I spent a lot of time looking at this painting in it’s previous stage and decided it needed to be dark to balance the top third and the red line across the top of Amanda’s head.
I also did some scratching on the piece with a knife and some steel wool, mostly on the tattoo. I’d painted it in too much and it lost too much of it’s rawness. I also added some eyes that I’m working on, want to do something with the hair and I need to fix her lips. Paint dries quickly in the Rivoli. I’m waiting for darkness to cool the place down.

It’s the last weekend for Seeds at the Asher Love Gallery.
Here’s a gallery of the work available.

[View with PicLens]

Seeds a series of abstracts exploring new beginnings.
Asher Love Gallery
3914 St. Elmo Avenue
Chattanooga, Tn 37407
423.653.3523

Layer four of Thread was added this past Tuesday in a very energetic frenzy, My model was in top form, the energy running from her to me and into the painting was unprecedented in our collaboration, it literally painted itself. The more layers I add to this piece, the more I learn.

The third session of Thread started slowly but caught fire after after the first break. I find it hard for the model to be as much in the process as they could be if they can’t see the painting in progress. I have this picture nailed to the wall at an angle that can be viewed by my model as I paint. This helps keep myself and my subject connected through the making and gives us both a reason to stay present and in the moment. I’ve fleshed out the hands here and softened a few edges, the painting is progressing nicely.

The second week of Thread, in progress, exploring the work and my interaction with my model. This session was more relaxed and easy, allowing me to delve into the painting, discovering colors, edges and surfaces. I use a very limited palette when I am painting figures. I use primaries and neutrals that don’t distract me from the form and the energy. While I was working on the collar bones, a strange acid green came to the fore. I’ve discovered the same green in Cacophony, an acrylic abstract that I’d done with the same model. This green had never found it’s way into my work before that painting. I’m enjoying it’s presence in Thread. I intend to work on these piece over the coming weeks until it tells me to stop.

I started this painting with an acid yellow base and red . I asked my model April if I could use her a s brush. She’s small with great definition. I placed green and purple along the edges of the painting, she lied in the paint and water mixture and I guided her back and forth over the surface three or for times until an image emerged. I then spent about 20 hours on the result, finding shapes and edges.  This varies greatly from my normal color palette. I never use an acid green like this and tried to tone it down throughout the painting. I gave up fighting with it about 17 hours into the work and something happened. I used a color that matched the green and the drawing unified. It shimmers in the light like an insect’s wing, impossible to capture with my camera.

Sometimes there are paintings where the muse takes over and magic jumps from the surface and guides my hand. I didn’t think much of this one when I added the blue green layer. It was truly as mess. I walked by it a few times and then I saw the seashell  pop out at me. I nailed to to the wall and the was the Moon, mouth agape and singing in my ear. The clouds formed themselves with the help of some oils that Whitney gave me. This isn’t my usual color palette and I never use flesh color. It worked great for this composition.