Still Not Finished

But it's really close! Anyone have any really great ideas for a title? I have a couple in mind, but haven't settled yet.

Article About Danette Velez

Today an article that I authored was published in the Sun about Danette Velez. You can read it online here:

• Woman's love and inspiration will live on

Back to My Painting

Alright, let me get back to posting about art! Here's the current stage of this painting that I have been slowly chipping away at, like, forever. There's still so much of it that is nowhere near complete, and where the only layer of paint is the thin underpainting. It's coming along, though, and I feel it will be completed sooner than I think. I'm over a hurdle, both with this painting, and also hopefully with recent events. Will I now return to my usual workaholic self?

Also thought it would be interesting to post this; it's the painting, but completely desaturated. Looking at a painting in black and white can give you a lot of great information, and it's important that it all make sense visually when the color isn't there.

October 2nd - Where am I?

Yes, I am still here! I am still painting, slowly, in between all the other things I have been trying to juggle. I feel a little funny about posting news about Danette between all the nude images, so I am going to wait a while before I post more progress pictures.

Last month took a lot out of me emotionally, for sure. There are a couple projects going on for the Velez family, and I am writing a guest column for the Sun about Danette that will be published next week. I am also training for a 10K, so sleep has become slightly more important to me now, reducing the amount of time I get to spend doing other (more important!) things.

Please stay tuned. More paintings, drawings, and writings are to come, I anticipate at an increased pace!

I the meantime, here's a bit of randomness:

Take a look at that building... there's a house on top of it! I lived just a few blocks from here in Syracuse, NY (where the sky is always gray) as a young child, and there were stories about the mean old man who owned that house, so concerned with his profit that he lived right there on top of the building. I wonder what the real story was.

That brown building right next to the red one was a Key Bank when I was a little girl. I remember going there weekly with my mother, and thinking how magical it was, and how fortunate she was, to go somewhere that the people actually gave away money.

A Week Ago Today - Danette Velez

Early in the morning last Thursday, my friend Danette passed away. You may remember her from previous posts if you've read my blog for some time. If not, you can read my first post about her, when I completed a celebratory "I'm cancer free!" portrait. Her cancer returned, and I completed this second painting, and this post has a wonderful image of her portable shrine and an article about her courage and optimism.

Once again, I am without words that can describe how I feel (except maybe denial!), honor her memory, or truly give a hint as to the impact this woman had on so many people. Literally, I have been out in public with her portrait and had numerous people recognize her image and stop to talk about what a 'bright spirit' she is. Children would recognize her face and smile at the sunny image of Miss Danette. People who never even met her would be touched by the image of this happy, optimistic woman who was in the midst of battling cancer. Over at this CaringBridge webpage, that her family set up for her, some 13,000 people have visited, and hundreds have signed the guestbook and shared memories and loving thoughts. You can also read some entries from her journal, which family members have been posting here and there, and just get a glimpse into the kind of woman she was.

Friday at 3pm there will be a 'Celebration of Life' memorial service for her at Unity Church of Overland Park. Danette leaves behind a husband who carries the same 'bright spirit,' and 5 beautiful children who reflect the souls their parents, as well an extended family. A trust fund has been set up for the family; please consider giving if you are moved to do so:

Danette Velez Fund

First National Bank of Olathe

PO Box 1500

Olathe, KS 66051-9901

This woman was simply amazing, and I am so gifted for having known her. Thank you, Danette, for your friendship.

Legs

Unfortunately, there is a lot of glare in this photo, especially in the shadows of the thighs. Hopefully the effect of the shadows is not totally lost.

The legs are the least lit area of this figure, and so I am trying to keep a relatively narrow value range here. Also, the value of much of the rest of the painting will come down, too, as I continue to paint. The idea is to allow certain areas and edges to become lost in the shadow, which will cause the lights to have just that much more impact.

Stay tuned as I slowly make my way through this one.

Standing Nude Painting In Progress

Here you can see where I've put another layer on the butt and thigh areas. Seems like a logical place to start to me! This way I have a reference right in the middle of the painting, instead of starting at one end and changing things by the time I get to the other end. There's also a medium value range here, as opposed to the dark range in the legs and the highlights in the shoulders, and there's much less detail to worry about than in areas with more muscle and bone definition, such as the back.

Wondering if this is Finished

I think this may be done. I like the gentle rendering, so it doesn't feel over done, but I am also wondering if the graphite is dark enough for the heavily toned paper. Maybe it needs a little charcoal in the shadows? I'll think about it, and concentrate on my painting for a while.

