First Post of the Year!

Welcome to my first Bi Monthly Post of the year! Here I will be giving a few thoughts on my Artistic Process and things I am learning.

I LOVE Painting. Here is a piece I recently finished for a client. I used an Alla Prima approach and felt a lot of it turned out pretty good. If I had more time I would refine it more but I feel it captured the essence of what the Client wanted.

Alla Prima is painting everything at once: Shapes, Values, Colors, Edges. It has been something I have been trained in and learned back in College at Utah State University around some of the current day masters like Glen Edwards, Mike Malm, and Robert Coombs. I remember my instructor Glen Edwards saying if you do your whole painting all at once it will go a lot faster. He was right!

I was fortunate to study with Perry Stewart and Patrick Devonas after graduating from Utah State at Utah Valley University. Incredible draftsmen and taught me the importance of drawing from Memory but also versatile masters with Alla Prima. 11 years ago I moved from Utah to Denver to study with some of my favorite Artists at the time and still favorite Artists Ron Hicks and Quang Ho. I was amazed at these masters and how good they were with their Painterly Alla Prima approach.

2019 finished commission. 6 X 9.

First painting of 2020.

This year I am trying to take my drawing skills a lot further and "Window Shading" as I have heard it termed by going from area to area after a meticulous drawing has been done. This is my first attempt. What it lacks in soft edges that create emotion it more than makes up for in accuracy. I am working on a portfolio of portraits and you have to slow down to really make this work. This is oil on panel 14 X 18.

I was at the Denver Art Museum last Saturday seeing the extraordinary Brittish Art exhibit. Artists from Britain or worked in Britain. Sargent, Van Eycks, Hans Holbein, and so many that I hadn't seen before where in this exhibit. It is spectacular. If you get a chance to go I would highly recommend it.

I have been working hard at my drawing for years now and as Quang Ho once told me you will be working another 10 years at it. I mention this as I was SO inspired by these artists at the Musuem and how far they took drawing. I loved seeing this.

I am a strong believe and example of "That which we persist in doing we get better at. Not that the task gets easier but our ability to do this has increased." This recent painting is a prime example so far of how far I have come. I could not have done this even 6 months ago. Makes me excited to see where I am in 5 - 10 years.

Thanks to all the wonderful teachers that have influenced and supported me. Have a great day!