Lavender/Blue 1

Painted this afternoon, from life.

Oil pastel over oil paint, 16"x20" canvas.

Crying Woman

 Painted this morning, from life.

Crying Woman is oil and oil pastel on 12"x12" canvas.

Woman With Cowlick Holding Rose; Woman Holding Rose 2

 Painted this morning, from life.

The top painting is oil on 16"x20" canvas.

The bottom painting is oil and oil pastel on 12"x16" canvas.

It was overcast this morning when I started the top painting.  Just about an hour later, the sun had come out, just in time for the bottom painting.

 Both of these started with underpaintings. The top painting had some light blue and some yellow and burnt sienna acrylic paints rubbed on the canvas first. 

The bottom painting has a canvas that was started in oil pastels a couple of months ago at Rutamaya, so the background that shows represents the walls there, with some oil paint added on top.

What I had on my palette for the top painting was titanium white, ivory black, cadmium yellow light, cadmium red light, and alizarin crimson.  Basically, a version of the limited Zorn palette, which I've been using lately for my paintings.

For the bottom painting, I added a little ultramarine blue to the palette.

The model was actually wearing a simple black knit hooded pull-over.

Woman In Autumn; Back In Purple; Woman In Blue And Red; Woman In Blue And Yellow

 I painted these yesterday and today, from life.

Woman In Autumn is oil pastel and oil paint on 11"x14" canvas.

Back In Purple is oil pastel and oil on 12"x16" canvas.

The two small sketches are oil pastel on papyrus, for the Brooklyn Art Library Sketchbook Project.


About Woman In Autumn:

These are the colors of the leaves on the ground this morning.  Although it is a warm windy day today, it looks like and feels like winter is coming.  And that is what I painted.

Woman Among Marigolds At The Eastside Cafe

Painted outdoors, from life, yesterday morning.

Oil and oil pastel, 20"x24" canvas.


About this:

We were outdoors, in the middle of the most marvelous organic garden, with chickens, at the Eastside Cafe. (Check out the Eastside story portion of the Eastside website for more about the garden.)

The day was kind of cool and windy and threatening rain at first, then it warmed up and got sunny and windy. This was a three-hour long session, with breaks.

I painted the dark and threatening part of the morning.

The model, also an artist, was shivering at first, then closed her eyes and kind of sunbathed, fully clothed, once the sun came out. And we enjoyed our cold drinks--our model had root beer-- and painted some more.

Bathing Beauty; Sleeping Sitting Up

Drawn from life, yesterday afternoon.

Bathing Beauty is oil paint and oil pastel on canvas, 24"x36".

Sleeping Sitting Up is oil pastel on clear gessoed doorskin, 12"x12".


About these:

The model chose her costumes. The first was an early 20th century swimsuit. I imagined a summer day at a beach with a rollercoaster.

In the second pose, she got into a state that reminded me very much of those times when, exhausted, you fall asleep despite yourself.

Woman In A Fur Coat

This morning's painting, en plein air.

Oil pastel and oil paint on linen canvas, 11"x14".

About this painting:

The model, a jewelery artist, was huddled in her coat, reading a book and trying to stay warm with a hot drink on this chilly, overcast morning.  She really does have amazing red hair.

We were painting on a sheltered outdoor patio, and we needed the shelter.  It was raining a bit and it was in the 50s (Fahrenheit).

Artist And Model 4; Recliining Woman In Red And Green

 Today's paintings, from life.

Artist And Model 4 is oil pastel and oil on 12"x16" canvas.

Reclining Woman In Red And Green is oil pastel on pastel paper, about 5"x8".

About these:

Once again, I was very late to this early morning drawing session.  So I got another chance to explore the artist and model theme.

The artist this time is Dave, a talented pastel artist and dancer.  As you can see, today is sweater weather in Austin (very beautiful).

I expect that I will add to this painting, later.

I also did another small painting for the Brooklyn Art Library Sketchbook Project.

Tree Nymph; Smiling Face In Red; Women In Blue

 Drawn this morning, from life.

Tree Nymph is pastel and charcoal on 9"x12" card.

Smiling Face In Red is oil pastel on oil painting on 11"x14" canvas.

Women In Blue is oil pastel on 12"x16" pastel paper.

About these:

It is such a beautiful day today and the trees outside the studio are so lovely, that the colors of the day and the shapes of the trees made their way into the first drawing.  And the sun and blue sky made their way into the third drawing.

This terrific model also seemed to be enjoying the day.  She kept a relaxed and happy expression for the entire time she was posing.  (Not an easy thing to do.)

Woman In Red And Yellow; Profile In Blue And Red; Crime Scene

 Drawn this morning, from life.

Woman In Red And Yellow is pastel and charcoal on 9"x12" card.

Profile In Blue And Red is oil pastel on oil painting on 11"x14" canvas.

Crime Scene is oil pastel on oil painting on 12"x12" canvas.

About these:

The model kept assuming poses that made her look recently deceased, with limbs and head dangling.  Finally, with the bottom portrait, I went with it.

Figure In Blue; Face In Blue

Drawn from life, this afternoon.

Mixed media (oil pastel on oil paint) paintings on 12" x 16" canvas.

About these paintings:

I love the impact the blues make against the dark background in the top painting.

I also am thrilled that I've figured out a way to oil paint and still take advantage of the meetup sessions, where oil paint and stinky stuff are forbidden.

This model is as close to an artist's fantasy as can be: able to hold difficult positions for 20 minutes at a time.

I've made some changes to both paintings.  These are the most recent versions.