“Woman in Pink & Gold” 16×20 oil and gold leaf on canvas

I do give private art lessons.  But not the kind of lessons that say – “this is the process of creating art”.  The students I have varying levels of  artists who need guidance in accomplishing their art according to their skills and comfort levels.

My long road to an experimental portrait

 I don’t have one specific way to accomplishing a painting.  Sometimes I underpaint in blue, green, earth tones, even hot pink or purple etc lol!  I do create thumbnails first though.  And I either do a bunch of pencil studies or go directly to Photoshop.  But my studies are to determine composition and values and color arrangements.  Then I do fleshtone studies.  Then I go all over the place hahaha This particular commission, because client said, “Do whatever your artistic calling wants you to do.”  So I took my time. This project took 3.5 years.  I wanted to express the energy the subject puts out.  For the longest time, the traditional way I paint portraits competed strongly with what my creative self wanted to do, it was quite a battle oye! My mood went all over the place.

After much denial and negotiating and finally reaching surrender and acceptance, I was worn out; ready to listen to my creative self.  I took the unexplored road to gold leaf and gold paints.  The subject likes bling and she looks loveliest among gold colors and she likes purples and pinks.  Very, very slowly, I proceeded this direction.  Things were finally “feeling” more comfortable.  I wasn’t missing the defiance from where ever the heck that energy was coming from.  This was still a bit nerve wracking because I don’t do commissions herky jerky.  I only allow myself more play when it’s just “my art”.

Detail shot it wasn’t easy to photograph

By the way, I usually either have TV or audible on when I’m painting because I need to divide my attention or I overthink things and scare myself.  Well I kid you not, when I finally felt I had just applied the last touch on the portrait, the trailer from from “Woman in Gold”  played on my studio TV!  WHOAH cue Twilight Zone music!  YEAH I felt like it was a sign of validation from Creative Universe giving me thumbs up for winning my battle the correct way!

Anna with “Woman in Pink & Gold”

Then Anna received her painting and she was delighted!  And immediately had it framed!!!  I was so dang worried when we were having tornado warnings, I was gonna get sooooo mad if the 3.5 year old project got flown to the land of OZ!  I suggested she saw the movie too which she did 🙂  Weeks later Mom and I went to see it too and loved my idol Helen Mirren.

Though my current commission pieces on the easel are traditional, I really enjoyed this project so much after the fact hahaha  I am happier that I didn’t settle for my usual traditional style because it wouldn’t have done Anna justice.

“Yellow and Red Roses” 4×6 oil on canvas collection of Patrick and Adriane Carr

Today the buyer of a recent painting I published on Facebook posted a beautifully framed photo of the painting!  It really puts a big smile on my silly face when I see that my works live in good homes 🙂