I was in Castries, the capital city of Saint Lucia in the Eastern Caribbean. I sat down to paint The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. I was in a parking lot across the street. Apparently a school was nearby because the area was suddenly swarming with elementary-age school children. This is one of three young boys who ran up to see what I was doing. I still remember their smiles and energy. When I think of them, I am reminded that everything will be alright, a line from Three Little Birds by Bob Marley.
FYI: If you get to Castries, visit the Cathedral. It’s plain on the outside but the inside is amazing; all wood, delicately painted.
The background design was inspired by island colors and the Saint Lucia flag.
Tag: figure
Meeting the Oracle
What would it be like to travel to Delphi and meet the Oracle? Why did men seek her counsel? Why her? I used experiences from my travels and incorporated colors and symbols from earlier renditions of Oracles and Sibyls to create a plausible reality about being in the presence of the Oracle.
Self Portrait, v. 2016
Living things exude mood and energy, but this presence can only be understood in relation to context. Thus, figure and ground exist in symbiotic dualism; both independent, yet one does not exist without the other. Understanding is derived from their interdependence.
Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy
What would it be like to meet Anne Frank as a young woman, after the war? This interpretation was inspired by the overwhelming impressions I received as I walked through the Frank home in Amsterdam; the presence of a life force that continued on. The title is a quote from Anne’s writings.
What’s on my easel? It’s a secret.
ON my easel
Well, nothing at the moment. Nut this one was there yesterday. I am working on several projects so this one got swapped out for a couple of days. This is from my figurative project. It’s the only glimpse you will have for awhile. I have already finished one and have a ew more to go!
Today’s Studio Photo – Entire painting without color
Today’s Studio Photo – Entire painting without color
A minimal palette today. I painted with a mixture of blue and brown. It makes my favorite black. I used it, and that tiny brush, for the whole 3×4 foot painting! But I was just making the beginning drawing on my new painting. 🙂 There will be four figures, not including the people in the backgraound. No photo of the painting yet.
November 12th – mark your calendar
Sunday, October 30th was the final day of the Hillsboro Farmers Market – It was a wet one, as you can see by the photo of my booth. Rain is expected this time of year in Oregon and it did not deter the market-goers. It was the day before Halloween so I put out Foxy in a pumpkin. As usual, she was a hit with the kids.
So what’s next?
I plan on sending greeting cards of my travel watercolors to everyone who supported my art-making this past year, but I need your help. I will send an email on November 12th. If you do not receive one from me, then I do not have your email. So, I would like you to JOIN my email list. Thank you!
I’m back in the studio. That means more abstract flower paintings. I might even branch out beyond poppies and daisies. I am also restarting an old practice; figure painting. I love painting people, I’ve been away from it for too long.
Sketch from da Vinci’s Virgin of the Rocks
da Vinci’s portraits of women;Â understated elegance.
The original painting, Virgin of the Rocks (1483–1486, Oil on panel (transferred to canvas), 199 cm × 122 cm), is in the Musée du Louvre, Paris.
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci
* April 15, 1452, Vinci, Italy
†May 2, 1519, Amboise, France