Memorial DayTribute

This painting was done as part of Fort Benning GA'a popular history series a few years ago. Ca 1939, soldiers on parade in front of one the cuartels..among the largest buildings in the world at the time. The Cuartels are still there and are still impressive. This painting does not show the scale very well. Freedom is not free. Remember our fallen heroes.

Blog worthy Etsy Site

Hey blog friends. I want you to check out my daughters blog and Etsy site. She's just getting started so she could use some followers and visitors. She's got a talent for taking vintage buttons and other items and turning them into unique jewelry pieces. I think you'll have fun looking!!
http://braceypate.blogspot.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/braceypate

Talk Art at the Art Talk

No drawing class tonight..instead, I spoke to a group of interested artists and art lovers at Flint Gallery. A good sized group listened to me ramble on about the Ringling days, early illustration days and current work. To my knowledge, they all stayed awake! I talked a little about artists that have had an impact on my life...One of my life long influences as an artist and as a person was my Grandmother Pate. Shown here is a landscape she painted sometime around 1920. Beautiful!!

A Hard Day's Night

It was one of those nights that come along from time to time. Beautiful model, great outfit, great poses, good music...and then you can't seem to put it all together on paper. Nothing really to post about except this detail I salvaged after I got home...I do like the head in this one. 10-12 minutes. Erin was super as usual. We played some early Beatles, some early Dylan and then some Beatles remix from the "Love" album.

The Girl in the Red Hat

Final on Erin H in the red hat. Study shown in an earlier blog. This painting is 24x30. The original photos had Erin in a black dress and a black hat...I planned to have her blending in with a black background... but as I got into the study, I really liked the hat better in red. Still waiting on a title to hit me. Click image to see a larger file.

Twist and Shout!

James S modeled with a biker look tonight. His awesome gesture poses went along with the Beatles "Twist and Shout" from their "Please Please Me" album. Reclining pose detail shown here was a change of pace...15 minutes. The head turned away and the position of the hand were my focus. Conte and pastel.

Rhondaland

The mother of my children...my wife. Happy Mother's Day 2010. This painting at 20x30 shows my wife sleeping in her garden...aka, Rhondaland. Shown with her Mrs. Beasley doll that she had as a child.

Study

16x20 study for a larger work. Erin H posed in a black hat and black dress. I changed the hat to red because I felt like it needed that pop of color. I like how the left hand is posed and how the black dress blends in with the background. My black is a combination of burnt umber, ultramarine blue, raw sienna and a little white when I need highlights.

Edelweiss, edelweiss...

I've really got to stop singing in public...sometimes I just can't help myself. Ashleigh posed in a vintage fedora and held a white flower for this fun pose. The flower led to a spirited discussion on The Sound of Music. Many good poses tonight from Ashleigh. I'm showing a detail from a reclining pose as well. 12-15 minutes, conte.