Friday Figure Study

Does life exist beyond the 30 Paintings in 60 Days project?  I am happy to say that yes, it does!

I have been working hard on a couple of commissions (more on those soon).  Also, each week I will posting a Friday Figure Study.  This morning Annie Henrie and I attended the King's Cottage open studio session with a live model.  Painting from life is much more challenging than using a photograph, but it is also much more fun.  Sometimes the model shifts or moves... or sometimes it feels impossible to get the proportions right.  Today I enjoyed studying the warms, cools, and breaking up the figure into broad planes.  This is something my favorite figure painters do.  Here are two figure paintings that have inspired me--from Mark Tennant, left, and Alex Kanevsky, right.

Elise Wehle is still going strong on her 60 days.  This painting is 22.  It is one of my favorites so far.  It reminds me of Paris.

I have also been revamping my Etsy shop!  Check out the new prints and paintings.

29 Paintings Down

29 paintings down!  The 29th is pictured below.  

Right now I am working hard to finish #30--this huge painting with a dragon fruit.  I am currently taping off sections to protect them from future drips and splashes.  Also pictured above is a figure painting from an open figure session that Annie Henrie and I attended this week.

Below is Elise Wehle's most recent piece, Behind Scenes.  I love the raw feel where pattern meets figure.

The 28th Painting

On the 28th painting!  This little one was a gem to paint.  

In addition to painting, I helped artist Annie Henrie make huge paper flowers for a spring garden party.  

Elise Wehle's latest artwork is also connected to the season--the hands of a gardener at work.

Summer Sunset

Summer is here in Salt Lake City, so I warmed up my color palette today.  

Sunset-lit feathers and broken shapes are a fun change from painting flowers.  

I love Elise Wehle's newest piece.  

It reminds me of how many emotions and memories we carry in our hands.

Head in the Clouds

Finally finished with number 25!  What a labor of love.  Because this painting is quite large, measuring 24" x 36," I wasn't able to finish it in 2 days.  But as of now I am back on track for the last few paintings.

I have 6 paintings in "Known", a beautiful art opening at the Grotto Gallery in Salt Lake City this Friday evening.  The show is a great mix of painting, printmaking and 3-D work.  If you live nearby, stop over to enjoy great art, good company, and food.

Here is the 24th painting.  

Sun-Kissed Artichokes

Number 22 is up!  Three purple artichokes and a single rose.  

I love how the artichoke's form mimics a flower.  

Inspiration from Vietnam

My sister and I traveled through Vietnam this summer.  We both fell in love with the homes in the country.  Many of the old homes are a mix of Vietnamese and French Colonial architecture.  They are stunning.  This painting was done from a photo my sister took as we traveled from Ha Long Bay to Hanoi.