Yesterday my daughter was so enthusiastic about a new book she was reading, “Number the Stars” by Lois Lowry that she started reading a chapter aloud to me. It occurred to me (by chapter 3) that this was a great time to paint her! Tonight I finished my second session painting her and she just finished reading chapter 7. Her head moves from side to side a little, but hopefully I’ll correct some of the drawing at the next sitting. We still have eight chapters to go — then I hope she will get hooked on another book! It’s great painting a model from life. I haven’t had practice doing that in ages.

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The top of the bottle is proving to be a challenge; although, I think I’m making progress. I’m trying not to work on this part of the painting too much, but inevitably some changes are going to be made.

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I had a wonderful time at the Conception Tribeca II art show last Wednesday. There was a great turnout! I had four pieces on display. Thanks to Mike Wolf and Rachel Wilkins for organizing such a successful event.

Much like the first Conception show in late 2011, Conception Tribeca II exceeded all expectations! Huge numbers came to experience, celebrate, and purchase the work of some of the best emerging artists in the New York City Scene! -Conception Events

Giving Birth to Underground Art in Tribeca: Conception II (how is it possible that I have missed the group photo twice?)

CONCEPTION TRIBECA II – ART EVENT Artefuse.com New York

22 Warren Street
New York, NY
Jan. 25, 2011
Reception: 6pm-12am

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The Salmagundi Club is hosting a Draw-a-thon tonight, January 6-7 from 9pm to 7am. What an exciting event…I can’t wait!

About The Salmagundi Club

The Club owns a collection of over 1,500 works of art spanning its 140 year history and has a membership of nearly 850 artists and patrons. Its members have included important American artists such as Thomas Moran, William Merritt Chase, Louis Comfort Tiffany, N.C. Wyeth and Childe Hassam. Today the Club builds on this legacy by providing a center for the resurgence of representational art in America.

Ten Hours of drawing , demos, music, pool, cash bar, pizza and more!
Draw all night and stay for breakfast in the morning. Hosted by the Junior Scholarship Members of the Salmagundi Club. Bring your own materials. Featuring demonstrations by, David Kassan, Leah Lopez & Seth Ruggles Hiler. Entry $20.

Drawing: All Night – bring your own materials! Models in assorted long and short poses, with and without costumes. Still Life setup until 3am. Easels are limited so feel free to bring your own.

Demos: 9pm, David Kassan with a portrait, followed by Leah Lopez with an interior scene, and rounded up by Seth Ruggles Hiler with an oversized portrait.

Monotypes: 9pm – 12am

Pool tables after midnight

Munchies and coffee all night long, with a cash bar available.

Please note that participation in each area will be limited according to available space and safety. Email scny.draw.a.thon@gmail.com for more information.

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I think Richard Schmid is right when he cautions about overworking a painting. I probably should have left this painting the way it was a few versions ago. After hearing feedback that my first version was better, I tried to recreate the earlier look. I defined where the table met the wall and loosened up the painting of the ribbon. But after more feedback, I decided to get rid of that harsh line of the table. This painting does look better in person. Sometimes the camera makes a painting look better because it adds contrast and saturation, but in this case, it really flattens out the red color. Despite the way the painting looks on screen, in person the ribbon is painted with clean, loose brush strokes that almost jump out at you.

I don’t want to overwork this. In the painting you can see more brush strokes and color variation than in the photo. The photo flattened the tones/colors in the ribbon quite a bit. I hope to post a better photo at some point.

I wanted to start a still life tonight; while I was rummaging through an old box looking for something to paint, I found this angel figurine which was given to me as a gift when I was in high school. For just a nondescript wooden object I always feel like it has a strong presence. I immediately felt ready to paint!

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“Three Grand Prize Winners will be selected to exhibit with ACOPAL’s Members and Honorary Members at the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio and the additional opportunity to exhibit at the World Art Museum in Beijing, China in ACOPAL’s Inaugural Exhibition of Contemporary American Realism. Winners will automatically gain acceptance as members in ACOPAL and their work will featured on the ACOPAL website and included in the full color catalog from the Butler Exhibit.”

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it still needs a little work…

It’s almost done…

This morning I tried to resolve my unfinished chess painting, but I put it aside to start this new one. Perspective always is a challenge for me, but once I started to measure the proportions, the painting began to fall into place. I look forward to finishing this up tomorrow.

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Passport to the Arts is a celebration of the New York art scene – a self-guided gallery walk through premier art destinations in Chelsea and Soho. Guests are given a special passport, which is stamped with artist-created designs to mark each stop on the gallery tour. The day culminates in a gala cocktail party and silent auction benefiting a local charity, where guests are given the opportunity to bid on original pieces of art.

The New Yorker’s Passport to the Arts was a neat event that we stumbled upon.

This is a list of participating galleries:
Andrew Edlin Gallery, Animazing Gallery, Aperture Foundation, Betty Cuningham Gallery, ClampArt, D’Amelio Terras, Danziger Gallery, David Zwirner, Derek Eller Gallery, EILEEN FISHER Retail Store, Jack Shainman Gallery, James Cohan Gallery, Mixed Greens, Monya Rowe Gallery, Peter Blum SoHo, Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, Susan Inglett, Zach Feuer Gallery, and ZieherSmith

Although we only toured one gallery involved, we had a wonderful time at the gala cocktail party! Here are some photos from the event.

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Julio Reyes’ solo show opened at Arcadia Gallery in Soho yesterday. The show was breathtaking. The photos I took don’t do his work justice, so if you can’t visit the gallery in person you can view his work in the Arcadia Online Gallery.

Julio’s most poignant paintings portray a figure in slightly industrial landscapes. In “Headwinds” a woman stands in a vast landscape divided by a barbed-wire fence. The woman’s delicate hands cling to the metal fence that separates her from something that the viewer can’t see. The painting is appropriately titled, because the fence is preventing her from moving forward. What is remarkable is that you can almost feel the chill in the air and the warmth of the sun. Not only is his work skillfully painted, but it also evokes deep pathos.

This was a quick still life I worked on yesterday and a little bit today. Once this dries, I might make a few adjustments.

Here are some photos of the progression.

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Matthew Almy in his studio

Matthew’s work is very impressive. He works on a grand scale, so the figures are life-size. In addition to working from models, he flawlessly invents the landscapes and surroundings from his imagination. Every element is painted with such rich color and texture that I could easily become entranced in only a small portion for minutes. Below is a detail of a painting that he is currently working on.

Not only does Matthew paint beautifully, but I was also amazed by the wealth of knowledge he has ranging from the chemistry of painting mediums to the craft of constructing high-quality frames. This is a frame he is building.

Magdalena Almy in front of her paintings

Magdalena’s work shows a deep understanding of light and color. She works with a minimal palette, using colors carefully and methodically to produce paintings that capture the subtle beauty in life. Her work has a mystical quality that is prominent in her figurative paintings. Below are two masterly paintings that she had in her studio.

In addition to the beautiful artwork, Magdalena’s studio was full of visual inspiration. Every corner of the room resembled the studio space of 18th century artists. This is a slide show of the mysterious ambiance at their atelier.



