A paean to painting with a 2” sash brush
As in all painting, the quality of the brush matters. And, no,this isn’t a 2″ sash brush. Our Christmastide project was to rebuild and refinish our kitchen cabinets and rehang the doors, a task that has stubbornly remained undone for nine years. As with all such tasks, it’s taken longer than I budgeted, the unconscious …
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Mind control; thought control
A very typical boy illustration of a “smoking gun,” albeit better executed than most. From the sketchbook of one of my former students. I’m particularly fond of teenagers and especially that creature-in-crisis, the teenage boy. I’m currently the proud owner of a 16-year-old model, and I’ve taught others in my studio. And of course you …
A brief foray into indirect painting
“Adirondack autumn grove,” 12X16, oil on canvasboard, 2012(please excuse the reflections; my camera isn’t back yet) I had a few minutes in my studio the other day and was contemplating some “fails” from the field—plein air paintings that didn’t really work. Now, I have stacks of these, and they don’t bother me in the least… …
Of sidekicks and teenagers who sleep in class
He’s fifteen… I asked him. I had the good fortune to have lunch yesterday with two of my former sidekicks, Marilyn Feinberg and Matthew Menzies. A good sidekick is a beautiful thing, and these two are among the best. In some ways, they’re polar opposites: she is a middle-aged intellectual; he is a rather rowdy teenage …
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The Quality of Light
“Michelle in incandescent light,” 36X24, oil on canvas. (Photo credit, Brad Van Auken) Last week I went to a figure group which used incandescent spots and Odalisque poses. Here I never set up with either, and haven’t since I studied with Cornelia Foss. When I returned to my studio after my trip, I was wondering …