At Hipbone Studio on Saturday we had a male model. Lucky for me, it was not too crowded because some people do not prefer male models. I like to draw guys, and women, old and young, all shapes and sizes! Scott, our model, had great energy and acting ability, and some nifty props like sunglasses and headphones.
I've been painting still lives while the cold outside is uninviting and discovered that any subject matter can teach you something when you really see. The first squash that I painted (there is a huge pile of them from last summer's garden) looked funny, so I carefully counted the lobes. I had painted nine and there were ten, five pairs radiating out from a central pentagon. Then I looked at the other squashes and they all had ten sections. Who knew? Sploches of color look random until you begin to see the pattern. I find veggies beautiful as well as good to eat, so expect more!
"Summer Sensation" is the title of these sunflowers I painted last summer at Sauvie Island. It is a nice reminder of warmth, especially today, anticipating snow. This painting will be on display and for sale at Matthew's Galleries in Lake Oswego for "CompeteART 2011". If you go, you can vote for my painting. The opening is Saturday, January 22, 2:00-6:00. There are prizes for popularity, with $1,000 for first place! For more information, see www.matthewsgalleries.com.
I wish I could say that I spotted this pair of Canada Lynx kittens hidden in a tree during one of my walks, but it was a photo that I spotted, and could not resist. In fact, I find most cats hard to resist! Cats are hard to photograph, except when asleep, which is most of the time. So I'm thankful for the photographer who happened by at such an opportune time to capture these two! Expect more animal paintings in the future, along with still lives, human figures and landscapes.