Keeping Cool

Keeping Cool

(Portrait of Adam and Gil)

October 4, 2010

18" x 14"

Oil on Canvas

    I may be in trouble for this and I hope Adam and Gil aren't creeped out by this portrait. Normally when I come across a photo (that isn't mine) that I wish to use for reference I always ask permission first. This time I didn't. 

   Adam and Gil are very supportive of my work and I am sure they won't mind. Both Adam and Gil are very creative individuals. Adam's photography and design work always inspires me. The photo I used as reference for this work was posted on Faceook.

    I have been finding some of my reference material from online social sources. There are now huge collections of individuals photos that I have complete access to. Sometimes the idea of it is creepy and sometimes overwhelmingly inspiring. I don't use professional photographers work, I use just the regular photos that people post, of their vacations, families, and friends. Many photos I come across pop out at me saying "wouldn't I look great as a painting at about such and such a size?". I think this is about the fourth painting I have created from someone else's personal photo.

   Hopefully you can see why I couldn't pass this one up. As I have a show coming up I was realizing that most of my portraits are of women. Which of course they would be because I am surrounded by women. My many sisters, girlfriends, most of my extended family are women.

   Late Friday night, I was on the computer, checking stuff out (or wasting time, if you will). I came across this photo and in the back of my mind it was bothering me that my work, recently, has been dominated by figures of women and frilly flowers.

   When I saw this image I instantly saw my brushstrokes. I saw how it could encourage pushing my other works by just focusing on tonal value and texture. I must note that this is not just black and white paint, there is color, just subtle color.  I thoroughly enjoyed painting this. I easily fell into my creative 'zone' and loved the experience of it.