This is how the portrait of Julie looks after about 2 hours of work, with lots of distractions.
Last night was First Friday, and Art in Action at Lakeside Legacy Arts Park. Amber Larson, artist and owner of Creative Artistry School of Art, brought all of the resident artists, and teachers together to share their art process, and to promote their classes. My friend and fellow Lakeside resident artist Julie Tomaso, and I worked together the way artists have for centuries. Julie was my artists' model while I painted her portrait in oil on canvas.The Sage Gallery was certainly not a traditional studio setting, so I arranged a few props from my studio for a "virtual studio". My paintings are on at the far end of the Gallery, so that is where I set up my "stage". I wanted visitors to feel as if they were peering into a working artist's studio. I found the process to be a lot of fun, and full of challenges. Julie was a great model, whose quiet repose contrasted the crowded and noisy gallery.
I have demonstrated my painting process to students, and in public for many years, so this evening provided me with a chance to revisit the rigors of demstration. I took some photos of Julie, and will complete the portrait in my studio.
I have found that when you try new ways of presenting your art and consistently define yourself in the most positive light, growth occurs on a personal level that others naturally respond to. This for me is very rewarding.
"Creating a life in the any of the arts requires courage." Georgia O'Keefe
