Three Hour Pose

I thought it would be fun to post something about the process on a three hour session.  These are all from the Monday group that I meet with in the Woodlands.  

We arrive and set up to paint in between 9:00 and 9:30.  The earlier  you are the better your spot.  

The model poses for 20 minutes and then gets a ten minute break.  This is after the first twenty minutes.

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Below is a detail of "Snow White".  When I got home I wiped it off so I could use the canvas for something else.  

We usually get in 6/20 minutes.  This lady came in costume as Snow White.

Below is "Oksana".  She was quite attractive but had a hard time keeping the pose.  

Below is a young guy named Aloshia.  He was fabulous!

He got back into the pose after each break with no problem.  

He kept the intensity of his gaze throughout the session.

It is sooooo nice to work with a good model.  The likeness comes so easy when you don't have to compensate for movement.

I like having the model pose with my painting so you can see the likeness.  

Liza was another fabulous model.  She is the soon to be daughter-in-law of Robin Williamson who comes all the way from Sugarland to paint with the group.  Robin is very accomplished.  Google her and you can see some of her work.   

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She held the pose so well.  Lovely girl.

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This guy was fun to paint.  He was a great model and the Canadian brother of Suzie Baker.  There is a painters in our group who speaks french and he and the model had quite a conversation. 

 I feel I have made so much progress in these past few months because of these life groups.  I also attend a life group on Thursday where the model does shorter poses.  Twenty minutes goes by so incredibly fast.  I'll post about that later.   

Santa and an Early Christmas Present

Santa and an early Christmas present.

Tis the season to paint Santa!  The scheduled model for the Monday life group was Santa!

 How awesome is that?  Suzie Baker, a wonderful artist, who paints with the Monday group arranged for Santa.  She brought a beautiful screen, fabric, Christmas Tree, and chair for the jolly old man.  He was holding a mug as well.  Suzie's painting was wonderful and captured the whole scene.  My angle missed most of that so I just focused on the face.

I loved the little square glasses that he wore.  This was a three hour session.  I put the glasses in on the last 20 minutes he sat for us.  

This tassel was so fun it popped out right away.  I liked that it seemed as if you could reach out and grab it.

This was the painting at the end of our session with Santa.

In my studio at home I indicated that he had an arm, softened the top of his hat and brought out the fur a little bit more.   

Here is Santa with my painting of him.  I'm so glad he took time out of his busy season to come and sit for us.  Starlee was very excited when she got home from school to see that I had painted Santa.

Christmas came early for me this year when I attended the luncheon following our Monday group with all the other artists who participate.  Joe Collard and his sweet wife hosted.  They have a beautiful collection of artwork in their home and I was delighted and amazed to discover that they had an original Daniel Gerhartz!

My first Gerhartz!  I've be painting in my dreams with my buddy Dan (previous posts) and now I finally had the privilege of seeing one of his pieces in person.  LAAAAAAAA!

Of course I ran out to the car to get my camera so I could take pictures of it!  This is me basking in the glory!  Thank you Joe.  Joe has been to two workshops with Dan Gerhartz!  My turn.

Hopkinson studio visit

 Last week I had the opportunity to visit the new Glen S. Hopkinson studio in Byron Wyoming.  Glen had the sign that hung in his father, Harold I. Hopkinson's (One great artist and man) studio.  As my sister-in-law Dori and I walked in we were treated to the musical styling of Mr. Hopkinson.

While I don't remember the selection I do remember the impression it left on me.  Glen Showed us around and talked about some of the paintings.  He told us that his studio also doubled as a place for the Byron town council to meet.  The space is the old "Cozzen's Cash" grocery store.  It would be awesome if you could still get a frozen treat and soda there!

I loved this winter scene.

This is one of Glen's sculptures.  I absolutely love it!  I think it was called "The Tinker". Growing up my parents had one of his sculptures as well.  "He Aint Heavy" in my opinion it was one of the best pieces in their collection.  

This is a wonderful piece with Prayer Rock.  Prayer Rock is a local landmark with a great story behind it.

I love Glen's western work.  Both he and his father could paint a beautiful horse and Indian.

One of my favorite things about Glen is his sense of humor.  Who else has a holster for his brushes?  He pulled that brush out and flipped it in the air and caught it by the handle.  

That wonderful sense of humor finds it's way into many of his paintings.

As well as the things he surrounds himself with!

The Hopkinson studio doubles as a playground for this fine artist.  I appreciate all the tips and the private tour.  Thank you Glen and I look forward to actually painting with you next time I'm in town.  You rock!  

Fall Color

 Fall Color (Kaylee Brown)

12"X24" Oil on Linen

 

This is a painting I started yesterday and finished today!  Kaylee and her friend were posing for me.  I loved the light!  I love the Crepe Myrtle she is leaning against.  I've used this area before.  It's very cozy and rarely in direct sun.  We were in Wyoming for my father's funeral last week and while we were there I stopped into the Hen House and found the great hat Kaylee is wearing and the jacket.

