Lori in Guatemala

Lori in Guatemala

28" x 22"

Oil on wood Panel

[click on the image to enlarge]

My wonderful companion and best friend.

While traveling Lori has a predictable set of requirements:  sun protection, sunglasses, large purse and Diet Coke or since we were outside the United States in this case Coke Light.

This was inspired by scenes from a small village in Guatemala

Peanut

Peanut

20"  x 16"

Oil on Wood Panel

[click on the image to enlarge]

Not too many people can wear a large rabbit on the front of their shirt and still look cool. Quinn manages this with ease

This small study is back lighted and does not have good shadows so I wouldn't usually consider it for a painting nevertheless I enjoyed painting her. Perhaps the happy smile, attitude and flamboyant hair style.

Although Rebecca took the photograph, she cannot be blamed for the painting as it is much altered.

The eyes look over-stated however if anything they are less bold than the reality.

Below is the same painting earlier in it's life with a warmer background. I wanted a more translucent and cooler background, although Lori wasn't too happy when she saw what I had done.
I gave it a wash with phthalo blue and then followed with olive green.

Study

Study

[after William Whitaker]

16" x 12"

Oil on wood Panel

William Whitaker is a Utah artist who does mostly portraits -starting at $12,000. Which is a nice neighborhood if anyone is interested in my opinion.

I'm envious of his painting studio overlooking Utah Valley and his talent.

He has a soft and beautiful way of painting fabrics and draped clothing or robes.

I love this small study of a young woman with several complimentary drapes and coverings. The grey background in the painting has slightly less blue than the photograph.

It's available for $11,999 - a bargain.

Emmy

Emmy

15" x 15"

I found a frame that I thought matched this oil painting well. It has some orange/gold highlights, although they didn't photograph very well, on the raised carvings.

I added the lighter gold inner border accent to it.

This was supposed to go to my office however it was claimed for another site before I got it there.

Rats....

Gwen

Gwen

24" x 18"

Oil on Wood Panel

[click on the image to enlarge]

Gwen has such a bubbly personality and I just smile when I see or think about her.

This painting presents a composition problem. It's undoubtedly a stronger portrait as a 3/4 study, however the boots are also such a part of her gestalt that I decided to include them in the painting.

It's part of the combination that makes 'Gwen' such a distinctive little girl.

So the smaller image is a cropped view of the actual painting, you can decide if I sacrificed too much clarity in the composition to include a full length work.

Madonna and Babe

Madonna and Babe

24" x 18"

Oil on wood Panel

Corrected and photographed for different portrait camera settings.

Madonna and Babe

Madonna and Babe

24" x 18"

Oil on wood panel

[click on the image to enlarge]

the painting is shown in two slightly different photographs

A Madonna painting is a painting of Mary, the Virgin mother of the Lord.  And by definition or tradition Mary is the dominant figure in the painting. She may be depicted alone or with the Infant or young Child.

So she is seen as the mother of the Savior and also to some she may be seen as a symbol of all mothers.

She is often seen with blue robes and at first it may seem very unlikely that from Mary's humble circumstances she would have such a robe. Nevertheless there is also a biblical injunction found in Numbers 15:38 regarding blue although this refers to the instruction to put a ribbon of blue on the bottom of the robe. [French Ultramarine in this painting]

Blue is also a color mentioned in detail in the priest's clothing and curtains of the tabernacle. This creates a symbolic connection between this color and divinity.

One might conclude that the traditional clothes therefore represent the glory of her person or of mothers and the transcend event represented - which can apply to either the birth of the Lord or the birth of any child into this life through mother.

The actual historical clothes may then have been muted earth tones and today mother may have plain clothes however the painting also represents how we feel about mothers, Mary and the Lord. What does it represent to us?

Red is also usually found on the inner clothing, in this case I choose to put it as a muted color in the swaddling clothes of the Infant, and the background has a transparent oxide red glaze. Red is also symbolic of many things.

I think that we can all identify in part with the feelings of mother as she gazes with some wonder at the new and precious spirit that has become mortal through her sacrifice.

We recently celebrated the birth of a child into our family circle which lead me to consider this painting. She is a wonderful model of mother. Emery Brock kindly modeled the robes and hair for me.