Figure sculpture in progress

Working from the live model twice a week for the past three months. 1:3 scale. Oil based clay. Almost finished.

Homemade Palettes

I make my own palettes out of 1/8" Baltic birch ply with a 1/4" counter weight. It's the most comfortable palette I've ever used. This one is stained dark brown but I also made a primer grey one for my studio mate Kyle Abernethy. Thumb holes vary widely depending on size of hand. I made a left handed palette for a painter friend as well.

Palette "blanks" in the studio.

"A portrait of Tina" in progress

 Found this old cell phone picture that I took while I was working on "a portrait of Tina". It's not a great picture but I'm glad I have a record of the progress.

Finished, framed and sold

Teen Portfolio Intensive 2014

Every summer I teach an Intensive drawing and painting program at Gage academy of art. This year I taught the classical drawing portion of the 5 week teen portfolio intensive. The group was a joy to work with...hard working, serious art students. Looking forward to teaching this program again next Summer.

The Gang- Summer 2014

                                                                 

Spring in Paris

It's been 10 years since I studied with my teachers in France and not a day has gone by that I don't think about returning. I'm happy to announce that I just submitted my application for their 2015 Spring in Paris program. 3 weeks of daily figure drawing and master copying in the Louvre. YES! These are the two images I chose to submit.

Plein air at fort Ebey

                                             Fort Ebey state park on Whidbey Island. 8x10

Ecorche'

The term écorché, meaning literally "flayed", came into usage via the French Academies (such as the École des Beaux Arts) in the 19th century. This form of study still continues at traditional schools throughout the world.
I spent the past 6 months on this sculpture and though it was tedious and intense, I learned a huge amount. Thanks to my friend and teacher, Mike Magrath at the Gage academy of art.
1:3 scale (2 feet tall). Made out of Super Sculpey.

Study for "Visitation"

      This is one of those studies that could've been a great finished painting but I lost steam when I transferred the drawing to a larger panel. Suddenly it seemed daunting and uninspiring on a large scale. But on a small, loose scale, it's kind of nice. The study will be a part of the "Quoth the Raven" show at Krab Jab Gallery in Georgetown this month.
      My statement for the show: "Crows have always been sacred birds to me. When travelling by foot down long dusty highways, they were my guides. When searching for food, they showed me where to go. When sleeping under bridges and on rooftops, they were my sentinels. I lived with a wounded crow for awhile and this was ecspecially interesting to interact with an indivisual crow on a daily basis. My painting 'visitation' is commemorating that relationship between crows and humans."

More fun with the palette knife

Deception Pass State Park

New figure painting in progress

A careful line drawing is transferred to a prepared panel. In this stage of the painting it's all construction. All these lines will disappear before the painting is finished. They are merely notes to self.
Feeling all too uncertain of what is going on in her back, I did a last minute anatomy study sketch before our next session. I cleared up the big muscle groups but need to get back in to pick out the smaller ones.

The Ebauche (underpainting)...

Beginning of first pass...

paintings in progess

Took a 5 day still life painting workshop at the Whidbey Island fine art studio with David Gluck and Kate Stone http://paintingstufftolooklikestuff.blogspot.com/. They were awesome. They reminded me of what I was taught in France, and I was needing that reminder. Sometimes this stuff needs to be pounded in your head for years before you get it! Above is the painting I did in class.

Back to Seattle and inspired to get started on something new. Found this old rusty drill press at the Whidbey Island junk yard on the way out. A careful drawing is transferred and I begin, the ebauche or underpainting. Basically a thinned out version of the painting. A dress rehearsal. David and Kate reminded me that this first layer is ecspecially important for shadows and textural areas. You want to leave what you can behind and not overwork areas of uninterest. I've made that mistake too many times.... Here is a detail of the first pass of opaque paint:

....and the finished painting.

Sculpted bust of ME

Now, for shits and giggles, an actual sculpted bust of ME! Crazy isn't it?!? Dear friend Katrina Wolfe sculpted it 5 or 6 years ago. I sat for countless hours on an uncomfortable wooden stool for the damn thing. But it came out amazing. She blows my mind.

Trois Enfant

Just a little something in progress to show the procedure. A charcoal drawing done directly on the canvas, spray fixed, and the monochromatic underpainting.

Study of Mt. Rainier

I painted this little study on a beautiful day on Vashon Island and am really proud of it because I did something I've never done before.... I painted it entirely with palette knives! No brushes!
Check out the juicy texture. All those late nights watching Bob Ross on Youtube are paying off!

house cat

My cat has a sweet custom built WW 2 port hole window. But still he prefers to shit in my bathtub. I thought I had figured it out and filled the tub with 2 inches of water. He layed it out right next to the tub! Damn it.... he got me again!

Descent

Quick painting of a young chicken preserved in Ethanol. I call it "Descent"

Master copy: Carl von Marr

Carl von Marr (1858 – 1936) was an American painter and I only recently discovered him. I learned so much from this little portrait study. Here's the original painting.... It's nothing less than bad ass

Figure sculpture in progress

I think figure sculpting may just be the ultimate achievemant in art history, ecspecially in marble! But we, meak little painters can learn too from figure sculpture in clay! I'ts amazing how much I've been learning from working with the figure "in the round".  There's an echo in my brain, "without structure and function, we are lost." Hearts out to dear friend, sculptor and teacher Mike Magrath at the Gage academy of Art.

Winter light at the Nautilus

Academic figure study in progress

Drawn with vine charcoal on canvas, next, diluted burnt umber to block in the shadow shapes.

Working piece by piece in 2 to 3 hour live sessions.

an accidental photo but this is what we see when we squint our eyes... this is why we do it.  Even though its been bothering me from the beginning, it's obviously clear now... the shadow on the right leg is way too sharp, dark and purple. I think it sticks out like a sore thumb and not harmonius with the picture.

I don't know if you can see it... but everything's working except for her right leg shadow... too dark, too sharp, too purple.