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Students begin their study reproducing in pencil the lithographs of 19th century artist Charles Bargue. These drawings, commissioned by the master painter and teacher Jean-Léon Gérôme, once served as a visual aid for beginning students. Their detailed reconstruction allows the inexperienced eye to observe successful ways of processing and simplifying complex forms. At this point new methods are introduced allowing for greater proficiency in executing these challenging exercises. Having produced several accurate copies, students advance to the next level.

Moving from a flat image to a three-dimensional object, students begin to draw plaster casts of antiquity with charcoal on white paper. This next crucial step allows for a deeper analysis of methods discussed in the previous stage. Strong focus is placed upon a convincing impression of light, air, depth and texture. This exercise often takes months to master. The finished product should attain an illusion of reality indistinguishable from the subject itself as seen from a distance.
Ravenswood Atelier: Curriculum

Visiting the Ravenswood Atelier was an inspiring experience. Matthew and Magdalena imparted so much in-depth knowledge in my impromptu visit, and I enjoyed engaging conversations that delved into the fundamentals of painting. I’m eager to read books that Matthew recommended and try the high-quality products he suggested. My brief visit to their their Atelier has left me with the desire to improve my work habits and strive for time-tested quality.

This painting is probably as done as it’ll ever be…

This is the latest painting I’ve been working on. It’s almost done, but I still need to resolve a few issues.

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Voting for the Saatchi Drawing Showdown begins today at noon. This should be an interesting showdown since the work entered ranges from sketches to fully-rendered pieces. I entered the foot sketch that I did recently. I am curious to see how it does since it is just a study. In the past I have entered fully resolved paintings, but I don’t have much in the way of completed drawings. Good luck to everyone participating!

MEET THE JUDGES FOR DRAWING SHOWDOWN FALL 2011

This is my entry:

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I recommend attending the Gowanus Ballroom — Paint Works exhibition if you are in the New York area. The Gowanus Ballroom is located off of the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn. It was once a steel mill, but now hosts exhibitions of local artists. These photos were from the September 16th opening, but if you missed it you can experience all the excitement tonight (Sept. 23rd). Not only is the artwork interesting, but the entertainment is also worth seeing. The show features fire breathers, silk aerialists, and live bands.

The exhibiting artist are: daniel Baltzer, Ben Fenske, Robyn Frank, Michael Gormley, Peter Halasz, Jane Hamill, James Herbert, Caitlin Hurd, Michael Kagan, Kristin Künc, Oh Joon Kwon, Allison Maletz, Hyeseung Marriage-Song, Alyssa Monks, Alexandra Pacula, David Pettibone, Jennifer Presant, Matthew William Robinson, Bennett Vadnais, Jovan Karlo Villalba, Melanie Vote, Patricia Watwood, Aaron Yamada-Hanff, and Rob Zeller.

The complete list of featured artists can be found on the Gowanus Ballroom website.

The show features two paintings by Alyssa Monks; Kiss and Stroke. I took a photo of the Kiss shown below, as well as a detail. This is a good chance to see one of her painting close up.

Kiss, oil on linen

This is an amazing show, and a great chance to socialize with talented, local artists.

Photo credit: Charis J. Carmichael Braun (last 4 photos in gallery)

Friday–9/23
Doors open at 6pm. $5 donation after 8pm.

Bands:
Pendulum Swings
Jenny Luna

Aerialist Seanna Sharpe, whose last public appearance earned her jail time for her performance off the Williamsburg Bridge

Fire performer Flambeaux with Lady C, power pin-up queen Veronica Varlow, and others

Saturday–9/24
Doors open at 6pm. $5 donation after 8pm.

Bands:
Sullied Accolades

Encore performance by aerialist Seanna Sharpe

Fire performer Flambeaux with Lady C, power pin-up queen Veronica Varlow, and others

GOWANUS BALLROOM
55 9th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215
*Take the F/G train to Carroll Street and walk down to 9th Street and make a left. Or take the R to 4th and 9th Street and walk down 9th and make a right. Map attached.*

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 Join us on Wednesday October 26th at 6pm for an evening of sensory pleasure in the heart of NYCs TriBeCa neighborhood.

Meet and greet with 21 of New York Cities most exciting emerging artists showcasing original works and prints all available for purchase during the evening.

An exclusive fashion show featuring the designs of Pumla Ngxekana and jewelery art by Anastasia Savenko.

Musical entertainment throughout the evening by The Hampton Bros, Mr.Tough and Kids with Guns PLUS special guests.

Cocktail and drink specials throughout the evening.

Conception TriBeCa
Wednesday, October 26 · 6:00pm – 11:00pm
22 Warren Street
New York, New York

ARTISTS LINE UP:

JACK APPLEGATE, COLLEEN BLACKARD, ZOFIA BOGUSZ, DANI WILBERT, STEPHANIE DESHPANDE, ERIN DINAN, MICHAEL FACINI,JONATHAN FRITZ,FRANCIS LEGGE, MONIQUE LIGONS, JAMIE MARTINEZ, EDWARD PIERTROWSKI, KA-SON REEVES, NATHAN & NOAH RICE, CHRIS VARTHALAMIS, HARLAN VAUGHN, TRACY VON BECKER, WILLIAM WACKER, TIMOTHY WEARNE, RACHEL WILKINS, MIKE WOLF

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Last night, David Jon Kassan held a free iPad painting demonstration at the The Art Students League of New York. Although there were several great art events taking place at the same time, having the opportunity to see David paint in person seemed too good to pass up! When I arrived, the audience was listening intently and watching with awe as he explained his process.

I was only able to slip in during the last hour of the presentation; however, I was still able observe how he uses the iPad to select colors and paint with layered, semi-transparent strokes. I have never painted using the iPad, so I was amazed by how the software could pick up the delicate touch of a brush and convert it to paint-like brushstrokes on screen.

What interested me the most was seeing how he approached the drawing. I was fortunate to see him build up the form of the eye. He explained that understanding what you see helps you paint it, and he described the way he would look for simple forms and determine how they relate to one another. In the detail of the painting that was projected on a screen at the front of the classroom (fig.1), you could see the clear shadows that surround the eye and the warm reflected light cast below the browbone. He also mentioned that he doesn’t focus on drawing the iris, but instead lets it emerge as he paints in the surrounding forms.

(fig.1)

I highly recommend taking a class with David if you have the opportunity. He is a very talented painter with wealth of knowledge to pass on.

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Work featured in photo gallery:
Sherman’s Dragon, Acrylic by Myke Maldonado
Journeyman, Acrylic, 30″ x 40″ by Ka-Son Reeves
Candy Land, Oils, 36″ x 48″ by John Kolbeck & Michael Parsons
Underbelly of Venus, Oil on Wood, 18″ x 24″ by Mike Wolf
A Very Modern Olympia, Oil, 36″x48″ by John Kolbeck

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I would say it’s done…time to move on to new paintings!

This photograph looks darker than the actual painting. I’m not going to work on the face anymore, but the dress, arm, and hands still need to be perfected.

It’s getting there…. I might try to warm up the background a little.

I started a new painting today. I would love to just work on it until it’s done, but I had to force myself to stop.

http://stephanieparenti.com/blog/

My new studio. It’s cozy.

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I think the painting looks a little better than in the photo. uggh….no matter what I do, I always seem to like a previous version better. That’s the problem with photographing one’s work at different stages.

hmmm….I like the freshness of the previous version better. If I try to get that back will I overwork it?

