Amy's Blues

The painting I started of Amy Henderson, of the Geezer Gallery, that I started at Janet Amundson-Splidsboel's Candlelight Studio. Continuing at my studio, I focused on the hats and the dreamy surreal fabrics around her. I was listening to the music of Fellini Film soundtracks, which added elements of whimsy. For awhile, I thought of this portrait as "Amy of the Spirits", as in "Juliet of the Spirits", but now I think of it as "Amy's Blues".

December Drawings

December in L.A. can be warm and sunny, and I lucked out a few weeks ago when I visited the L.A. County Museum of Art with my brother, Jeremy. We lunched alfresco with a view of the zany Japanese Pavilion by architect Bruce Goff, then headed to see German Expressionists and other 20th Century European art. I sketched ink drawings by George Grosz and viewed a video of him drawing one of his fat, bald men. I was especially challenged by an oil painting by Vuillard done in soft tones with no lines.

Back in Portland, I drove through rain and snowflakes to Janet Amundson-Splidsboel's studio, where the model was Amy Henderson, founder of the Geezer Gallery. The word "geezer" was selected to improve perception of older people. The gallery not only supports older artists by exhibiting their art, but also contributes to art therapy and other programs. Amy is not a "geezer" in any sense of the word, and looked lovely in her hat and flowing blouse.