In the studio 4/6/2014
Two Cakes is 48″ x 48″. Unfinished, of course, as are most of the paintings shown in the “In the studio” posts. The left-side of the small container holds my standard medium: cold-pressed linseed oil+turpentine, + drops of copal varnish and coutrai drier. When I want firm, and fast-drying passages, I put the same mix
Painting: Keith in Front of a White Chair
I finished this painting three days ago. Keith in Front of a White Chair, is fairly large (for me) oil painting measuring 36″ x 48.” It’s kissing cousin to this painting, which is also 36″ x 48.” One thing i always do is I try to get the drawing right. That isn’t as straightforward as it
In the studio 3/30/14
Here is a photo of some recent work. The top painting is my son John aboard The Betty Jane. I applied paint to the large, middle painting or the first time yesterday. I spent the two previous days working on the drawing exclusively. It’s called Dinner in Trenton. The bottom painting is a small-format version
In the studio 3/23/2014
Here is my usual weekly post about what’s cookin’. The top painting is ‘Deb.’ The lower painting isn’t very far advanced but I think you can get a sense of what’s afoot. It’s called ‘Antique Shop.’ To paint this large piece, I had to prop the easel’s cross-box on my knee to keep it from
Return of an Old Friend
After a long and (for me) painful absence for conservation, Andrea del Sarto’s The Sacrifice of Isaac is once again on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art. del Sarto’s unfinished masterpiece from 1527 is on a massive wooden panel. The painting’s unfinished state opens a window into the artist’s studio, and shows us his working method. The
In the studio 3/9/2014
Here is some recent work. Saturday was a light work day because of family functions. The top painting is titled “Explain,” and I think it’s far enough along now that you can get a sense of what it’s about. The lower painting–“Jane With Her Hand on Her Hip”–is of, well, Jane (It’s also about blue,
In the studio 2/23/2014
The large (42″ x 68″), unfinished painting is titled Conversation. The smaller (36″ x 48″) painting, Whispers, was finished yesterday. Two paintings of people talking while outdoors? A coincidence (I think), although I have been surprised in the past on discovering groups of paintings that share the same unplanned theme. A few years ago I was surprised
In the studio 2/16/14
Here is recent work. The lower painting is from something I saw earlier this winter during my last trip to New York. In the upper painting, “Whispers,” I am using zinc white. Lead white is my preferred white but it is getting scarce and expensive. A 225ml tube of Old Holland cremitz white is $200–on