Self Portrait: Mirror Image

I'm feeling a bit better today. This is yesterday's little drawing (4"x6"), done with markers and pastel. My mouth is slightly open because that was the only way I could breathe.

Regal I and Regal II

These are more drawings from 2008. They are of the same superb model, same long pose session at Spring Studio in NYC.

These drawings are each just under about 2'x3'. I've now re-photographed the drawing on the left. Unfortunately, the full face is framed under glass, so it's not really available to re-photograph.

Boy and Girl at Night, 2009

I painted this from a cellphone photograph. What was important to me, and the reason I painted this, was the relationship between the two people, both on the canvas and in life. This is clearly a contemporary urban street scene. The city is Los Angeles, late on a fall night.

This is an oil painting on canvas, 18"x 18". The square shape is something I've been using a lot ever since a few months ago, when I found a few squares of cardboard, gessoed them and started using them for quick little paintings.

Red Fish, Green Water, 2009

Saturday I spent some time at a koi pond, trying to read, but mostly just watching the fish. I became fascinated with the contrast between the red carp and the green water and the light on both, and this painting is the result. I'm painting on a 9" by 12" gessoed wooden panel, which is a very smooth support, compared to the textured canvas I have been using.

Sketchbook, 2008

These drawings from my sketchbook were done with markers and brush on 4" by 6" paper.

Rock Musician, 2008

This was painted last summer from life.

Lorena, 2009

These are paintings from last week, painted from photographs taken in daylight without flash. The paintings are on 12" square canvases. I'm working on conveying Lorena's personality--how she lights up the room.

Frowning Matt, 2006 and Smiling Matt, 2008

"Smiling Matt" was painted this winter.
"Frowning Matt" was painted three years ago.

Still Life 2009

I've been attending Anne Saitzyk's terrific weekly still life workshop at Art Center At Night, with the goal of getting back to painting after a period of painter's block. The theory was that I would be doing something I don't usually do--still life-- thus no expectations for result. Also I would be in an extremely supportive atmosphere because that is how Anne is. Also, because the workshop meets weekly over several weeks, I would be doing at least one painting a week.

"The difference between theory and practice is greater in practice than in theory," so it took several sessions before I even started to paint in what I consider an "unblocked" way. This painting is from a session a couple of weeks ago, and it was the first time that the painting didn't feel completely forced.

I was fascinated with how the cup handle interacted with the bottle behind it, so I started painting that and it ended up at the center of my composition. The scissors were actually fully open and visible to the left of the cup. I relocated them to continue the curve; it also gives this weird effect of cutting the bottom of the canvas board. I can explain this after the fact. But when I'm actually painting, I don't think, I just do.

"Trio" and "Man with Hats," 2008

More examples of marker drawings. Each features one model as he or she moved through different short (about 5 minutes each) poses. Underneath the drawing on the right is yellow marker of one-minute poses. On the left, I added pastel over some of the marker.

Rudy, 2008

This is a portrait of Rudy, a wonderful model I drew repeatedly at Spring Studio in NYC. This is also the first large drawing I did using markers. The speed and quality of hovering between drawing and watercolor delighted me.

Self Portrait: Parts, 2008

These are drawings from the time I spent in New York. I was figuring out water-soluble markers, a medium that seemed portable, easily cleanable and non-toxic--to accommodate the lack of ventilation and space available. A medium that I adopted out of necessity turned into something I loved. I still carry markers, a sumi brush and a little water with my sketchbook.