Life imitates Art

I did this yesterday from a photo I took of Linnea at the Greenbelt Skateboard park. I felt that the pose Linnea struck up was very reminiscent of Manet's Chemin de Fer painting (1872). So as soon as I saw it I knew it was a painting.

Cow at the Gate

This is not for my art show. Hard Bargain Farm called me and asked for a painting donation for their silent auction at their Oktoberfest. I really didn't have anything appropriate so I painted this today, from a photo I had taken there a couple of years ago. The cow is standing at the gate of the Hard Bargain Farmhouse. I have taken this week off work and had the goal of completing two paintings (among other things) so I am half done. After I clean up I am thinking of going to a taxpayer revolt march to protest the proposed $700 billion bailout for the crooks on Wall Street.

Julia

I did this picture of Julia from a photo of her wearing my hat. Lynnis says it reminds her of Freida Kalho.

Innes Playing the Cello

This didn't photograph especially well, but I think I am done. In one respect, I have one-upped Dewing (discussed in the Innes Cello in Progress post below). Dewing hired models and posed them with musical instruments while I have a real honest to good musician (or darn close) as my subject.

The Victorians

The Haven painting below is not the only one inspired by the Victorians. When I saw Sofi and Julia playing with lanterns in Piri's back yard it immediately reminded me of John Singer Sargent's Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose. I call my version Sofi, Lily, Lily, Julia. I got the flowers from another beautiful garden near the Smithsonian. When Sargent first did his picture the reception was not good. I think it was voted the worst picture of 1885. After a while the public and critics changed their tune!

Innes Cello in progress

There are some great little paintings of women playing music in the Freer Gallery.
These inspired me to take some photos of Innes playing the cello, which is my current work in progress. She is playing at Jerry's memorial service. It is very unusal for me to start with a white canvas. I have almost never done it since Danni Dawson said back in the 80s that a white canvas "kills" your painting! Just writing that makes me cringe...what have I done!!

Glazing

I finished this portrait of Haven today. It was experimental for me. The picture was done monochromatically at first, then the colors were added in by glazing. The subject matter concept is left over from an art show called The Victorians. There was a George Frederic painting called Choosing, with young Ellen Terry sniffing Camelias. Since they don't have a scent, it was supposed to signify the transitory nature of sensual pleasure. The hibiscus type of flower that Haven is sniffing, likewise did not smell. I took the photo of Haven and the flower in the Haupt Garden by the Smithsonian Castle.

Great Gamma Gang Gang

Piri says that Guy calls Dottie, Great Gamma Gang Gang, which I realized was the perfect title for my painting! This painting was from a photo taken at Torren's graduation party, sometime in the summer of 2008. Linnea is the baby. The subject is my mother holding my granddaughter.