"My Man, Aidan"

I generally stay far, far, away from even attempting drawings, sketches, or especially, paintings, of family members, because everyone just says, "it doesn't look like him/her," and turns the conversation elsewhere; but I couldn't resist the temptation on this one.

The picture I took of Aidan, six, at McDonald's caught my eye with the way the shadows and the so-so-serious pose he struck for me, so I did a watercolor sketch of him earlier (I think it is probably posted on this blog back a few weeks), and it was clear that the family, including myself, didn't really think it looked a whole like him; but it might in another ten years, or more. And then, "what's for dinner tonight?"

So, anyway, I got to looking at it again and decided since I've been doing all these funky Modigliani Knock-Offs (my term), I ought to give him another try. Now, no one in the family, especially his mother, my daughter, has seen this yet, but I think it looks alot more like him than the watercolor sketch did. Not perfect, closer. "So what do you think of the unrest in the Middle East?"

I had a real problem with his left shoulder, the one on the right, as he is actually just slightly leaning forward and that shoulder is closer than the other. It just looks deformed here. Oh well.....onward and upward. "Do you watch American Idol?"

acrylic on 12x16 canvas panel

"March Art Walk" - Kennewick, Washington

The "Art-A-Day" group, featured during the month of February, is also featured on the March edition of the "March Art Walk" flyer, published for the "First Thursday Art Walk" in downtown Kennewick, Washington.

I am posting this because one of my pieces was chosen for inclusion, "Blonde with Hot Lips." She is one of the acrylics I have been working on lately and though nothing in her image shows it, she was heavily influenced by the work I've been doing with Modigliani.

Thank you to the Kennewick Art Walk Association for their decision to include her, and especially to Laura Gable for her leadership and encouragement.

"Amedeus Modigliani"

A couple of months ago I sketched out watercolor sketch of what I thought Modigliani might have looked like had he used his personal style to create a self-portrait.

Today I decided to go ahead with my plan to do the same again, only this time on canvas panel with acrylics. It's part of my ongoing learning curve with drawing, acrylic technique, and art in general.

"The Old Gas Pump Gang"

I hope this is the last attempt on my part to capture this old gang of gas pumps. Two earlier posts were both watercolor sketches about 4 x 6 in my sketchbook.

This is acrylics on a 9x 12 piece of canvas panel. It was fun to do, and it took a long time; but I'm not real happy with it because, it, like so many of my other pieces, is overworked.

Someone recently told me a college professor told her that a painting is usually done about an hour before the artist think s/he has reached completion.

Such is the case with this one.

"My Wife ala Modigliani"

Truth be known, this image took on the look of my wife almost accidentally.

But when I showed it to her, she said, "Is that me?" And that's exactly what I wanted to know when she saw it - if she saw herself in it like I did. Cool.

So, I have been thinking more and more about doing some contemporary images done in Modigliani's style, and if you read this blog, you know that.

I've actually done a few. This one is my favorite though because of how it turned out. Ok, accidental or not, I like it, alot!!

8x10 acrylic paper (terrible stuff, too), acrylics

"Sketchbook with Coffee on the Edge"

A friend suggested coffee mugs, so I've been messin' about with them for a while.

Of the approximately 7 or 8 I've done, 2 or 3 sold back when I had an active eBay Store, and since maybe only one of them do I find interesting.

That one is this one. I like the "graphic" look, totally accidental as it is was/is.

The black area began as a wall with a window and from that window flowed the light that created the shadow this side of the mug. When I blackened it in, because I didn't like the "look" of it, I pulled the black paint right over the edge of the table as I focused in on the shadow line; so there's the "big oops" with this one.

But I still like it so off it goes to the blog.

5x7 canvas panel, acrylics