Challenge : Metropolitan Rooftop Terrace

One of my hero's is Antonio Lopez Garcia.  I have always admired his persistence and determination.  When I first heard that he was carrying those enormous paintings and all his gear out to paint from life I was I was humbled. When I found out that he would only paint if the weather conditions were exactly the same down to the time of day and season, even if this meant working on a painting for consecutive years,  I was blown away.  Just the thought of it is so inspiring.

So, I thought I would challenge myself. The good people at Reinhold Residential Project have allowed me on their roof terrace to do a series of paintings of Philadelphia. Let me tell you, it is no easy task to carry all junk up to the roof.  It takes two trips from the 9th floor at PAFA to the 23rd floor of the Metropolitan at 8:00am.  I lay out a drop cloth,  set out paints and supplies, and use a system of ropes, c-clamps and carabiners to anchor the panel so that it does not take flight. The weather so far has been temperamental to say the least, and winter is approaching fast. It is no wonder that it has taken Lopez 10 + years to finish some paintings, and my painting isn't nearly as large as some of his!

Having said all that, it is wonderful to be above the city! The sunlight and open air couldn't be more gratifying conditions to work in. It is an overwhelming feeling and an affirmation of how incredible life is.   I will to continue post as the painting progresses.

September Opening

Thanks to all those who came out for the September First Friday! If you were not able to join us last night, the work will be up for the entire month and there will be a reception on Sunday September 11th from 1-4pm.

September show at Artist's House Gallery

I will be showing my most recent work at Artist's House Gallery for the month of September.  The opening is First Friday: September 2, 5 to 8:30 pm, and the Sunday Reception is September 11, 1 to 4 pm.  I am very excited to be working with this gallery.  The gallery has been around for close to 30 years, and has about as solid a reputation as you can get in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas.  I think by far the most humbling part of showing at Artist House is showing in the same gallery as some of my mentors and favorite artists such as Peter Van Dyck, Carolyn Pyfrom, Dan MIller, Renee Foulks,  and Frances Galante.  These are some of the people who guide me on a regular basis and are a huge part of the reason that I am able to show in a gallery of this caliber.

Here are a few of the images that will be in the show.  If you are in the area please stop by!

Studio Self Portrait.  36" x 36". Oil on Canvas.

Anna Sleeping. 24" x 21". Oil on panel.

Dependance. 24" x 36". Oil on canvas glued to panel.

Distractions. 19" x 22". Oil on canvas glued to panel.

New Antonio Lopez Catalog

This catalog of work by the master Antonio Lopez Garcia is an absolute must have. Buy it. Now. Do not wait, do not pass go. Go directly to this site and order this book.

Work in Progress

I thought I would share something that I am working on right now in the studio.  This picture was taken after two sittings.  I was inspired by one of my favorite  paintings,  Antonio Lopez's "Conejo-desollado", in which he painted a skinned rabbit.  So I went to the Reading Terminal here in Philadelphia searching for the perfect subject.  They have several butchers and seafood vendors.  The Red Snapper caught my eye for its beautiful reds, pinks and greens.

After looking at it for a while, I was reminded of a little bistro in Savannah that I worked at for three years during my undergrad at SCAD.  I have such fond memories of the place and people who I worked with like the Chef Danny Kim.  Danny is Thai and LOVES to feed people and go fishing.  Everyday I would come into the kitchen and he would be butchering fresh fish that he bought or caught himself that morning.  He would cut me of a slice of fresh sushi if it was a really good Tuna or something like that.  He was a quiet kind man and if you were feeling sick, he would not hesitate to make you soup, which meant the world to me.  One of the dishes he loved to prepare was a whole bee-liner red snapper, diamond scored, served head to tail on the plate, with a sweet Thai chili sauce.  When I saw this fish at the Terminal all of these memories came trickling into my mind, the smells of the food cooking, the sounds of the pans and knives chopping, even the image of Rut, the dish-washer, taking an afternoon nap by the dish-pit.  All of these memories made my decision to paint a fish much more compelling.  When the painting is done I will post an image of it, as well as talk about the experience of painting a lifeless animal.

