Friday, September 16, 2011

A Day with Degas


12x12 oil on panel

Available next month at Loretta Goodwin Gallery.

Feeling a little, I don't know, ennui? Maybe I just like that word. Anyway, I turned to something contemplative today. I am pleased with the looseness, the variety of color and brush stoke I worked in here. Its not perfect, but my goal isn't realism, right? I was listening to a Dan McCaw interview this morning on Artists Helping Artists and he talked about painting "past the likeness" and other ideas for expressing your individuality. His book is wonderful, by the way.

This photo is too light, the painting is a little more muted and a shade more cozy than this appears - but when I try to adjust the photo, the red becomes too vibrant.

The scene might be one of my favorite rooms in The Met. Full of Degas' paintings and his beautiful little dancer proudly taking center stage. When you enter it from the main gallery, its really quite striking.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

beautiful!

Farbwahn

Unknown said...

I like that phrase, 'painting past the likeness'! I want to do that too! Beautiful painting you have done!

Studio at the Farm said...

It is a lovely, quiet and contemplative painting, Robin.

suzanneberry said...

wonderful robin! feel betta! love dan mcaw!

Unknown said...

nice painting....
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Kelley Carey MacDonald said...

Oh, I love this, and I love the sculpture by Degas! It's funny you should talk about the light/dark of your painting being off, but the adjusting too hard - I had the same problem today. But I read a bit of Michael Weymouth's book "How Photography Can Make You A Better Painter", and he was talking about setting the camera on "P" and going to -1 or -2 and it seemed to help!

Oil Painter said...

I really enjoy your work. My favorites are the people standing in the gallery spaces and the parks. Thanks for posting.

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