Still Life

I have started a new challenge, which I am ashamed to say I have not kept up with, and that is painting from life. Having taken Henry Yan's figure painting class in April, I found myself struggling with working from life. I have spent the past 2 years working from photos and was amazed at how hard it was for me to even place the figure well, compositionally. I also had not realised how much is lost in a photograph, in terms of depth.

I have done 2 so far, the first was not great, and I am posting the second one here. I don't conside it really finished, but it is not ever going to be. I am trying to just do quick studies. I am definitely drawn to reflective transluscent surfaces, and wish I could render them well.

I have signed up for Juliette Aristides class, which hopefully, will be a great learning process.

Try something new or thrash a dead horse?

Just created this Blog and want to check out how it looks. I'm a bit behind the times here as eveyone I know is already blogging away madly.

OK so I have today only to get creative, the rest of the week I am at work. I should get in my studio, I want to experiment with Gold Leaf, if anyone saw Brad Kunkles' work in American Art collector they will know why. I want to do that, I love how the viewer is reflected in the art, and the surreal effect it has.

I am applying for an Artists Trust grant which I want to use to create some paintings on Gold leaf for an art show in January 2011, the title of the Show will be " Seattle, - Boom to Bust" if I get it done. It will be a series of paintings showing the effects on the local economy of the housing bubble. The first in the series will be over gold leaf as a kind of " gold rush" feeling where nothing could go wrong and everyone was making money. Still getting the logistics sorted out on that.

I do have an unfinished painting thats not going well, and have to figure out whether to try and resurrect it or to call it a day and paint something else over it. Somehow I think I'll try the former, its the challenge........