After Van Gogh, Patience Escalier, by Kim Blair

After Van Gogh Patience Escalier

17x15 oil on canvas

by Kim Blair

This is the second copy of an Old Master that I created for the final project in my painting course at the university.  Vincent painted the original in August of 1888.  He wrote to his brother Theo about a new model he was going to use to portray a peasant... an old man named Patience Escalier who was formerly a cowherd in Camargue, and now a gardener in Arles.

Van Gogh was inspired to infuse his work with more symbolism and mystery through the arbitrary use of color and brush work.  He chose to render this portrait of Patience with deliberate crudeness in order to portray his ideal of a rustic rural peasant from southern France.

I encountered many interesting challenges trying to copy Van Gogh's Portrait of Patience Escalier.  Energetic brush strokes that seem random when you are experiencing the painting as a viewer, made more sense when attempting to follow the mark making trail with a loaded paint brush applying the pigment to the canvas.

As I tried to match his color choices I started to see the connections  within the hues... while attempting to replicate his brush work I began to achieve an understanding of the order within the seemingly chaotic marks... especially in the blue background/sky brush strokes surrounding the straw hat.

The crudely rendered paint application and brush work of Patience's weathered face is mirrored throughout the painting.  Via his deft mark making Vincent successfully portrayed how this peasant/gardener was completely integrated with his rural life/surroundings... he had essentially become one with his environment.

Symbolism at its best!

NFS

After Van Gogh, Armand Roulin, Oil Painting, by Kim Blair

 After Van Gogh, Armand Roulin

17x13

by Kim Blair

oil on canvas

After Van Gogh, Armand Roulin

17x13

 beginning drawing in black oil paint of my copy

One of the reasons (as many of you may already know) that I have been posting less often for the past couple of years is that I am taking classes at the University, so I need to conserve my painting time for mostly homework and assignments.

Our final assignment for the painting class this term was to copy an Old Master, so of course I chose Van Gogh... I know many of you are not surprised by my choice of artist but you might be interested to see that I chose to copy one of his Portraits (well actually I did two, but the other one I will post at a later date) rather than his sunflowers.

Van Gogh had a love of portraiture... 'modern portraiture' as he called it, and he wanted to capture the 'essence' of the sitter before him rather than a perfect likeness.

 Armand is the sixteen year old son of the postman Joseph Roulin ( Joseph's portrait with his heavy beard posed in his dark blue 'Postes' uniform is one of the more famous portraits by Van Gogh.)

Vincent chose to paint a portrait of each of the five Roulin family members using different colors and various poses in order to portray each individual within the family unit.  Always the fast painter, he completed the portraits during a fews days near the beginning of December in 1888.

One little tid-bit  of information from the book I used for my research (Van Gogh Face to Face) said that the Roulins were a poor family when compared to Van Gogh.  Joseph Roulin housed and fed a wife and three children on 135 francs a month, while Theo sent Vincent 250 francs a month to live on (Theo paid for and sent Vincent's paints and supplies on top of this amount.)  Vincent, a single man found it difficult to serve on 250 francs a month!

*I wonder what the equivalent of 250 francs would be today... anyone know?

NFS

Birds of Paradise, Oil Painting, Flying to Mexico, by Kim Blair

 Sterlitzia I

10x10

Sterlitzia II

10x10

Bird of Paradise is the common name for this flower, but it are anything but common!  An exotic bloom with a regal pedigree the complementary color scheme of bluish purple and orange will add a touch of spice to the right decor.

These two paintings are off to a new home in Mexico... and it sounds like I will have visiting privileges!

P.S.

Have you been wondering how to hang a group of paintings in your home?  If so then you might want to check out this blog posting I found on hanging your art.

Both are SOLD

Model with Flower Pot, Pen and Ink Life Drawing, by Kim Blair

 Model Holding Flower Pot

9x9

Ink on Paper

 Model Holding Flower Pot 

11x9

Ink with Ink Wash on Paper

Semi-Blind Contour Drawing of a Face

5x3

Ink on Paper

Another life drawing session produced a few fun pieces in my sketch book.  Gardening was the theme, and the model arrived with an assortment of interesting paraphernalia for props... watering can, straw hat, shovel and pots of flowers.  I decided to focus on a close-up section of her holding a pot of flowers which allowed me to combine my love of flowers with my interest in drawing the human body.  

The last photo is of a tiny semi-blind contour drawing of the model's face.  I love the unique distortion you can achieve using this technique... while at the same time capturing an essence of the model before you.

The whimsical mark making created with semi-blind contour drawing offers me an avenue for self expression that I have not been able to find using classical drawing techniques.

New Perspective, oil painting of red peppers, by Kim Blair

New Perspective

9x12

oil on canvas

Your first impression of a glossy thick skinned red pepper is that he/she is pretty sure of themselves and their place in the vegetable kingdom.  Its bright red exterior usually takes center stage when mixed  with other veggies on a party tray... often the life of the party this colorful extrovert can be mild mannered or a bit hot.

The interior of a pepper is beautiful too, and while taking a closer look you notice that it has a soft vulnerable side as well.   Pliable reddish orange flesh surrounds a soft creamy white focal point accented with a multitude of little white lentil shaped seeds... the heart of a pepper reminds us that what we see on the outside is often no indication of what lies within.

Sometimes a new perspective is needed...

Like a book... you shouldn't judge a pepper by its cover.

$200.00 (+ S&H anywhere in North America)
9x12 oil on canvas
click here to purchase

Red Head, Figure drawing in pen and ink with watercolor wash, by Kim Blair

Red Head

12x9

pen & ink with watercolor wash

Red Head is from a Sunday afternoon figure drawing session.   This model is a natural at posing for life drawing... you can tell she really enjoys her work.

Next time I attend a life drawing session I must remember to take along a watercolor pad for the final drawing/painting so that I can be sure that the paper will not buckle when I add the watercolor.  But this piece is a colorful addition to my sketch book, adding a bit more interest to my collection of drawings within the confines of the book.

My life drawing journey continues...

NFS

Red Head in Black and White

12x9

pen & ink with graphite

Mayan Gold, Avocado Painting, by Kim Blair

Mayan Gold

9x12 oil on canvas

We just returned home from a lovely two week vacation in Mexico and while we were there I consumed lots of avocados... in the form of guacamole.  Lucky for me some of the other people on the trip were 'guacamole experts' whipping up fresh batches every few days for the group to consume with corn chips along with their other specialty... lime margaritas!  Another member of the group assumed guacamole duty (and fresh salsa duty) later on in the trip, making sure we were never without this rich buttery treat.

Besides being a staple in Mayan and Mexican cuisine my research revealed that through the centuries the avocado seed and skin were also utilized for numerous health and beauty treatments.  One source suggested blending the soft buttery flesh with some honey and lime juice to create a nourishing facial/mask.

Avocados are 'Mayan Gold' ... a national treasure.

Adios

$200.00 

9x12 oil on canvas

click here to purchase