I’m still working on it. I discovered that using a flat brush makes painting sharp edges much easier. I’m not sure why I never used them before.

Stage two.

I started this small, oil sketch tonight. I used Gamblin’s Fastmatte colors for the underpainting. I’ve only just started trying them out, so I’m curious to see how the painting progresses. So far so good!

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I worked on this lovely sketch of my foot tonight…

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“To succeed you must first improve, to improve you must first practice, to practice you must first learn, and to learn you must first fail.” – Wesley Woo

Obstacles. What is it that really prevents us from doing what we want? It’s probably not the obstacles at all but our attitude towards them. It’s how we face these obstacles that define who we are and what our art looks like.

When I look at an artist’s work, I can clearly see his/her decisions at play. There is always a pull between observation vs. imagination, and it’s this balance which determines how realistic or imaginative a painting looks. What is artist willing to sacrifice to achieve his/her artistic vision? If you are a representational artist, you will confront these decisions every day.

By painting exclusively from life, your painting will look convincing, but may lack drama; and by painting from imagination, your painting will look less realistic. At one end of the spectrum we have an artist like Jacob Collins, who primarily paints from life; Odd Nerdrum uses a combination of models and his imagination which makes his work more imaginative and metaphorical; and Eric Fischl uses photography which frees his imagery, but gives his work a less traditional feel. Will Cotton goes through a tremendous amount of effort to create his images; he works from life, using models and even baking large-scale candy creations.

How much effort are you willing to invest to achieve your vision?

I often think about how I confront my limitations. I use my daughter and family as models because of convenience. I use photos because I don’t want to rely on others. If I didn’t limit myself, I would hire models to create more literal paintings; instead, I look for metaphors within every day scenes. I admire more imaginative painting, but I find myself only wanting to paint what I see around me. The question is whether you are content or merely complacent with your process. Do you see ways to improve your procedures? If you are not attaining the desired effect in your work, what can you do differently to achieve it?

It is the obstacles that define who we are and what is important to us. But, if we are too afraid to fail and take risks, then we will not be able to succeed at reaching our fullest potential. This is as true in life as it is in art.

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Marlborough Chelsea
545 W. 25th Street
New York, NY 10001

Sink, 2010
Oil on paper on prepared board
48 x 64 1/2 inches

Vincent Desiderio, one of my favorite professors from NYAA, is going to have an exhibition at Marlborough Gallery Sept. 15th, 2001 through October 15th.

“The Directors of Marlborough Chelsea are pleased to announce an exhibition of new work by Vincent Desiderio. Featuring eighteen new paintings in oil and mixed media, this will be Desiderio’s seventh exhibition with Marlborough Gallery. The show will open with a reception from six to eight in the evening on Thursday, September 15, 2011, and will be on view through October 15 at 545 W. 25th Street. Vincent Desiderio’s new work revels in the uninhibited toughness of paint. He exploits this toughness to underscore the absolute presence of the work in all its unapologetic materiality. As such this work demonstrates the unique capacity of painting to anchor the viewer in a tangible present tense of viewing, while inducing a trance of speculation regarding, among other things, the nature of illusion.”

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Come August I usually sketch the vegetables from my garden.

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The Practice & Science of Drawing by Harold Speed

This is another nice drawing from the book.

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When questioned by prosecutors about his sales and deposits, Odd Nerdrum replied, “I’m not so good with numbers. Do you know much about Venetian turpentine? No, but I don’t expect that either.” www.newsinenglish.no

By now, we are all generally aware of Odd Nerdrum’s two-year prison sentence, but there are still so many questions that remain. We read the news, but conflicting reports have not been rectified. Why is Nerdrum receiving such a harsh sentence when he supposedly repaid his taxes? By his wife’s account, he has tried to cooperate. It seems clear to me that Nerdrum does not want to focus on accounting and hired a lawyer to advise him on tax and legal matters. What proof do the prosecutors have that reveal Nerdrum intentionally hid money? Odd Nerdrum is a victim caught in the midst of a conflict he doesn’t want to be involved in. By all accounts he is a generous man. (read more from Art Babel) He opens his home to many students free of charge and lives a simple lifestyle painting and teaching. To specialize in art to the degree that Nerdrum has, one must rely and trust others to handle complex finances. It’s tragic that the need to specialize can also lead to one’s downfall.

I urge you to sign the petition to free Odd Nerdrum.

“We the people, we the artists, are in unity against the unfair treatment of the artist, Odd Nerdrum by the Norwegian Government for Tax evasion. Odd Nerdrum is an International treasure, some even say a savior of the art world. He is a man of integrity and a stand against what many see as the essential emptiness of modern art and life. Too put a man of his age away in a prison cell for some dubious tax claims is unjust and unfair and a crime in itself. Odd Nerdrum is more than an artist, he is a symbol of pure individualism and that, in itself, is the highest hope for art and man. To put such a symbol away into some jail is a shame to humanity and a shame to art and a shame to Norway as a country. People commit serious violent crimes every day in the world and receive lighter or no sentences. As a whole, we the people stand united in defense of this international treasure and genius and we pray that he is treated with justice. To mistreat this man is to mistreat the soul of your own country and the soul of every artist and human.” statement from the petition

I am touched by Nerdrum’s wife’s blog entry below.

War Report 16.08.2011 by Turid Spildo

“I am flaking. Small scraps of skin are falling off around my mouth and down my neck. What could it be this time. The last time my skin flaked, there were some economic advisors that scared me. They just made me more confused, gave bad advice and sent the bill afterwards. This was a few years ago. We were buying a house in a foreign land we did not know. We are still struggling with the complicated system the economic advisors devised. After large bills and some random small bills we rid ourselves of the leeches and my skin stopped flaking.
Now I am flaking again!
Could it be that I am shedding skin like the snake? I am in the midst of my forties, in the so-called menopause. Changes are, apparently, to be expected. In addition it is the middle of March. Menopause and March. Two big changes.
Last evening I took a glass of wine in the bar and looked at the papers. Then I went to the room for a rather early night. I lie half-awake and look around, and I register that I am not at home.
The phone rings.
My husband has listened to the morning news in old Norway. The radio says that 14 million kroner (2.6 million US dollars) and 50 øre (10 cents) have disappeared. The tax authorities cannot find the money. Trial in 4 months.
I am glad the music recording last week was not disturbed by such shocks. Now I am meeting with the accountant. My thoughts are about numbers. Then, afterwards, it is homeward on a plane.
Back home again, we will, together with the lawyer, find out of this. We knew beforehand that the deposit was fine. (The district attorney’s fantasies about the repayment came as a surprise during the trial).
But no.
They don’t want conversation.
They want performance.
If a society has too much bread, and bullfighting and cockfights have been outlawed, well then society demands a performance with humans in the arena. The individualist should be hunted down psychologically. Now it is time for middle-aged men. Okay.
But back to the remaining 14 million. We ask the lawyer. He prattles. We try to understand the thick manuscript from the police, but give up. We look at the last pages and try again to understand, but no. It is not possible. Two lawyers work for us. One of them and I, go to Iceland together. Hunting.
We have a meeting with an accountant who promises to send the papers within 10 days. It is just 5 weeks until the trial. The Accused has given me the task of finding out where in the account books the missing amount is, or should have been.
In hindsight we have understood that our lawyer believed more in the prosecuting authorities than in us. Maybe he thought that the Taxpayer put the millions in his pocket and went to a nightclub while I sat at home with 4 little children. The lawyer will of course spare me from this knowledge as long as possible. I am the Virgin Mary who is married to Death. Thinks the lawyer. Virgins must be saved. I can get no information out of him.
Ten days pass. Most Icelanders saddle on one day and ride the next. That is if they don’t have the devil at their heels. And they don’t. We do! We are in a panic and we are practically phone-terrorizing the lawyers. We want to know now!
Then it arrives.
Several checks were cashed in a Norwegian bank, but they have not been reported for taxation.
“When?” we ask.
The lawyer needs some time to investigate this.
Is this possible? Even as late as the 90’ one did not withdraw such large amounts of cash in a Norwegian bank. My husband is wondering if he has been a Mr. Hyde without knowing. But he is certain that everything was deposited in the account.
The same evening Taxpayer steps on the dog as he crosses the kitchen floor. The dog had come between the robe and the feet in the hopes that a piece of food might fall to the floor. Cosette screams. I scream because the dog screams. We all stand there, fear struck and staring at each other.
The next morning we go to New York. It is June and the first year without a bonfire on St. Hans (Midsummer’s Eve). Our 14 yearlong tradition is broken. The yearly workshop in New York the day before Midsummer makes it impossible to return home in time. The youngest of the children is certain that we will never celebrate St. Hans again.
Two travel-days and two workshop-days in the city above all cities. The whole time 14 millions float like butterflies in front of the eyes of us both. Back home again we receive news of the dates when the checks were registered. We go to our papers and find the amounts on our bank statements. Everything is there. We then send this to both our lawyers, with the message that all the money that goes into a Norwegian bank is automatically reported and registered as income by both an accountant and tax authorities.
Boom!
The missing amounts are found.
Found??
They have never been missing!
Why did the tax authorities and the police add to these amounts?

