A Small celebration - to my excellent Heads and Hands class this semester ...

This is a composite of graphite studies of each of my Heads and Hands students for this semester.  I made a large archival print for them.  It's a surprise today - I hope they enjoy it as much as I have teaching them this semester.   Don't look too closely you may see all of the errors!  Graphite on Strathmore 400 cream vellum paper.

New drawings - mostly demo efforts for my students this fall at Academy of Art University in Sunny ( nvr rns hr ethr) San Francisco, CA

Pigeon Plumtree III demo - from life - great model!!

Bob and Colleen (3 minutes and 20 respectively)

Gregory - 5 minute heads for demo - from life..

Bob and Veronique - 5-8 minute heads from life..

Jessica - portrait demo for my figure students .. about an hour..

During recent teaching sessions.. All from life via a Kevin Wueste workshop and a Robert Liberace workshop

Mary ZDO - with cool light; Oil on canvas; 8"x10"

The warm early version, the cooler paint-/over/ improvments..

5-10 minute head studies

5,10,20 and 40 minute head studies

Figure on twin-rocker paper prepared with Shellac.  Terra Cotta Verithin and White chalk. about 3 hours. Sold

I had the honor of assisting Robert Liberace again at the New Mexico Art League Drawing and Figure painting workshop.  I will post my paintings when they arrive and I photo them.  So far, I have this drawing to share!

Paper Flowers - a small series ..

I wanted to tackle painting some common objects to see if I could make some thoughtful, dare-I-say -beautiful paintings based on that notion.  I am not sure these smaller works have gotten me where I want to go but I have learned a bit about painting paper and wrinkled paper!

10 x12" each on Yes canvas with oil paints.  These are intended for the Academy of Art Faculty and Alumni Auction in the fall.   Way down at the bottom is a crazy watercolor from a few months ago..(not intended for anything!)..

"He Seen better days!" Target paper bag - part of Paper Flowers series.  Wrinkled, torn and then filled with wire and foam so ti wouldn't move ( collapse) .. much.. (sold)

The first "Paper Flower" study - simple but painterly which has its own challenges!(sold)

"Paper Flower 2" - came together relatively easily.   Less bombast than the first bag and nice subtle changes.. (sold)

Watercolor and gouache on paper.

Recent head studies from life - working at Travis Schlaht's excellent studio in New York City - so great!

I had a great week in New York City - painting with Travis Schlaht and Todd Casey - great to watch them both working and infuse my humble efforts as I went!  Thank you Travis for the invite and all the learning - so great to watch you work and see your decision-making!  Much to learn and miles to go..

"Brat" ( or maybe it's "BRATT!") - Oil on Linen Panel - about 3 hours and 8 x 12" size. From life and Natural light!

Maria - about 3 hours on Linen Panel.. about 8 x 10".. same as above..

About 4 hours 8" x 12" from life and natural life on Linen Panel..

Travis and Todd trying to look artist-y..  Todd is air-dee-jay-ing..  I think!

Travis in critique mode..

Left ? Right ? Maybe left of center. Thinking about the directions of things as I work..

"Annie right off Center" - 8 x 100 oil. On course Canvas pad. From life.

"As She Lay - Living" 11" x 14" From LIfe.  Oil on Canvas-board.

Marissa - 8x10" on Canvas - about 2 hours - from life.

Toned paper demo for my figure students - Foreshortening !  (From life)..

Theresa - Giant hand merely blocked-in..  From life on Toned Paper..

Recent Head Studies while teaching at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA

Kadeejah W - from life.  About 20 minutes for demo and a bit more time @ home.

Simone - from life - Demo for my students.

Quick drawings in Heads and Hands class.

Megan - a demo for a private student.  From life.

Terry - demo for class - from life.

Really liked how this turned out - quick head drawing from life.

Trying to Channel Hope Railey and Glen Orbik here!  (trying)

"Nose"  (kidding)  - from life..

Grab Bag - no wait - Son of Grab bag ( Returns)! (And) Please Watch "True Detective" on HBO - a true work of ART in its own right. Yep..

Pigeon Plumlee III from life on Yes Canvas ( Oil painty); 11 x 17" about 4 hours.

Mr Chuck Pyle - Director of Illustration - AAU

 The above painting is acrylic on paper and was done for Chuck Pyle's 60th bday ( folks were asked to do a card.. In the words of Peter LeFleur ( Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story): I over did.  I think he liked it!  Happy B-day Sir!

Nih, from life on canvas board.. Oil paints.. about 4 hours..

Above - Kelsey from life.. about 40 minutes..

 Above - Ted - demo's for figure drawing class!

Below - mostly quick head studies for my Heads and Hands class this semester!

Simple Apple study - done with my new Solux Daylight Light ( small, bright, white - awesome!).. In Watercolor on paper..

"I am Bursting!" Watercolor on Paper 7" x 9" 2014 - from the live model.

What should it be ?

I find the biggest things I am asking myself as a painter and art-person ( I don't take easily to the word "artist") is this:  What should the work be ?  What should I be ?   There are fractals and iterations of answers for these questions.

How realistic ?  How faithful to what I see ?  What pleases me when it's complete ?  Is it the hard effort of a finely rendered work ( yes) ?  Is it the heroics of a few lines and good design-thinking which propel beautiful shapes ( yes!)..  Is it the quality of the stroke of the paint and  how it meshes and mingles with the paint nearby ? ( absolutely yes)..  

I am blessed to have studied under amazing artists - and many of them - while having similar roots ( Ted Seth Jacobs and Frank Reilly seem like the primogenitors largely) they each have an aesthetic - and they are ALL valid.  These slightly shifting aesthetics argue in my head as I work sometimes ( often ? always ?); and I am working to create a more singular aesthetic for what I do.  How long will this take ?  All my days I should think...

If you read this far - you are kind.  You probably feel some of these things as well ( but based on your own path and trajectory).   Some current thinking - below - A figure based on several references - Acrylic paints on watercolor paper. 12" x 16"

"Wuthering Heights 2014"

Some recent oil paintings - all from life - all Alla Prima - @ Academy of Art University and with Robert Liberace 2014

The first painting below was done during a documentary shoot @ AAU for Tomutsu Takeshima's father.  A Japanese film-crew came and shot Tomutsu-san and several painters doing their thing.  I hired the model - she did a fantastic job!

The paintings that follow I completed ( -ish) while assisting Robert Liberace @ his Portrait Painting workshop in the Woodlands TX via the Woodlands Art League.  A great group of painters there and super nice as well ( great Bar-b-Que !).  Thank you Rob for the opportunity to attend!

"Sarose" - 10 x 10" - about 3 hours - done from life - Sunday @ AAU.

Oil on Yes Canvas - about 3 hours - via Robert Liberace workshop @ the Woodlands WAL - TX
Limited palette of Burnt Umber, White, Burnt Sienna and Black.

Same as above but on Linen panel..

Same as above but on Yes Canvas..

Oil on Panel @ Palo Alto Art Center in 20 hours on my Open Box M !  ( 8 x 10" gessoboard)

A few things in the hopper.. Mostly practice stuff and demos from school..

Figure studies in charcoal on neswsprint..

Same as above - different times for each drawing - nothing more than about 20 minutes..

A 1 day cast demo for my Masters Drawing class students #Academy of Art

Study of one of the V sisters #Robert Liberace Workshop.  Oil on Yes.

Grayson W age 14 - acrylics on Canva-paper. About 12 x 17

I plan to be posting some new project work in the coming weeks and months - more about what I hope to accomplish vs simply: practice work.  I hope you'll take a look when I do!

Happy New Year! 200,000 Page Views!