Watch Me Paint: World-Class Art, World-Class Instruction
Descent from the Cross, 1616-17, Peter Paul Rubens. Today and tomorrow, you may notice that your devout Christian friends seem weary and drawn as they deal with the most difficult two days in the Liturgical Year. Yeah, they’re grocery shopping. That and pondering the stark reality of what Good Friday and Holy Saturday represent—that moment …
The Harlot of Jericho and the Two Spies, c. 1896-1902, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot This morning I came across Tissot’s The Harlot of Jericho and the Two Spies, above. Tissot was a fine painter, but one has to wonder what he was thinking to portray Rahab as a man in drag, with a 5 o’clock …
Underpainting of a hailstorm. That’s painting #6 underpainted; one more to go. When I had a composition problem on this underpainting of a hailstorm, I reached back to an old friend: the color field painter Clyfford Still. Living on the Lake Plains as I do, I know that a level field is perfect for growing …
Still life by Sandy Quang. About 18X24, oil on canvas. I’ve had several students painting and drawing a sprawling still life over the last few weeks. Sandy Quang has done a bang-up job with it. Sandy has a BFA from Pratt and is finishing her MA from Hunter College, so I must share some credit …
See what I mean about her paint handling? Hortense* has been my painting student since the very beginning. I haven’t taught in my own studio since last spring, so when she came to class on Saturday, I had a fresh perspective about her painting. She handles paint as well as I do, and she draws …
Can’t quite cope with that diagonal bisecting the picture, but I’ll try again. When I do a drawing like this, I try to remind myself that even failures are not a waste of time, because one needs to pass through the problem to arrive at the solution. How I managed to convert the lovely diagonal …
Sketch for painting, 9X12, #2 pencil on vellum. Having assembled my reference photos for my upcoming project, it is time to do something with them. I am still only good for about three hours of work a day, but I mean to take advantage of those hours. The apple tree was an icon in our …
Headwaters of the Hudson (Lake Tear of the Clouds), 40X30, Oil on Canvas (Private Collection). I haven’t (surprise, surprise) bounced back quite as quickly as I expected, but I did manage to do some sketching while loitering in the hospital. Yesterday I catalogued reference photos that I need for my current project, in the hope that …
“This was the first window I did,” said Gowing. “The window represents Holy Communion with grapes standing in for wine, and to my delight, John found glass that looked just like matzoh, the original communion bread. He painted in the air holes and edges. To date, John still hasn’t ever seen a matzoh in person, …
Freedom from Want, Norman Rockwell, 1943 This Thanksgiving Day the average American will consume more than 4500 calories, accordingto the Calorie Control Council. I’m all for eating right, but I think the capacity of our nation to throw an annual bash is an unequivocally good thing. Thanksgiving is the most universal of American holidays—celebrated by …