We live in a time where everything is open. Any one can write what he or she wants. Blog or homepage. It is even free. But it is difficult to get articles published in newspapers. The young know nothing of this, because in their lifetime it has always been this way. But someone in the middle of their forties or more, has experienced that it was once easy to get an article in print in a major newspaper, as long as it was written intelligently. Books are almost impossible to get published now, unless they are about crime or food.
But the word is free…
I can blog…
Then my blog can be shut down. The homepage too.
And the Facebook profile…
Then I don’t exist any more.
Maybe you will not find my blog the next time you try…

The trial is set to August 2. The court is still on vacation as are most people at that time. Oslo and Norway were attacked 10 days before the trial began. It was a political attack that killed about 80 people. The country is in an uproar. The highest authorities give orders about democracy and openness. But many know that now is the time to keep quiet. It is silent on the streets this morning. But the journalists need new material and they are ready at the courthouse.
The Accused should state his full name and his income for last year.
The Prosecutor and the Defense Attorney grill the Accused, each in their own turn.
The same speeches over and over, like a carousel. 450 000 dollars sit upon a horse while 325 000 dollars are pushed around by the dolphin. The carousel turns all day. Witnesses come in and go out. The judge wants a break, the carousel stops for a moment. The Prosecutor, with her piercing in her left eyebrow, allows herself to be interviewed and photographed in the lunch break.
Then it begins again.
The journalists are sitting front row on the pillow-covered benches with their PCs in their laps. They write an article, which is published immediately. The next day it is quiet on the steps up to the courthouse. The dogs have been fed.
I sit down at the back of the room on the hard church bench (without pillows) together with our sons. The Accused is sketching. Several good ideas are noted and drawn while the carousel goes round and round.
At the time when the first news arrived of a destroyed painting, Taxpayer was distressed, the kind of distress you feel when you hear the burglar on the ground floor is on his way up the stairs. But when news arrived of the second and third painting, he laid prostrate and stayed in his bed for three whole days. He lay there and realized that 10 year’s production would be lost, slowly but surely. He lay there and understood why. The mastic that he and his students had experimented with was not good. Later, he realized that the mastic probably was from young trees and not from old trees like it always had been before… Because of this the resin triggers a meltdown …
When the Accused rose on the third day, he had decided to re-paint all the paintings from this decade. Without the mastic of course. I imagine he threw all the mastic in the trash that night. I remember a student a few years later who was curious about this oil mix. Odd paled and told him that he should never ask about that again nor should he ever think about it again.
The tax department’s interest in us was based on the fact that there were 2 editions of some paintings. This authority, an authority that is supposed to help the citizens, thought that Odd had painted the pictures a second time in order to make money. They thought he was a crook.
We return to the carousel.
The horse passes with his numbers, sometimes in dollars, sometimes in kroner. Then the dolphin comes with the number 325 000 dollars on his back. The Prosecutor thinks that this amount has been far down in Europe on its travels, in an illegal bank. The dolphin is ashamed.
The Dolphin’s visit to Luxemburg was an illegal visit, claims the Prosecutor. The judge’s remark that the bank was Icelandic the prosecutor must accept. Still the Prosecutor dragged up Luxemburg again and again. Luxemburg is now on the carousel and sits on a pig that is round and merry.
And then we have the bank box. The bank box, the bank box.
The carousel goes round and round. The bank box sits on the lap of a pirate who is grinning.
Then a dry little human from the tax office appears. She tells of questions that were sent to the Taxpayer years, and years ago. They received a reply, but they still sent more questions. This might bring to mind the king who wanted to give away the princess and half the kingdom to the one who managed to get water at the world’s end. But as soon as the boy managed his task, the king came up with more tasks.
Then a special auditor arrives. He has probably used half a work year to examine the Accused’s activities in spooky foreign lands. He seems like he is impressed by the speeches presented by the carousel. Maybe he is a lover of painting. Maybe he buys paintings on the sly.
…
He talks for a long time. But when he finally says that no irregularities were found, the prosecutor interrupts and wants a brake.
Witnesses arrive and tell of paintings, from a 10-year period, which dissolved and were destroyed. Owners demanded recompense either in the form of pictures or money. In a small country with poor systems for that kind of problem, an employer from a bigger country must step in.
A deposit is the solution.
The prosecutor delivers her long closing statement and suggests 2 years imprisonment.
We go 4 months back in time:
The week after the 14 million and 50 øre were on the morning news in old Norway, our children were met with peering eyes and direct questions.
One of our children said to his classmate:
“No, that’s not right. It is they who owe us money.”
In December last year a large bill arrived from the tax authorities and it had to be paid within 10 days. If we did not pay they would take collateral in property and in addition a 9% interest.
Then it turned out that the millions were “found” and reported to the tax authorities and the tax was paid.
In other words it is the government that owes us money…
We have paid double tax, that is, we have paid 100% for a very large amount…
If the Prosecutor has it her way, the Accused can never go to the USA to teach and have workshops. Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA)…The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA)…New York Academy of Art…The USA denies entry to all prior convicts.
So there might by a St. Hans celebration next year after all. But it will never be the same.”