 

 

Detail of the face and hands

 

My wonderful father always encouraged me in my pursuit of art.  My mother painted a bit but my dad was very artistic as well.  He made beautiful jewelry and of course gold crowns.  He taught me how to make things in wax and cast them into gold or silver.  He was so generous with his time and knowledge as well as his gold.  I treasure the memories I have with him and all the lovely things that he made.  He is one of the finest men I've ever known and I'm so grateful that he was my dad.  Thank you for financing and encouraging me.  Scott M. Welch, you are my hero.

 

Best of Show

 

 

My painting "Bunmi" won Best of Show in the 2012 WAL fall judged show.  I entered two paingings in the professional division.  Pictured here with me is the judge June Dudley who is a Contemporary Western and Poetic Landscape artist here in Texas.

 

 

 

Interesting side note here...  I was late getting to the awards and critique.  The judge had already announced the winner and talked about my paintings.  I snuck in and sat by Pam a lady I had recently met at the Monday life group I've been attending.  She told me I won and brought my arrival to the attention of the judge.  When she confirmed that I had won Best of Show, I'm ashamed to say, I squealed and jumped in the air with my fist raised and landed with a "yes!"  The above picture was taken right after the before mentioned incident.

 

My painting "Jordan Arbour" won 2nd!  Needless to say it was a very exciting day!

 

 



 

I could not have done it without my boys.  Carl and Coulter were good enough to take the paintings to the venue and get me in the show.  I was playing the piano for Kaylee at her solo and ensemble competition.  By the way she sang beautifully and received I's on both of her pieces.  I couldn't have shown the large painting of Jordan with out the help of Andy Cook.  She  was kind enough to lend me an easel sturdy enough to hold this incredibly framed, large and now heavy painting.  It takes two people to move it!  Thanks guys!

 

At the end of this great day I found that the only thing missing was the opportunity to share it with my parents.  My mother upon hearing of my small success would have been broadcasting the news to all who would listen.  I miss my biggest fan and am so grateful that she took me to her art classes when I was little and was constantly encouraging me in my artistic pursuits. 

 

My sweet mother was showing photos of my work to a man as she waited to have her eyes checked at my brothers office.  Of course she was thrilled, and a little skeptical,  to find that the gentleman beside her was an artist too and wanted to see more.  When she called me later that night and was telling me about the interaction she said that he was very complimentary.  "She could make a living at this" the man said.  When she was called back to finish her exam she was retelling the interchange to my brother, Dr. Barry Welch of Northern Wyoming Opthamology.  Barry, knowing how much pride mom takes in her children, was delighted to ask her "Do you know who that was?"  Of course she didn't, even if she did I'm not sure she would have recognized him as her eyes were dilated.  "That's Jimmie Bama!"  James Bama the incredible Western Artist had just been Kathleened.  I hope his eyes weren't dilated.   I love and miss you mom. 

 

 

Still life

What do you do when you want to paint from life and you don't have children around 24/7 as school attendance is considered important these days?  Well you do a still life.  I bought a beautiful orchid and some pretty produce at the grocery store.  That beautiful orchid is in that orange pot.  I think I painted a couple of leaves...  I took this reference photo to post on here.

 

 

The onions were stealing the show and I went with it.  I had this cool vintage fabric from my mother and I liked how it blended with the onions but was such a different texture.

 

Coulter thought I should paint pomegranates instead of onions.  He likes eating those better.

 

I will paint that orchid yet!

Highway Robbery

 

I wanted to try out some of the things that I had learned from Rob Liberace's demo so I asked my kids if they would sit for me.  Coulter said he would but was gone all day and Kaylee was too.  Starlee wanted to play with a friend but they weren't home so I told her I would pay her to sit for me.

 

This is what I got from 2/20 minute sessions with her.  She did amazingly well for the first 20 minutes!  She held the pose and I was thinking "Sweet!  I've got a good, cheep model here."  The second 20 went pretty well but she did not want to get back into the pose for the last 20.  She fussed and complained and said she needed more money to do this.  I may have gotten five more minutes out of the little stinker at that point.  $38 later I think she got the better of me.  40$ an hour at the age of  nine.  What a business woman! 

 

 

You can tell that she really loved every minute of it too.  I'll give her some time and a check and hopefully she will do it again.  She is lovely with that blond hair and blue eyes.  I told her next time she can pick the outfit too.

Bunmi from life

 

I had the opportunity of attending a demo of Rob Liberace's at the Woodlands Art League.  It was incredible!  I wish I would have know about the week long workshop that he did.  I left that night with new motivation and new contacts!  Annie Walker told me about a group that meets every Monday for three hours and paints from a live model.  I was in!  This is what came of that first Monday.  

 

 

 

Bunmi came in looking positively normal.  Like anyone you would see on the street.  She disappeared and came out looking like this!  I loved it.  She did a great job.  I hope she gets put on the schedule again. 

 

 

She posed for 6/20 minute sessions.  Let me tell you those 20 minutes fly by too!  I worked on this canvas at home a bit as well as I wanted to get the purple of her head dress just right.  I did not want to loose the quick fresh quality that I had going though. 

The jewelry she wore was so fun to suggest. 

 

I can't express how great it was to be able to paint from life in the company of other artists. It has been over 20 years since I have been in a group like that. I'm excited to see what this does for my work.