Painting loosely without a drawing.

As promised here are a few pics of the painting I did this past weekend. Our geriatric cat helped with the pics. One is a large oval table "runner" with a holly deco on one side and a summer theme on the opposite. I also painted a place mat on two sides. When I take a decorative painting class I recently have painted canvas place mats as a practice piece. I am up to six finished place mats. That's twelve classes. I keep them stacked on my breakfast bar and enjoy pulling out a few when needed. We designed as we painted adding elements where we thought our piece needed them. It was an interesting approach for me. It helped a lot as yesterday I painted a branch and with full bloom maple leaves on a clients wall. I free handed almost all of it and I was on the top of a ladder reaching the ceiling and wall edge. But more of that project later.

Painting Dolph Schayes for the Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame

One of the most challenging commissions I painted was a life size (6'9") portrait of Dolph Schayes. Dolph played for the Syracuse Nationals in the 50's and went on to coach the Philly 76'ers. The Syracuse Nationals eventually became the 76'ers. The owners of the Nationals created the 20 second shot clock and to commemorate the 50 year anniversary of that event they had a call for proposals from artists. While my proposal was not accepted it did connect me with the director of the Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame who asked if I would paint Dolph life size so kids could stand next to him to see what it would feel like to defend against him. I spent more time prepping for the project than the actual painting. I read several books about the Nationals, met with Dolph (who is in his 80's) and researched uniforms, shoes and even basketballs. Dolph laughed when I asked him if he had a pair of sneakers that he played in. They played in Converse high tops and he said they tore them apart in every game. It was not unusual for the soles to be pulled off in a game. Trying to determine if Converse high tops were any different in 1955 than today was very challenging. The biggest challenge was to take a small grainy photo (provided by the National Sports Hall of Fame) and convert every feature accurately to Dolph's young 6'9" frame. One of Dolph's favorite moves was to muscle into the net and take a hook shot. That is what I painted. It was painted on a 10' Masonite board so it can be moved (The Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame is in a temporary location). I hung "Dolph" so his feet were 20" off the ground. His height is impressive. In the jump I come to his waist when standing next to the painting. It was a memorable experience on a grand scale.

More painting

I spent the weekend painting at a decorative arts seminar taught by Ros Stallcup. Ros teaches a method of design and painting loosly. We painted holly, cardinals, black eyed susans and red grapes. I tend to be a tight painter and designing and painting to fit the funcional piece with lots of paint stroked on with transparent glazes and thick paint was a challenge. I need this kind of painting weekend to lossen me up a bit. I painted two sides of a canvas place mat, two sides of a canvas table runner and a bowl. Pics are to come when I get a chance to photograph them.



Presently I am working on an oil painting of a bottle of white wine, a wine glass with white wine, red grapes and a crusty roll. The white wine is a challenge to make it look thin and not like olive oil. I have just based in value and color. More layers to come. I love to paint glass and that is not the problem. So far its the wine that is challenging.

Will keep everyone posted on my progress.

Blog Launch

I just set up my very own blog. I am an artist and am a co-0wner of a Art Co-op in Skaneateles New York. My first love is oil painting and I paint commission portraits - pets, people and homes. I also paint oil still lifes. In 1985 I took some decorative arts seminars and am also a decorative artist and member of the National Society of Decorative Artists. I enjoy painting functional pieces. I feel someone can have a piece of art and use it as well. Even something as simple as a drink coaster can have an original piece of art. To this blog I am attaching a pet portrait I recently painted and a tilt top table I painted to put in the shop. It reflects both of my interests, painting portraits as well as painting a piece of functional furniture.