions quite

a while ago. I was so captivated with her long

torso and legs, and her white skin, which really

was pale like this. She owned the kimono, and

the colors weren't anything like this, but I have

fun making up the colors each time I paint her.

Creating color harmonies is one of the things

I enjoy most about painting.

When my husband and I lived in Boston in the

80's and part of the 90's, we had an architecture

and interior design business. I am not an architect -

he is - although he also went to art school... but I really

enjoyed the interior design part of it; particularly

when we had interesting, imaginative clients who

weren't afraid to experiment with color and pattern.

My own taste does not lean toward the modern in

interior design, so it was fairly easy to get along with

our clients, most of whom had a "Beacon Hill" mentality.

We got one job just because, when the woman said,

"I'm thinking of a specific color for my library", I piped

up with "Pompeiian Red?". That just happened to be it,

and we began a job that lasted two years, and included

our designing everything in her residence down to the

bookshelves, the rugs, the tiles in her bathroom, and

a mural in her dining room. That was something.

A lot of work. But, I learned a lot as well.

Thanks for visiting today.

Back Pose of Nude Female Posing in Life Class

Oil on gessoed linen canas, 12" x 16" $100.00

SOLD

This figure sketch was done in a combination of

three colors of paint that worked remarkably well

for the skin tones of this model: Van Dyke Brown,

Burnt Umber, and Winsor Newton Naples Yellow.

I stress Winsor Newton Naples Yellow, because I

feel that it is one of the few companies that manu-

factures a true Naples Yellow color. Also, notice

this is painted on a gessoed linen that has first been

toned with gray. That is one of the reasons that it

works so well.

Gray tends to take on the complement

of whatever color is placed against it. It's called

"optical grays", and in this case, it's picking up the

orange that is suggested by the mixture of the burnt

umber (a very orangey brown) and the Naples Yellow.

The medium that I used was Liquin. I also "oiled up" my

canvas (put an extremely thin layer of Liquin on the

surface) before I started painting, to make the paint

glide while I was sketching. Because Liquin dries com-

pletely in 24 hours, you don't have to worry about the

"fat over lean" rule. I know this is true. I've been doing

it for 30 years. This kind of painting is really fun.

Now I could use this painting for a grisaille underpainting

if I want, and go over it with transparent and opaque color, or,

I could just leave it as is. Painting is great, isn't it?

Thanks for visiting today.

Sharon in a Reclining Pose in Class

Oil on Gessoed Rag Board, 6" x 8 1/4" $150.00

SOLD

I painted this sketch in homage to my favorite

model, Sharon, because she posed for my class

today. She never fails to inspire me, even though

she has been modeling for me, and for my classes,

for almost fifteen years. She just knows what to

do, modelling-wise, and her wistful and witty

Irish personality (her father was from the Old

Country) permeates the room when she is in

it. Her hair is red now, but for the sake of the

color harmonies of this piece, it isn't.

I enjoyed myself doing this, even though

I had to teach today and didn't have much

time left to do it. It isn't perfect, but I'm

pretty happy with it.