"Pat"

I have known Pat for about a year, but it seems like we're old friends.   As her face emerged from the blank linen canvas, I could hear her voice from conversations we have had...words punctuated with a chuckle here and there...

When I photograph my subjects, I engage them in conversation to evoke an expression that reveals the spirit of the person.  Usually, I prompt them to think of something that makes them happy, or warms their hearts.  Pat thoughtfully voiced a short list aloud (as she is want to do when looking for a solution), until her face lit up with the look you see here.  

It was a blast to put the light next to the dark that created the dimples that so define Pat's face!

"Ken"

16x12 in. Oil on Stretched Linen

SOLD

My "Daily Faces" project has necessarily become my "Weekly Faces" project, although that doesn't ring quite as well.  Let's not even talk about the week of Thanksgiving.  A great week, but there was no painting going on then.

I have known my friend Ken for almost twenty years.  He is one of the kindest, smartest and most talented people I have ever known...a great man in size, spirit, and character.  My life is richer for knowing him. 

"Laura"

The latest of my Daily Faces.  I actually painted this entirely today... as if that really matters.

Again, I am struck by the beauty of another person's face.  I didn't realize until our photo session that Laura has blue eyes, or that her eyes are so big...really great eyes.  She never stopped talking as I photographed her, and laughing. What a creative, generous and joyful person! 

"Tammy"

SOLD

Part of my "Daily Faces" series.  Tammy is as sassy as her sassy haircut!  What a joy it is to paint the beauty of a person's face, and to recognize the personality you have come to know as it unfolds on a blank swatch of linen...

Clay

10x8 in. Oil on Linen Panel

SOLD

Obviously, I am not completing Daily Faces in a day.  So, I was grateful to Carol Marine, when I read in her new book, DAILY PAINTING, that she doesn't paint every day, AND that many artists prefer to paint larger than 6x6" for their "daily painting", and that's ok.  Whew!  Great book, by the way.

I am very excited to be painting faces and putting light in my subjects' eyes.  I do strive to paint the personality of my subjects.  This is my nephew, Clay.  He is an outstanding teenager, gifted with talent, good looks, and great character.  The latter is the most important.  The rest is a bonus...just look at that hair!

I'm not sure how long I will be able to sustain these "Daily Faces", as I have several commissioned portraits to complete.  A nice dilemma!

"Anna Claire"

10x8 in Oil on Linen Panel

Yes, her eyes are really that blue!

Mike

10x8 in. Oil on Linen Panel

You have seen this face before in my "Sage and the Sea."

This is the first of my Daily Faces series.  Nothing motivates me to paint more than human faces.  I look for the beauty in any face.  It is always there.  For the first of my Daily Faces, I have chosen my handsome husband.  It was fun putting the twinkle in his eye!  (Yes, I can hear the jokes already.)

My plan is to publish a book of Daily Faces, featuring friends, family, fellow artists, fellow choir members, neighbors...  I will offer the paintings for sale, and make the book available to order at a reasonable price.  

How I love painting people!

Puppy Kisses

10 x 8" Oil on Linen Panel

Anna has a new puppy.  His name is Roman.  None of us mind the puppy kisses.

Sage and the Sea

20x16" Oil on Linen Panel
$1200

My husband.  I asked about 6 people what they thought would be a good title for this.  Five of them immediately said, "Old Man and the Sea!"  The other one said, "Earnest".  I thought about "Hemingway Thoughts," but settled on "Sage and the Sea."  Mike likes to give "sagely" advice, so I think he will like this title.  I painted this from a photograph taken while on a ferry boat traveling to Vancouver Island, British Columbia.  Mike served in the U.S. Navy for over twenty years, and has worked for the Navy since his retirement in the early 80's.  This painting will hang in the upcoming Quayside Gallery of Pensacola show themed "Light and Bright," beginning on March 26.

Treasures

20x16"  Oil on Stretched Linen

I sometimes take little treasures to my great-nieces in Texas.  This is Natalie, draped in costume jewelry which I snagged from the recesses of my jewelry stand drawers and tucked into a little cosmetic clutch.  In her right hand, Natalie is clutching a little glass dolphin pendant on a leather string, which I hear she wears all the time.  What a treasure...this sweet child!

Reference photo by Anna Claire Hinesley.

Lorraine Nora

20x16" Oil on Stretched Linen
SOLD

Lorraine Nora is the grandmother of my Number One Nephew's wife.  Lorraine's family calls her "Bobo" (Chinese pronunciation is "Baba").  I have never met Lorraine, but I will tell you what I know about her.  In her eighties, she attended her beautiful granddaughter's destination wedding in Mexico, sponsored a family skydiving excursion in California, in which she PARTICIPATED, and somewhere along the way went ZIP LINING.  In every photo I studied for this portrait, she has a joyful expression.  In the photo of this particular pose, she is leaning toward her new great-granddaughter (my great-niece!)  It is evident that Bobo is beloved by her devoted family, and I suspect by all who have known her.

