Category: Paintings

My Prison Studio

As a member of a Federal works program, I taught art in community centers around Dayton, Ohio. My fellow teachers were performers, musicians, and artists. The director was a dancer and leader of a troupe when not directing us. Artists rotated weekly to the centers, usually in pairs. Some centers were plum assignments filled with…

In the Studio 3/17/13

Poor light yesterday, Saturday, but good light today. The lake came alive this week and although it’s cold–mid-30’s–the waves and whitecaps already  remind me of summer. Here’s a shot of some of the things I worked on today. I finished the drawing of the larger one and decided to plunge ahead and start the under-painting.…

Lawrence’s Annoying Paintings at the Cleveland Museum of Art

I have nothing against Thomas Lawrence, indeed, I like his work, but—good grief!—he could make some annoying paintings. The Cleveland Museum of Art has two of the offending paintings hanging side-by-side. Lawrence (died 1830) had well-earned success throughout his life. A prodigy, he found success early and later became President of the Royal Academy. He…

In the Studio 2/17/2013

A productive day with a lot of good sunlight.  I finished two self-portraits this morning (a gouache and another pastel-gouache), almost finished the drawing for a new still life (oil), then worked on the oils in the accompanying photo this afternoon. Why so many self-portraits lately? It’s not because I’ve developed a new found self-fascination–hell…