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John Singer Sargent (1856-1925)
Mrs. George Swinton (Elizabeth Ebsworth)
1897
Oil On Canvas

“Mrs. George Swinton epitomizes the painterly virtuosity that made John Singer Sargent one of the most favored portraitists of fashionable Europeans and Americans in the late 19th century. Extravagant color and brushwork were central to Sargent’s success, as was his ability to present and image of his sitter that adhered to social standards. In Elizabeth “Elsie” Swinton’s case, he accentuated her regal bearing and feminine dress. She was also known for her musical talents; at the time her portrait was executed, she was recognized as an amateur singer and later began performing prfessionally, Swinton’s pose indicates both the poise of a performer and the countenance of a fashionable, worldly woman.” The Art Institute of Chicago

This hand and arm is painted so beautifully. I like how the arm is cooler than the hand which he paints with more saturated warm colors. The form is very solid and convincing.

Sargent didn’t have the same success with this hand, but as you can see, when you look at the entire painting, this hand falls into place perfectly. What’s amazing about this painting is how through color alone, Sargent suggests the presence and structure of Swinton’s arm under the fabric.

Related posts:

“Panel discussion featuring James Panero, Jacob Collins, Vern Swanson and Alexey Steele. Moderated by artist Jeremy Lipking. Held on April 23rd at the Portrait Society of America’s annual competition in Reston, Virginia.”

And this is Part 2 of a 7 Part series.

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hmm….I may have been more happy with the previous version.

This is the latest version. I still need to fix a few things, but it’s almost done.

A detail of the chess pieces….and if I can’t get the perspective right, I can always crop the painting!

I just haven’t had enough time to work on this….

I spent a some time redrawing the box. Next I will try to smooth it out a little better.

Yikes, I really have to measure more carefully when I paint. I knew the perspective is off, but I didn’t realize how off it was. I’m in the process of refining it now.

I’m so happy to be back at the easel and working on a new painting. I really should go back and fix some of the other paintings before I start a new one but….I’ll take care of that later. I know this one doesn’t look like much yet, but I am captivated by the lighting. It will be a challenge.

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A Very “Green” Grey

Every now and then, while reading up on paints I would notice a “torrit grey” joke or comment. Now, I have used Payne’s grey, but I hadn’t heard of Torrit Grey. Tonight, I noticed a link on the Gablin website called “Torrit Grey” — I was intrigued. I found out the mystery behind the color:

“Every spring, Gamblin Artists Colors collects a wealth of pigments from our Torit® Air Filtration system. We filter the air around the areas where we handle dry pigments so that our workers are not exposed to pigment dust. Rather than sending any of our high quality, expensive pigments into the landfill, Gamblin paint makers recycle them into “Gamblin Torrit Grey”.

“Pigment dust should not go into the earth, water or landfill, but into paint,” says Robert Gamblin.

Gamblin Torrit Grey on CopperThe mix of pigments is different every year, so Torrit Grey is always unique and will never be repeated. Torrit Grey tends to have a greenish tinge because of the great strength of the Phthalo Green pigment, which is a dark bluish green. Torrit Grey varies from a medium dove grey to a dark earthy grey.

We are now dating the tubes, so artists can collect them from year to year and enjoy the unique qualities of each edition. Whatever you create with these popular limited edition colors is solely up to you and your imagination.”

Every year, Gamblin holds a Torrit Grey Painting Competition. The deadline for this year has been extended to October 1st, 2011. This is a link to the 2010 competition winners. and you can find the rules and guidelines here.

I can’t wait to see this year’s Torrit Grey paintings!

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John Singer Sargent, American, 1856-1925
Madame Paul Escudier (Louise Lefevre), 1882
Oil on canvas
51 x 36 in.

Below are details of the painting.

“John Singer Sargent painted at least two portraits of Louise Escudier. He may have met her through her husband, a lawyer who sometimes worked on behalf of artists. This picture grew out of a series of freely rendered views of women in darkened interiors that the artist produced in Venice between 1880 and 1882. It combines the Impressionists’ loose brushwork with a heightened charoscuro drawn from Spanish Old Masters such as Diego Velazquez. In susch early paintings, Sargent deliberately undercut traditional portrait conventions, prioritizing dramatic effects of light and dark and the creation of radically asymmetrical, yet balanced compositions over clear depictions of his sitters. These portraits helped to establish Sargent’s reputation in Paris as an exciting and original painter.”

Check back to see other featured paintings from the Art Institute of Chicago.

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Cesar Santos’ painting “Fitting Room” will definitely entice me to see this exhibition. This is one of my favorite paintings of Cesar’s. I just love how beautifully the figure is rendered and how it is offset by the loose, textured surroundings. Such subtle color as well.

Eleanor Ettinger Gallery

57TH STREET
24 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
TEL: 212.925.7474

CHELSEA
511 West 25th Street
New York, NY 10001
TEL: 212.925.7686

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So, I think I’m approaching this in a better way now.

I’m still working on this. Unfortunately, it’s going through a rough patch right now.

I started another self portrait today. My eyes look a little odd at this point. The painting didn’t get off to the best start, since it fell on my palette (twice). : /

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Painting fresh flowers is a lot harder than I imagined. Inspired by Klein’s beautiful painting, I wanted to try it myself. Unfortunately, today I just could not pull it off. I picked some flowers from the garden, but they seemed a little too bright. I simply could not arrange them that well, but decided to start painting anyway. After fussing for a while with the lighting around the flowers, I realized that the composition had changed drastically — the flower petals had drooped under the hot spotlight. I ended up wiping down my canvas to save it for another painting. All is not lost, though; it was good practice.

I had a great time last night at the opening of “Flora Abunda” at Arcadia Gallery in Soho, NY. Every piece in the show was breathtaking. I enjoyed meeting some of the artists in person as well. Ann Marshall is a local artist newly represented by Arcadia; read more about her amazing art here. Brad Kunkle, a Brooklyn artist, had his painting “The Crown Jewel” on display. It was nice to see his work in person. I was surprised by what fine brush strokes he used to paint her face.

Brad Kunkle, “The Crown Jewel”

I fell in love with Michael Klein’s painting, “Purple and White” below:

This a detail of the painting:

Paul Raymond Seaton also had a very beautiful painting featured in the show. I was impressed by the delicate manner he painted the flowers.

Paul Raymond Seaton, “Yellow Roses in a Chinese Vase”

Details of the rose and vase:

If you are in Soho, I would highly recommend stopping by the gallery to see the exhibition in person!

Arcadia Gallery
51 Greene Street
New York, NY 10013-2690
(212) 965-1387
Open Weekdays 10am-6pm; Weekends 11am-6pm

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This looks like a great show! Don’t miss the opening tomorrow from 6-8pm!

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Last night’s opening at Flowers Gallery in Chelsea was an enjoyable event. By 7pm the gallery was filled to capacity with artists and art-lovers who were viewing the work and reconnecting with friends. The show featured work by over 50 artists chosen by jurors Matthew Flowers, Carter Foster, and Julie Heffernan. Although all the work was created by NYAA academy alumni who study the traditions of academic art, the work was surprisingly abstract, taking many design elements from modernism. The show was comprised of several light and airy works as well as pieces with a thick, built-up paint texture. Michael Owen’s painting entitled “Don’t Tread on Me” was of a garden hose coiled up in the center of a white panel. Another piece entitled “Happy Church” depicted people falling out of a church/person’s ass. A common theme seemed to be the integration of a traditionally rendered figure over an abstract or minimalist ground, as in Alphonso Dunn’s painting “Forced Ripe.” I have to wonder whether this show depicts a trend among the 500 works submitted or if the jurors favored work with this aesthetic. All-in-all the show was a cohesive display of what figurative-modern fusion looks like.