Drawing and Painting and Drawing Some More!

In addition to working on the drawing above and the painting below, I have also put some finishing touches on a couple other drawings. Perhaps I will post those in a day or two, here and/or on my website.

Back

I'm back, and I'm drawing a back! I have been working on things slowly but steadily since I returned home. There have been some events that have left me speechless, and if words come to me about them, I will share. Meanwhile, I have kept myself busy finishing up some drawings, finishing a proposal, starting this drawing, and working on a few other projects. Hopefully now I will be able to get back to my painting full force.

Drawing is fun. I've gathered some new paper to play with and add some variety to the drawings. The color above is galled "Pottery Green." I can't wait to see how the white conte looks on it.

In Loving Memory of My Grandma

From left to right; my mother, my grandmother, myself
at my mother's wedding this summer.

Shortly after my last post, I got a phone call from my mother. This was followed later in the afternoon my another call, and a final call late that night. My grandma had died.

I don't usually discuss personal experiences or thoughts on my blog; generally I stick to the topic of my art and related events, but today I feel like sharing.

For the past several hours I've been trying to write my thoughts about my grandma, and describe what she meant to me and to my family and who she was as a person. Of course, a person cannot be encapsulated in a blog entry, so I have decided instead to tell a favorite story about her.

Growing up, I waited all year every year to feast on Grandma's pumpkin pie. I wouldn't allow myself to eat it at any other time of year, or else I felt like I was cheating. On Thanksgiving day, I had to wait patiently for everyone to finish dinner, and let it settle for a while before breaking into dessert. She knew I loved the pie, and would make enough so that some could be sent home with me.

When I realized that moving away from Syracuse would mean that I may not get to participate in this annual indulgence, I started nagging her for the recipe. Eventually, a year after I had moved and she was visiting KC, she finally shared her secret recipe with me. I believe her exact words were, "Oh, get a can of Libby's and read it!"

I now refer to it as "Grandma's World Famous 'Get a Can of Libby's and Read It!' Pumpkin Pie."

Standing Nude - Beginning the Painting

I'm finally working on a larger canvas again! This is 36" x 18". Of course, it would be more exciting on a 48" x 24" canvas, but I am not sure I have enough room. Maybe next time.

This is all just loosely blocked in with thinned oil paint. Several more layers to follow.

"Pensive," Done

"Pensive"
Oil on Panel, 16" x 12"

Nude Oil Painting Continued, Again

Inching my way along on the patterned comforter now. It just might take forever!

Standing Nude - Nearly Complete

Getting pretty close with this one. I've worked on the oil painting below as well, but there are a few things I want to change before I post it again. Look for more tomorrow or the day after.

Also, it's way too hot outside. Still. It doesn't look like there is a whole lot of relief in the forecast, but I suppose I should just be happy it isn't in the triple digits anymore.

Standing Nude Continued

Made a couple corrections, and started shading. Still some hard edges in there and other things that need to be adjusted, but I am very happy with where this is going.

Nude Continued - Pensive?

Two posts in one day! I had time to paint while the sun was up today. What a treat. You can see that the legs and forward arm are more finished than the rest. Now only if I could figure out how to get the saturation in Photoshop to match the saturation outside of Photoshop. Anyway, I'm thinking of naming this one "Pensive."

Standing Nude - Drawing

This is the beginning of another nude drawing, in preparation for a painting of the same subject. It will become more than a sketch, however, and should be able to stand on it's own as a finished work of art.

Continuing New Nude

Started working on this again last night. I plan to alternate between this and a drawing, and I might throw a little still life into the mix as well. Now that all the summer partying is over, it's time for me to light a fire under my tush!

Allegories & Allusions

Last Friday was the opening of my show, "Allegories and Allusions," at Strecker-Nelson Gallery in Manhattan, KS. My mother and grandmother were in town, so we made a nice trip of it, starting out early on Friday and stopping in Lawrence for a few hours. We stopped by the Lawrence Arts Center where one of my paintings is on display in the Lawrence Art Guild's All Members Show. I also saw a great piece by photographer friend Daniel Coburn, as well as many other interesting pieces. Hopefully I'll eventually have some pictures from that show to share.


Anyway, I had a great time and received lots of positive feedback and met some new artists, which is always a plus. These pictures don't show it, but there was actually a nice crowd of people in attendance! We had a late dinner after the show with artists, the gallery owners, et al. and spent the night there to avoid a long drive home at night. Now that the fun is over, it's time to get back to work.