The Dance Company

Painting underway of a local ballet dance company. The older dancers and the director were in the wings as the younger dancers performed at a retirement home. The bright cheery colors of the performance hall contrasting with the muted shadowed colors of the hallway struck me and I wanted to capture that...even exaggerate it a bit. Painting is 20X24.

Something a little different

A small painting for a friend of a street in Japan. 11X14 is a bit smaller than I'm used to but I'm having a good time with this. As an art student, one of my favorite paintings in the Ringling Museum was a small painting of a street scene...lots of small specks of color...far more wonderful than the gigantic Rubens'.

Tree climber

Portrait of a local boy underway. I'm really liking this one. I haven't done too many paintings of kids in trees. Almost everyone has a tree in their childhood that they fondly remember climbing or building a tree house in. I'm not only painting a portrait of the young lad but the tree as well. Although the leaf pattern has become almost abstract, I'm trying to make sure that it looks like this specific tree...including limbs, bark pattern and knots. 30X40

Fluidity

Life drawing of Chelsea from tonight's drawing class. Beautiful fluid lines in this pose...it was visual music. Approximately 12-15 minute drawing. My goal was to capture the movement of the figure and not "over draw" it...this is where gesture drawing pays off.

Life drawing

Recent life drawing of Atlanta model, Megan O. Conte and pastel. 20 minute drawing.

Fire

I've finished the painting of dancer Chelsea S. I'm calling it "Fire"...the red tutu reminds me of flames. This painting will hang at Espresso Lane in Newnan during July.

Painting in progress of local dancer, Chelsea S. I'm not capturing the beautiful subtleties of light and shadow that are in my photos but there are some things I'm liking about this painting. I'm liking the painterly quality of the tutu that is coming across in the original and the unfinished look in the floor. I may change the color of the floor...still debating that one. This photo is not good...I'll try to get a better one when I'm finished.

Poverty Point Mounds

Currently on the board is this birds eye view of Poverty Point Mounds in Northeast Louisiana. A huge, ancient mound site with many unanswered questions, Poverty Point continues to intrigue archaeologists. This is the first of several paintings and drawings that will be part of their new visitor's center museum.

Why is that girl sitting in the middle of the road?

This painting, "The Lonely Road", is not currently "on the board" but I hear from so many people wanting to know the story behind it that I thought it would be interesting to hear what folks have to say. Why do you think this girl is in evening attire and sitting in the middle of the dirt road? Give me your story!

What's on the Board?

Well, my first adventure into blogosity. I thought this would be a good way to post "what's on the board". I'll show what I'm working on and you the blogee, will hopefully give me some comments....like, Whoa! That's the greatest single piece of painted canvas I've ever witnessed.

Shown here is an unfinished work currently titled "Day and Night". The painting is of a local ballet dancer that has posed for my life drawing class on several occasions. 30X40
Martin
www.pateart.com