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“This highly anticipated group show brings together a wide range of new work by more than 50 established and emerging talents. Comprised of paintings, drawings, limited-edition prints and sculpture, the chosen works will be selected from over 500 submissions by jurors Matthew Flowers, Carter Foster and Julie Heffernan.”

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There seems to be a lot of nice work in this showdown.
View the top Top 300 finalists

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“Do you love visual art? Do you know someone who loves visual art? Stuck in your office or home and can’t get to a gallery or museum for some proper nourishment? We bring the feast to you. Feast is Free. Feast is independent from any one Museum, Gallery, Artist or Organization. Feast is it’s own beast.

We assemble paintings, drawings, and other artist-made visual images into a Viral Group Art Exhibition and release it into the universe in the hope it will catch your eye and emotion. Some of the finest artists from around the world have volunteered a piece of their work for some simple reasons; to brighten your day; to steal your breath; to make you smile, laugh or cry; to bring you joy, beauty and wonder. To celebrate life. Not such a bad gift in our world today. We have only one request: please pass this forward and share the Feast.”

Make sure you visit www.feastpaintings.com to learn more about the artists included exhibition and to subscribe to the FEAST RSS feed

This looks like a wonderful event. A very impressive list of figurative artists are involved including: Nerdrum, Collins, Minoff, Shanks, Early, Wight, Monks, Roy, Thompson, and Assael. Not only can you register for the entire weekend of classes, but you can also choose to register separately for the evening events.

“Weekend With the Masters Intensive: New York City is brought to you by the creative team behind the acclaimed Weekend With the Masters Workshop & Conference. The intensive, specialized educational experience will offer the same high level of talent and inspirational programming for which Weekend With the Masters is known. Set in the culturally rich epicenter of New York City, Weekend With the Masters Intensive is designed according to a track system. Students select a specific block of study of similar subject matter, media, and style led by a group of New York-area artists.”

Special Evening Events:

WEDNESDAY, 6/22, WELCOME TO WWM NYC RECEPTION
(5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.)
Location: Salmagundi Club | 47 Fifth Ave. | New York, NY 10003 | 212-255-7740 | www.salmagundi.org

To kickoff the Weekend With the Masters Intensive: New York City event, American Artist and the Salmagundi Club will co-host an opening reception for instructors, participants, local artists, and staff. Opening remarks will include information about the upcoming days of workshops, demos, and special presentations, and halfway through the reception a Lifetime Achievement in Education award will be presented to Ira Goldberg, the executive director of The Art Students League of New York, for his longstanding commitment and dedication to educating artists of the greater New York area.
Individual session price: $50

THURSDAY, 6/23, NELSON SHANKS PORTRAIT DEMONSTRATION & SALE
(7:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.)
Location: National Arts Club |15 Gramercy Park South | New York, NY 10003 | 212-475-3424 | www.nationalartsclub.org

Leading portrait painter and legendary instructor Nelson Shanks (founder and director of Studio Incamminati, in Philadelphia) will be conducting a portrait demonstration at the National Arts Club of NAC’s acting president Dianne Bernhard. A portion of the proceeds from door sales and from the portrait sale (from a predetermined buyer) will be going to the Artists Fellowship.
Individual session price: $50

FRIDAY, 6/24, METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART TOUR
(6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.)
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art | 1000 Fifth Ave. at 82nd St. | New York, NY 10028 | 212-535-7710 | www.metmuseum.org

Ted Schmidt, the head of the drawing department at the New York Academy of Art and an expert on the history of painting techniques, will lead a tour of the masterworks of The Metropolitan Museum Art for a group of around 30 participants. Space is limited, so sign up soon to secure your seat. (For those WWM NYC participants who wish not to participate in this tour, Friday night is free for you to explore the city, get together with other participants and artists, take in a show or gallery visit, or simply rest!) *Please note there is a $30 admittance fee ($20 museum rate, $10 tour fee) associated with this event

SATURDAY, 6/25, CLOSING RECEPTION AT ARCADIA FINE ARTS
(6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.)
Location: Arcadia Fine Arts | 51 Greene St. | New York, NY 10013 | 212-965-1387 | www.arcadiafinearts.com

On the last official evening of Weekend With the Masters Intensive: New York City, Arcadia Fine Arts and American Artist will co-host a closing reception for instructors, participants, local artists, and staff at their gallery space in SoHo. Arcadia Fine Arts is one of the leading New York City galleries representing some of today’s top talent in contemporary realist art, including Jeremy Lipking, Ron Hicks, Rob Liberace, Michael Klein, Malcolm Liepke, and more. Attendees will be able to view work from these and other artists during this exciting reception. Individual session price: $50

The Standard Master-Participant Tuition for 3 ½ days of instruction and special evening events is $1,495.

Here is a link to all the information:
Weekend with the Masters Intensive: New York City

Why am I voting for so many abstract paintings?!

For as long as I can remember, I have loved realism more than abstraction. I can appreciate the concepts of abstract art, but I have always preferred to see some sort of narrative. At one point, while taking a ceramics class I realized that I even liked pottery decorated with figures over pottery decorated with designs. However, once I took a class with a professor who clearly favored abstraction, so I decided that I would do my best to try to create abstract work. The painting I did at that time was done in ink (see fig. 1). The viewer might only see black and white streaks, but to me, it is a scene in the woods on a humid night where people, represented only as shadows, are congregating. Streaks of light break through the branches above revealing one dominant figure among the crowd orchestrating something that is about to occur. I don’t know what an objective viewer would see in this painting, but that is what is at the heart of it. I like abstraction because it can tell a story, but one that isn’t explicitly stated.

As I compare the match-ups in the Saatchi Showdown, I try to vote for the piece that is most skillfully painted or drawn; ones that have an emotional impact. I also like the photographs that seem to have a sense of mystery to them. As a viewer, I don’t want to see only pretty designs in abstract art, but ironically, I don’t like figurative paintings unless they are beautifully painted. Does anyone experience any similar realizations when voting in the Saatchi Showdown?

fig. 1

The more I look at this, I wonder if it can actually be considered abstract, or if it is just a pen and ink sketch.

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Holly Bedrosian Because I see beauty in the people and things around me, and every time I pick up a paintbrush or pencil I think, “maybe this time I’ll be able to capture that”.

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This seems like a great resource. In all honesty, I haven’t listened to any of these lectures yet, but I hope to this weekend. I’ll let you know if there are any you shouldn’t miss! I would also love to hear what you think.

“With the New York Academy of Art’s regularly updated lecture podcasts, bring an illustrious line up of faculty, visiting artists, scholars and critics into your studio and listen while you work. Download our podcasts and watch wherever you are.” NYAA Art and Culture

How exciting! The next Saatchi Showdown starts on June 6th at 12pm. I entered the painting above. I hope it does well… Here is a link to the latest submissions.