Traditions

As a painter everything seems to be about tradition;  whether it is upholding them, smashing them to the ground or finding a way to take the best of what each tradition has to offer.  Personally, I strive for the latter.  This was not always the case for me.  When I began painting, all I could do was stare in awe at the work being done in traditional ateliers like the Florence Academy.  As I have grown as a painter my tastes have shifted toward less predictable directions.  I began to respond more to the sensuality of the paint itself and the light and color in a very different way.  I began to respond to the abstract language within the picture plane and suddenly I was looking at work that was very different from what I had become accustomed to.  Not only was I looking at it but I wanted my work to speak that way.  This is why I chose to come to PAFA as my place of study.  PAFA seemed to be steeped in tradition as well as open to the ever-changing needs of modern growth.

So what happens when The Florence Academy (FAA) meets The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA)?  Well one answer is to look at the work of such incredible painters as Carolyn Pyfrom and Peter Van Dyck, who happened to attend FAA and now teach at PAFA.   Peter and Carolyn hosted the workshop offering the students insight into many of the techniques taught at FAA, such as the sight-size method.

For those who are unfamiliar with this method, " Simply stated, the sight-size method positions the model (subject matter) and the artist’s drawing board next to each other so that they can be viewed side-by-side, while the artist stands at a specific distance from them.  It is extremely important that the position of the model and the artist’s drawing board (or canvas) always remain exactly the same, as well as the position from which the artist observes them.  Therefore, those positions are usually carefully marked using tape or chalk.  This exactness is so important, that even the shoes of the artist must be consistent because a difference in the height of the heel can throw off the accuracy of the measuring process.  From the artist’s set position, or vantage point, the model and the drawing of the model appear exactly the same size (hence, “sight-size”)." Hans-Peter Szameit 

It is a very rigorous method but it can be very useful under very specific conditions.  It was such an intense week, thank God Peter and Carolyn have such a great energy about them. Each day the class would meet for a lecture and then break into two groups, one to work from the model and one to work from casts.  After lunch the groups would swap.

For me, the best part of the whole experience was having the opportunity to explore some of the methods of The Florence Academy, but still be able to push the boundaries of paint application and color.

Carolyn's Demo.

Peter getting his paint on.

This is one of my paintings from the workshop. "study", 12 x 30", oil on canvas.

Stuart Shils Workshop

Last week I was fortunate enough to monitor Stuart Shils plein air workshop.  It began with an hour-long lecture on Thursday night, followed by three very intense days of painting.  Stuart began each day with a short lecture/demo on painting, drawing, and color.  We would paint, break for lunch, and paint some more while Stuart would offer tips and pointers.  He also gave a slide-show presentation to the class taking us from his paintings when he was at the Academy to the work that he is doing today. It was a very informative and inspiring weekend.

Stuart was a very giving teacher and didn't hesitate to answer any technical or philosophical questions.  He spoke about taking the time to look, draw, and understand the big relationships in what you are painting.  Getting the relationship of one color note next to another is key. (No pun intended.)  He talked about unity above all being the goal in a painting, and how the power of painting is in the abstract narrative. Thanks to Stuart I have a new mantra, and that is "where are my lights, where are my darks, what color are they, and what are the edges like."  It may sound simple, but the best things in life usually are.  His recommended readings were Hawthorne's On Painting, Henri's The Art Spirit, and Van Gogh's Letters to his brother.  If you have the chance to take this workshop, and are an intermediate to advanced painter, I definitely recommend it.  The best thing about the workshop was that he is not interested in giving a step-by-step of "how to paint like Stuart Shils."  Rather, he was interested in providing people with principles that they can take with them, and over time apply to their own work.  There are some great interviews with Stuart that are definitely worth checking out here and here.

Game on!

I have been putting this first post off forever because there are so many great blogs about painting out there.  Well that and maybe a little fear of sharing what happens in my brain!  So to begin very simply, this blog will be about my journey as a painter.  If along the way I am able to share some of my discoveries with you, and that helps further your ambitions, that is an added bonus.  I am very aware of many, many people out there who know much more than I, so your insight on topics and discussions are welcome.  I have been told time and time again that painting is a long road, there is no short cut, and I believe patience is the strongest asset a serious painter can have.   Well, patience and a strong community of other artists for knowledge, inspiration and encouragement.

As for myself, I am currently enrolled in the Masters Program at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA).  My B.F.A. was from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).  Apparently, I only enroll in schools that have names so long that they are best referred to in acronymic  format.  I have been fortunate enough to be guided by some really great people, who also happen to be incredible painters.