"Paris offers... the museums in which you can study the old masters;... from 12 to 4 you copy, in the Louvre or the Luxembourg, whatever masterpiece you like." — Zola’s letter to Cezanne, 1858 ~~ Art made in eras that are historically and culturally different from our own provides a limitless source of instruction and inspiration. For the artist, the process of copying masterpieces internalizes … [Read more...]
Looking at Watteau
Five years ago, I spent time in Madrid indulging in the feast of the city and in some of Europe's greatest museums. I carried a sketchbook with me to draw in the galleries. A few pages shown here are of Jean-Antoinne Watteau's paintings at the Thyssen-Bornemisza. Watteau was the progenitor of the 'fêtes galantes' genre, theatrical scenes of idylls and pastorals. Other visitors were kind to me, … [Read more...]
Tv Portraits
Journalists, politicians, reporters, and policy experts are the portrait subjects of the five minute animated gif in this post. Drawings were made while watching tv news shows during the three month period between the presidential election and first six weeks of the new administration. News of the day opportunistically provided subjects for drawings that are presented in roughly the order they … [Read more...]
Four Xmases
Although nothing goes out of style quicker than the holiday season, I decided to share four recent collages that I made in January from Christmas cards I received in the mail. By keeping the cards grouped by year, from 2013 to 2016, the commercial and personal graphics of a self-selecting community of friends, relatives, and businesses who chose to send their greetings produced a composite … [Read more...]
2016 Review
The through line of my artwork in 2016 was the continued variety of materials, form, and subject. I worked with still life, figure, and landscape in oils, gouache, collage, animations and gifs, acquired a Namiki Pilot Falcon flexible nib pen for drawing, and constructed and painted an artist book. Concerned that a catalogue of fragments might confuse readers, to be a generalist also conflicts with … [Read more...]
Reporter’s Notebook
I am among countless fans of Gwen Ifill who were shocked and saddened by her premature death on November 14, 2016. Her wit, warmth, incisive intelligence, and "megawatt" smile are deeply missed. She provided invaluable insights into contemporary politics that I appreciated as a frequent viewer of Washington Week and the PBS NewsHour. Many of the journalists seen on the two shows became subjects of … [Read more...]
Figure in Four Directions
Once again this year, I had the good fortune to make art in an intensive workshop taught by Ken Kewley. Titled "Abstraction for Realists — Working from the Model: Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Collage, and Sculpture", the workshop was held at Truro Center for the Arts, Truro, Massachusetts, in September 2016. Select tabs above labelled PROJECTS > WORKSHOPS ATTENDED to see more … [Read more...]
Vermont Gouache
In July I took a road trip to paint outside in southern Vermont. Choosing to use watercolor and gouache on paper solved numerous itinerant-painting related issues. Watercolor and gouache dry fast, have quick set-up and clean-up, and need very little storage space. The paint doesn't melt in the heat or threaten to ignite within a baking car. There are no combustible rags to dispose. These … [Read more...]
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