Monday, September 28, 2009

Get Up Stand Up


No, that wasn't directions for tonight's model, that was Bob Marley on the DVD. Katie T here in a reclining pose. The colorful top was fun...I tried to suggest the essence without a careful copy of every flower petal. 15 minute conte and pastel. $225.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Carrie With Crow


Older painting that I just had professionally scanned...always so much better than what I can shoot on my own...should be for the price! Carrie was one my drawing class models (before heading off to college) and this was actually a pose from the drawing class one night. Her expression and posture had sort of an "attitude" to it that I liked for this painting. At the same time, I was looking for an excuse to paint a crow or crows and decided out of the blue to put one on her shoulder. This painting gets a lot of attention in shows and generates interesting conversations. I'm currently offering prints.
Oil, 24X30.

Monday, September 21, 2009

A Mad Mad Mad Madeleine Night



Dance model Madeleine saved the day for us by filling in for a model that was unable to make it(we've got a lot of flooded roads around here). Nice poses and a beautiful black and pink costume made for some nice drawings. Shown here is one of the 15 minute conte and pastels and a 2 minute gesture drawn with a 6b lead.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Thanks Bernie



In some ways, I feel like I've lost a good friend...one that I never really knew on a personal basis. I met Bernie Fuchs when he came to speak at Ringling in 1978 or 79 but I never really knew him and he certainly never knew who I was. Despite that, I paint pictures because of him. Along with my brother Charlie, it was Fuch's paintings that most influenced my decision to become an illustrator. Through all the ups and downs, the good years and bad ones, I've never regretted the path I chose.
For years, I tried my best to paint like Bernie but in time realized I would never out "Bernie" Bernie. Still though, it was a step in my walk...an education...parts of which remain in my work. I've included a couple of my very early illustrations to show his influence. The Hank Aaron piece was the first commercial illustration I did after graduation. The Atlanta Golf Classic brochure was another early work...approximately a year after graduation. It was sometime in those early years that the rep for Brown Dog(illustration studio I worked for) told me that I was bidding on a job against Fuchs..among others. Wow...that was heady stuff. I don't remember the job...I got it though...under bidding the master I'm sure. I was in art school when Norman Rockwell died...it was a similar feeling to that when I read someone's Facebook post about Fuchs.
So, what does this have to do with "What's on the Board"? Bernie Fuchs is on my board...he's on there every time I sit down to paint.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Little Bird



New painting of young dancer Madison underway....nearly finished. Titled "Little Bird"...24x30 oil. This painting is a follow up of sorts to an earlier painting. See http://mpate60.blogspot.com/2009/05/madison.html

Monday, September 14, 2009

Red Shoes


Life drawing from tonights class of dance model Katie C. 15 minutes at the class and touched up in the studio. Conte and pastel.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Timucua Village



After a long drought, I'm actually working again! This is a commissioned work depicting a pre-historic Timucua village off Georgia's coast. I'm showing one of the reference shots and an early thumbnail. My thumbnails start off as shown here with the purpose being to show the client the possible options on how the painting will look. This rough shows the villagers reliance on water, a part of their village life and a dugout canoe. The client has part of an actual dugout from this time period and showing one in the painting will tie the artist's vision to real archeology...always a good thing. I'll show progress on this as it develops.