Lorraine has been in hospice for the past few weeks.  My sister commissioned this portrait as a gift for her daughter-in-law,  and yesterday I spent the majority of the day, on into the night until 3am working on it.  This morning, I sent a photo of the portrait to my sister, and subsequently learned that Bobo had passed away early this morning.   No, I have never met Lorraine Nora, but I feel honored and humbled to have spent the last several hours of her life studying her sweet, lovely face.

Idalia Grace

14x16" Oil on Stretched Linen

Commissioned Work - Not For Sale

After John Singer Sargent.  (I hope Sargent is still peaceful after that statement, not rolling over in his resting place.)  On a recent trip to the Dallas Museum of Art, I saw Sargent's "Dorothy", which he painted in 1900.  I borrowed the red background, altered the dress, and modernized the headwear. Dorothy's hat would be way over the top for a little girl today!  

In several of the photographs I studied for this painting, I observed that Idalia Grace was usually holding some sort of object in both hands, so this seemed to be a natural pose for her.  Her maternal grandmother, Raydell, brainstormed with the family to determine what object would be recognized and considered dear to the child.  It seems that baby Idalia Grace (called Edee by Grandmother Raydell) was very attached to the the cloths known in Switzerland as "nuscheli".

Idalia Grace was named after her paternal grandmother, Idalia, who spends time visiting her daughter in Switzerland.   "Nuscheli" is a Swiss term for what were originally made to be cloth diapers.  Now they are very colorful and embellished with appliqués of animals, flowers and whatnot, worn as bandanas and headpieces, or made into puppets.  Most often, nuscheli are clutched in the tiny hands of babes who are comforted by the softness of the cloth as they are falling asleep.

I will post "Idalia Grace" on Daily Paintworks as my response to "The Picasso It Challenge".  The challenge is to paint in the style of a painter you admire.  It was indeed a pleasure to study not only this sweet face, but also to delve into the paintings of a master portrait artist via books, the internet, and art museums.  So much beauty to behold...

Cat's Eyes

Not For Sale

11x11" Oil on Stretched Linen

Painted from a photograph that my stepdaughter, Catherine, posted on Facebook a few years ago. My very first thought upon seeing the photograph was, "Amazing eyes!"  Actually, Catherine has an amazing face with the kind of distinctive features that inspire a portrait artist to paint.  Catherine Nichols was born in London, England, and is also an artist in Pensacola, Florida.  

Wistful

Not For Sale

11x14" Oil On Stretched Linen

Another portrait of my mother.  I think she looks wistful.

I have three siblings, so there will have to be at least one more!  Perhaps I should change her dress.

Mirth

Not for sale.
14x11" Oil on Stretched Canvas

As I was painting "Yellow Roses", I received an email from my friend, Henry, who offered some friendly advice regarding my painting subjects:
                   "More faces,
                     Fewer vases."
Here you go, Henry . . .
About three years ago, I did a photo shoot with my mother.  She had been visiting from Dallas for a couple of weeks and was about to fly back home.   I sat Mom by a window with strong indirect light and proceeded to take pictures - about 40 in all.  Her expression changed according to the subject of our conversation.  She became sad when she spoke of my father, with whom she shared 50 years of marriage until he passed away a few years back.  My sister called in the middle of the shoot, and I put her on speaker phone while I continued snapping photos.  At the time, Mom was living with my sister.  Our conversation became friendly bantering about who was Mom's favorite daughter.  Of course, I was the favorite in that moment in time because I was treating her like a movie star, not to mention the two weeks of pampering, shopping, pedicures and such!  I painted this portrait from a photo that was taken during that conversation with my sister.  I will post it on http://dailypaintworks.com as part of the "Paint an Emotion Challenge".  My mother was 79 at the time and is now 82.  I knew I had captured her likeness when I saw the twinkle in her eyes!

Natalie

Not For Sale
12x9" Oil on Stretched Canvas

While painting a portrait of my sister several years ago, I began to see her son's likeness.  That is when I knew I was on the right track.  As I painted Natalie, it was encouraging to see the resemblance to her mother, whom I painted over twenty years ago.  This is done from a photograph which I took last summer on the beach.  My great-niece, Natalie.  Precious child.

Courage

Private Collection - Not For Sale

11"x14" Oil on stretched canvas.

Courage

Motivated by last week's Daily Paintworks "The Emotion Challenge".  This is a young woman who is highly intelligent and extremely sensitive.  At first, I thought I was painting "confidence", but I know there is a certain amount of fear behind this perfectionist's blue eyes.  Despite that fear, she takes on challenges with creativity and great courage, often astounding professors, employers, and fellow students with unexpected outcomes.  My courageous daughter, Anna Claire.

"Anita"

This is a portrait of my youngest sister, Anita, who passed away last October. Painted with love for my mother, Alice Garrison, for her 80th birthday.

"Baby Anna"

11"x 14" Oil on stretched canvas.

One of the most heartwarming occurrences in nature is that of a baby returning your smile. Well, as I worked on this smiling face, I found myself smiling back at her. I have received that sweet smile countless times from this precious child. My daughter, Anna Claire, now age 19.