"A Friend In Need"

36"x 48"

(my terrible picture!)

Original, "A Friend In Need"

by, C.M. Coolidge

commissioned in 1903

My client said, "Could you paint MY dogs playing poker"? 

"Sure!", I said.

I got a variety of, umm, "good" shots....like this one:

"Pepper" the one in the front left.

Okay.....

I did A LOT of research. I found this site which has dogs driving cars! Really!

I downloaded pictures of poker chips, berets, french cigarette holder, pipes, cigars, dogs, etc ........ whew!

They loved it! :)

On Writing

My Son Gave These To Me

8"x 8"

acrylic on gessoboard

Click here to purchase this painting.

I am listening to "On Writing" by Stephen King, although I have never read  his books or seen his movies. :)

At one point he talks about who it is he writing too. He says, "all novels are really letters aimed at one person" ..."I wonder what he or she will think when he or she reads this part".

I always think of the client or the person who may buy it. I want it to add something special to their home. Will he/she notice this part?

They may live with it for years!

I always want to hear the story, the humor, the tenderness, the reason behind what they want me to create. That is very important!

But, I create for the artist too. (although, he or she doesn't know it!) 
Will he/she like the edges, the shape, the flow? How is the value, the warm and cool? Is the drawing okay, the proportion? Is there enough balance, contrast, etc....

Do he/she like it? :)

It is a combination of both. 

Lincoln

Lincoln sketch, 1984

I'm listening to "Teams Of Rivals", by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which led to the most recent movie, "Lincoln", in which Daniel Day-Lewis got an Oscar for Best Actor.

I have always had a great respect for Lincoln.

Back in my college days, I walked into Life Drawing, and there he was, in all his glory, Abraham Lincoln!  

I got goose-bumps, my heart quickened, and tears filled my eyes.

He was an actor, doing a one man show. 

He sat and we drew. He told us the stories about Lincoln.

No matter where he traveled, Europe, Asia, Africa, even if he was in his jeans and a sweat shirt, people recognized him. 

How cool is that!!!! That was the best Life Drawing class ever!

I only wished I had gotten one with him smiling...he had a great sense of humor....

:)