Related posts:

On Kitsch
by Odd Nerdrum

Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters
by Robert Beverly Hale

The Artist’s Complete Guide to Figure Drawing: A Contemporary Perspective on the Classical Tradition
by Anthony Ryder

Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form
by Eliot Goldfinger

Oil Painting Secrets from a Master
by Linda Cateura

The Complete Oil Painter: The Essential Reference
for Beginners to Professionals by Brian Gorst

Learning to Look: A Handbook for the
Visual Arts by Joshua C. Taylor

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This clip is just a teaser of Jeremy Lipking’s instructional DVD, but I enjoyed finding out a little about the way Jeremy approaches his paintings. As one can see, he has a very deliberate and careful approach. He focuses on the illusion of the earring by simplifying the shapes and colors; only hinting at the delicate form as it recedes. He seems to have an intrinsic ability to paint as the human eye perceives. Where one artist might flatten the image into obvious 2D forms, Jeremy looks as if he is rendering forms in space.

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I need to find a better way to use this! I just had to try it out. Let me know if you have any good ideas.

Here’s an explanation for all those artists out there:

What are QR codes?
“They come to us from Japan where they are very common. QR is short for Quick Response (they can be read quickly by a cell phone). They are used to take a piece of information from a transitory media and put it in to your cell phone. You may soon see QR Codes in a magazine advert, on a billboard, a web page or even on someone’s t-shirt. Once it is in your cell phone, it may give you details about that business (allowing users to search for nearby locations), or details about the person wearing the t-shirt, show you a URL which you can click to see a trailer for a movie, or it may give you a coupon which you can use in a local outlet.

The reason why they are more useful than a standard barcode is that they can store (and digitally present) much more data, including url links, geo coordinates, and text. The other key feature of QR Codes is that instead of requiring a chunky hand-held scanner to scan them, many modern cell phones can scan them. The full Wikipedia description is here.” From searchengineland.com

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“ok, you’re probably gonna laugh your ass off, as well you should, but i’ve been watching bob ross a lately on pbs (it’s very soothing for background noise) and i think i wanna give painting a go. can you recommend what kind of stuff i should get, maybe not so expensive? i know supplies are really expensive and there’s no way to avoid that, but stuff that’s not really the most high-end and pricey. i guess i need an easel? palette? brushes? paint? what kind of paints? oil? i am basically the biggest painting newbie ever. canvas? gesso? i heard one rubs gesso over the canvas to protect the oil paint from touching the canvas and thus avoids deterioration? hahahah. could be way off.” ~anonymous

A friend of mine asked me what painting materials a beginner needs, which has prompted me to outline the bare essentials of painting. From my experience, this is as minimal as you can get.

Where to buy art supplies:
Art supplies can be pricey, but there are three store I have found have a lot of great sales:
Jerry’s Artist Outlet
Utrecht Art
Dick Blick Art Materials

Paints:
I personally like using Gamblin paints. When I first started graduate school I was a lot more thrifty, and I bought mostly Winsor & Newton – Winton brand. My professors would look at me with pity. One professor recommended that I let the paint sit on paper towel before using it to let the fillers seep out. So, I would recommend NOT buying Winton paints because you will struggle to get the rich colors you want. The pigments are simply more dense in professional brands. Instead of using poor-quality paint, you can use a very simple palette. Anders Zorn used a palette consisting of four colors: yellow ochre, cadmium red light, ivory black and white. His painting, “Martha Dana,” shows how beautiful a limited palette can be.

Minimal Palette (the Zorn Palette):
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium Red Light
Flake White Replacement
Payne’s Grey

Expanded Palette:
Ultramarine Blue
Quinacridone Violet
Quinacridone Red
Indian Yellow
Transparent Earth Red
Venetian Red
Burnt Umber

I like the bright synthetic colors because you can use them mixed with medium as a transparent glaze or you can create a bright tint when mixed with white. Once you have mastered the Zorn palette, you can start adding additional colors.

Brushes:
You don’t need a lot of brushes. I find myself really needing only the brushes below; sizes 14, 8, 6, and possibly a fan brush.

Medium:
I use Liquin Original to thin out the paint as well as for glazes. Towards the end of the painting, I start using a Linseed Stand Oil. This helps suspend the pigments and creates a beautiful surface effect.

Turpentine:
Turpenoid Natural (odorless) and a container to rinse brushes

Here is the top view of a brush cleaning tank.

Brush cleaner:
Any soap will do; however, I recommend Jack’s Linseed Studio Soap if you can find it.

Palette:
A glass palette works well. Many people paint the underside of the palette grey so that they can base the tones off of that. However, for a beginner, I would recommend a disposable palette. It saves time; letting you simpily remove the top page instead of scraping or rubbing paint from the surface.

Canvas:
To avoid the complications of stretching your own canvas, you can buy a primed/stretched canvas or linen (which is smoother). I only recently realized how much nicer it is to paint on linen…so much so, that I vowed never to work on canvas again. The only problem is that I still have about four canvases left that I bought on sale. I prefer Fredrick’s canvases over the Windsor & Newton brand which has a very rough surface.

Easel: You don’t need to have an easel right away if you aren’t sure how much painting you’re going to do. You can always just paint at a table, but if you do want an easel, you might want a small french easel. They fold up into a painting box that you can keep supplies in and carry somewhere with you.

I hope this is helpful to any beginners out there. Feel free to submit any questions or tips you might have!

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When I arrived at the ACOPAL Exhibition of Contemporary American Realism, the opening was in full swing. I immediately recognized some of my favorite figurative artists: Cesar Santos, Dan Thompson, Patricia Watwood, David Jon Kassan, and Paul W. McCormack. This was the most impressive collection of contemporary realism that I’ve seen on display in New York. It was truly and inspiration to see. Below is a video of the speech given by Dianne Bernhard, the acting president of The National Arts Club.

Here are some photos from the show.

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Such a beautiful collection of work. I wouldn’t want to miss this opening.

Read about the opening here

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I wanted to pass on this link to Mike Manley’s daily studio Blog, Draw! He writes about a painting workshop he attended that was instructed by Vincent Desiderio. It’s been a long time since my class with Desiderio, so I found it helpful to see his technique again.

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This is an excellent video of Daniel Williams, a student at New York Academy of Art, building an écorché. Very impressive!

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View the Art in Jury Voting

Today was the final day of the preliminary voting where the top 300 out of almost 6,000 entries advanced to the Juried Voting phase. I am happy to say that I made it to the Juried Voting! Throughout the preliminary voting period, my standing would swing from 208 to 368 and anywhere in between. To my horror, this morning my rank had slipped to it’s lowest all week. I was very relieved when it bounced back in the nick of time. Now, out of these 300 the only the top 30 will advance to the final voting.

I looked at the final 300 and quickly selected my personal favorites. I was surprised by how many abstract paintings I loved. There are a lot of additional works that I liked, but these had the most emotional impact.

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FORUM GALLERY PRESENTS
MUÑOZ VERA
APRIL 14 – MAY 28, 2011

Forum Gallery Press Release:

“New York, March 2011 – An exhibition of new work by internationally recognized artist Guillermo Muñoz Vera will be on view at Forum Gallery from April 14 through May 28, 2011. With extraordinary imagination, insightful subtlety, and remarkable precision, The Undiscovered World features 20 new paintings that depict the lives and exploits of early European explorers at the advent of world discovery. A fully illustrated catalogue will accompany the exhibition.

The Undiscovered World represents a monumental achievement for the Chilean-born Muñoz Vera. Taking the viewer back to a time when many of the world’s oceans had yet to be crossed, the artist presents the world of explorers who set out to find new lands. The viewer enters a poetic world of tall ships, maps with uncharted territory, and early navigational tools that shows humanity at its most inquisitive, brave and persevering.

