Painting Intuitvely

I wanted to do a figure painting but didn't want to be tied to a reference photo.  Yesterday I painted from a photo taken by a friend, professional photographer Tom Szalay.  I don't have much experience painting different ethnicities so wanted to experiment but didn't want to use another one of his photos.  Instead I just started painting without any preconceived idea of whether it was going to a child, woman or man.  I did have a sense it would be someone other than a Caucasian but even then I wasn't sure.

The painting evolved and changed along the way and this is what I ended up with.  Any ideas for a title?

Sudanese Woman

I usually paint from life or from my own photo references but this week I saw a good friend's photographs and immediately had a desire to paint from them.  My friend, Tom Szalay, is a professional photographer and these past few years has been photographing many refugees some of which are students at the school where he teaches.  Tom graciously gave me permission to use some of his photos as reference material.  Here is the first of what I hope will be many paintings.

Palette Knives

I love the freedom that painting with a palette knife gives me.  It is impossible to be too precise so capturing the essence or feeling of a place  is easier with large brushes or using just a palette knife.  This painting was done entirely with a palette knife except for the initial underpainting which was a juicy flowing on of color and gamsol.

Zoning out

It's been raining today with some pretty mild temperatures so I opened the window of my studio and started a painting.  After awhile, I began to wonder what it was I was feeling.  It took a bit to register.  It had started to snow and the wind was blowing it in the window and falling onto my canvas.  I know I often lose sense of time and space when I paint but this is the first time I got snowed on and didn't realize it.

"Golden Sky"

16x20 oil

Intuitive Painting

My camera takes wonderful photos and often I use photos as a jumping off place for a painting.  The painting below was not inspired by a photo but by a meditation.  I can often get so wrapped up in the holiday season that I lose who I am and what the season is really all about.  Yesterday I began my time in my studio with Christmas music and some quiet breathing time.  Often when I meditate I feel as if I've been lifted out of myself into a deeper place.  Feelings rather than pictures flood me and it was with that feeling that I began this painting.  I began painting what I thought was to be an ocean scene but it was as if the painting itself had other ideas and I'm not really surprised.  Trees and water speak to me and give me peace.

untitled

9x12 oil