Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Natal

Merry Christmas all!

This piece "Dos Amigos" is a 6x8 that I painted while in Mexico recently. I was painting the very hard to make out arches and the people in them when these two guys sat down right in front of my view. So I said to myself " gimme a minute and Ill make you a star" (OK I didn't say that but it comes to mind now..?.) I switched out panels and they stayed just long enough to get this sketch in.. its random and I like it..

SOooo in the spirit of Christmas.. or Kwanzaa or Hanukkah... the first person to comment that they would like this painting ... Can have it for free, no charge, Gratis. The only rule is you must be in the U.S. or be coming to the U.S. sometime soon because shipping ain't cheap.

News: I will go into details more in the future but already lined up for next year is three shows in February. One more at Tidemark Gallery, the same gallery I had my first show at last year. (wow what a year..?.) The Tidemark show will be a two man show, Ralph Bush and I with our Monhegan Island work. Two shows that include the Mexico work, one at Addison Art Gallery and the other at the Cape Cod Museum of Art. Its gonna be crazy...

Quote: "The aura given out by a person or object is as much a part of them as their flesh. The effect that they make in space is as bound up with them as might be their colour or smell ... Therefore the painter must be as concerned with the air surrounding his subject as with the subject itself. It is through observation and perception of atmosphere that he can register the feeling that he wishes his painting to give out." Lucien Freud, 1954.

Lately

These two are from some of the past weeks painting in the Boothbay area with the "Plien Air Painters of Maine" group. Top one is a 10x12, and the bottom is an 8x10.

Recently I had to turn on the comment moderation. I noticed a comment on a recent post that advertised a link to some money investment site. So I checked some other older entries and sure enough they were peppered with weird comments and ads, one had over 40 comments in Japanese...?. so that's why.. Its not to block or censor the overwhelming gushing wave of applause for my work....kidding.

Soon I will be hosting a figure painting/drawing group in my home/studio and also offering classes in basic Oil Painting, Figure Study, and if there is enough response to it, Plein Air. If you are in the area and are interested please contact me via email (painter03@yahoo.com) and let me know.

Quote: "If you want to be a historical painter, let your history be of your own time, of what you can get to know personally -- of manners and customs within your own experience." Robert Henri

Go Figure

These two are from some of the past Saturdays at Waterfall Arts in Belfast ME. They are both have about 2hrs invested. The top one is north light only and the second is artificial light on an overcast day. One of the things I came away from the recent trip to Mexico with is a greater desire to study and explore painting people. Thanks west coasters..esp Ignat. I can't decide on these.... are they figure studies or portraits...?.



Quote: "Since the model he so faithfully copies is not going to be hung up next to the picture ... it is of no interest whether it is an accurate copy of the model. Whether it will convince or not, depends entirely on what it is in itself, what is there to be seen. The model should only serve the very private function for the painter of providing the starting point for his excitement. The picture is all he feels about it, all he thinks worth preserving of it, all he invests it with. If all the qualities which a painter took from the model for his picture were really taken, no person could be painted twice."Lucien Freud, 1954.