The exhibition title is based on the term Terra Australis Incognita which was employed in ancient Greece to designate unknown territories south of the ancient world. The strength of the human spirit of discovery is celebrated as the depth, passion and achievement of the Old Masters is recalled.

“Guillermo Muñoz Vera epitomizes a mastery of a specific approach to the realistic conception of observed, detailed, precise renditions of people, places, and things…” notes Edward Sullivan, professor of Art History, New York University, writing about Muñoz Vera in an essay that accompanied the artist’s retrospective exhibition in Madrid in 2000.

Muñoz Vera writes that The Undiscovered World “proposes a journey through images that pose an invitation to reinterpret past events, to reread our common history − that chart drafted by the first European sailors on their way to the Mar del Zur which marked the beginning of globalization long before Columbus’s first trip.”

In Passing Through Cape Horn, 2010, and The Tempest, 2010, Muñoz Vera depicts ships at the time of Christopher Columbus in heavy seas and underscores just how overwhelming such journeys could be. A young man looks out at the viewer in The Cartographer, 2010. In his period dress, he is a mapmaker at a time when so many questions about geography were unanswered. Several works, including Colonial Still Life in Araucania, 2010, evoke the explorers’ discovery of mineral deposits and new biological species. From alchemy and astronomy to cartography and naval science, early explorers were immeasurably talented combining the skills of scientists and sailors, as well as artists and writers.

Born in Concepción, Chile, in 1956, Muñoz Vera studied at the Universidad de Chile in Santiago, at which he also taught in the Facultad de Bellas Artes prior to moving to Madrid in 1979, where he lives and works today. The subject of numerous international exhibitions over the years, Madrid’s Centro Cultural de la Villa presented a retrospective on his work in 2000. Recently he was honored with a commission to paint the portrait of Juan Carlos I, King of Spain.

An opening reception for the artist will be held on Thursday, April 14 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Forum Gallery at 730 Fifth Avenue at 57th Street. The entire exhibition can be viewed online at http://forumgallery.com/exhibitions/current-season/.”

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This seems to be my most popular painting, so I entered it into the Saatchi Gallery Showdown 4.

“All entries will be displayed two at a time, where visitors can come and vote by clicking on the one they like most. Your artwork will go up against multiple entries and will be given an equal number of chances to be voted on during the course of the preliminary rounds. As the preliminary rounds progress and entries are whittled down to the highest ranked, Saatchi Online will announce the top 300. At this point, the Showdown Tournament moves into Juried voting, where chosen jurors will determine the 30 finalists who move on to the final voting round.”

Start Voting!

I tried to finish it tonight. I think that’s the hardest part…

I wasn’t able to work on this for a little while, but now I’m back at it again. Hopefully it won’t take too much time to finish it up. The puzzle pieces are a bit daunting, though.

I had trouble focusing tonight, so I didn’t paint too much. I worked on the arms and hands a little. This photograph is a little grainy, but at least there isn’t as much glare.

Here is the painting I started working on today.

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This is a nice video of David A. Leffel.

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Several years ago when I was at Pearl Paint, I ran across the book, Oil Painting Secrets from a Master by Linda Cateura. I remember the inspiration I felt leafing through the pages and the desire to study the techniques, so I impulsively bought the book. In all honesty, I didn’t do more than flip through it before it ended up in my bookshelf only to be rediscovered years later. This time, however, I took the time to carefully read through each page. David A. Leffel’s instruction helped to clarify the process I usually follow instinctively, but not consciously. His clearly-outlined steps guided me, giving me a new sense of confidence in my approach.

Yesterday, I discovered a new artist that I had not heard of before, Qiang Huang. I was instantly impressed by his daily paintings which have the beautiful painterly quality of Sargent, and the remarkable sensibility of none other than David A. Leffel. I was immediately struck and excitedly told my husband that I recognized Leffel’s influence on his work! I was happy to have my hunch confirmed.

As I read more about Qiang Haung, I found him to be quite an inspiration. He works from 9 to 5 and paints in the evening (just as I do, except that I am not a physicist), and he is still able to produce one beautiful painting a day. The article, Qiang Huang: Myth Buster by Brian Riley provides background information on Huang and reveals many of his techniques. Below is an excerpt from the article:

“As the painting began to feel finished, he stepped back and began asking questions that the painting would answer. Huang’s counsel: “Once you get to the final stage, stop looking at your setup altogether, and just relate to your painting alone. The painting is your teacher.” The following queries spilled forth. “Are the reflections believable?” Huang asked. “Are the light effects consistent with the lighting? Maybe a dark accent is needed. Check to ensure against any color appearing too isolated. If there is some discrepancy found there, add a color echo or some background color to bring harmony. Look for design elements that might be repeated. This is your rhythm and melody. Double-check that the center of focus remains the star of the show. The most important thing to know is when to stop.”
Continue Reading

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I was organizing photos of my paintings last night when I found this one. This is a detail of the full piece. What is so odd is that I had completely forgotten about it; in fact, I don’t know what happened to it. I must of given it to relatives when they were visiting and never thought about it again.

“Once immersed in the New York art world as head of “Warhol’s Academy,” I soon realized that there were two camps when it came to art education. The larger group hardly ever thought about it, and when they did, they assumed that young artists all over the country learned traditional painting and drawing skills, then rejected such training, moved to New York, and became “avant-garde.” The second group was aware of the fact that such training no longer existed in art schools and considered it to be a good thing, as such training was possibly detrimental, and certainly passe.”

You can find other interesting publications on the The Florence Academy of Art website.

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I thought it was done, but maybe the face still needs a little bit of work.

It’s almost done. I am going to touch up the face a little bit — nothing drastic. The hand was looking stiff and unnatural, so I repainted it keeping it more painterly. I did sacrifice some luminosity and color, but it looks more naturalistic. I will also put some of the highlights back in.

Here is the progress so far. The popcorn rug is proving to be a bit tricky. I’m just not exactly sure how to approach it. It has so many great colors, but I need to find a way to keep it simple. There are still a number of aspects that aren’t resolved: the hands, sleeve, foot, and face to name a few.

I worked on this painting a little bit this week, but I don’t want to post a new image unless I make considerable progress. The painting is going smoothly; however, I’m not too happy with the canvas texture. In the future, I am going to have to work only on linen. The surface of this canvas seems to absorb the paint and looks more like colored canvas than a painting on canvas. So, currently, I’m building up the surface texture and resolving the remaining details. I promise to post a new image this weekend.

My camera just did not capture the color variation, and I am particularly interested in the colors in this painting. There are so many great opportunities to bring out cool pinks, greens, and yellows. I want this painting to be luminous rather than dark.

I’ve started another painting. I haven’t quite thought of a title yet.

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Many people and institutions that I admire are unhappy about Facebook’s policy on censoring nudity in artwork. Simply put, I think that Facebook has a right to censor nudity on their own site. I certainly don’t believe that artwork with nude figures need to be censored from the public eye, but how can Facebook afford to get involved in judging? The simplest solution is for Facebook to censor all nude images; otherwise, who is to say what is okay and what is not? Some images may be tasteful, but some may not. There are young children on Facebook, and I w