Another of Nan
 

Here is a recent portrait of my friend Nan. Those of you who have been forum members for a while might remember another one I did of her a year or so ago. I think I am trying to capture the quintessential Nan but there probably isn't any one aspect of her that will describe her fully, so I keep trying. I was really interested in a certain expression she has, a certain way of shaping her mouth while talking, and I wanted to paint it. I was trying to see if I could show her voice and her accent (German) visually, with paint. She is sitting on her porch in Maine and behind her is a rosebush, huge white pine, and the lake where her house sits.

32" x 28", oil on linen

Thanks for looking.

Hi Alex -- Well this certainly feels like Maine! The dramatic raking sunlight and something about the way she's set in that captain's chair. She reads as quite a spunky character, vibrantly painted. . . as for that German accent-- I think so! (are you sure there's not a bit of Mainer in there too -- eh?) Love those touches of blue through the trees and in the shadows of her shirt. Beautiful and dramatic.

Great colors and great painting - as usual, Alexandra! I like the strong feeling of sunlight.

Judging from the position of the mouth, it looks like she might be ready to say something that does not have an equivalent sound in English. As a speech-language pathologist in my "real" job, I'm always looking at people's mouths as they talk, so I guess that gives me a little bit of authority. :bewildere

Thanks, Terri and Julie! I'm so glad you think I was somewhat successful in capturing the way Nan speaks. Of course those things are only suggested in paint. You have to get the gesture with the right brushstrokes. I'm sure you know just what I mean!

Julie, that must be interesting to be a speech pathologist and paint portraits. There must be things you notice in people's faces, especially mouths. Do you find yourself consciously trying to paint these things, or are you in another zone completely when you are painting?

Terri, yes, there is a lot of Mainer in Nan. Although her official home is on the west coast, she spends the entire summer and part of fall in her Maine house, a very tiny place with no electricity or running water. She's past 80 but still chops her own wood, etc. She's almost never alone because so many people love to visit her.

Here's a closeup of her face.

Alexandra, your friend has that robust, "bring it on", ready for everything feel , that I associate with many German women. This comes from someone who is half German herself and has seen this in her own family members and friends.

I also like the play of light and find it great that you keep painting your friend in different settings.

Alex, the speech department is usually not brought into the art department, except as a peripheral. It's part of the general background, I guess.

Alex,
I really wish that I could see this in person, your paint handling is so varied and right on, delicious.
This is Nan that you painted with some yellow flowers some time ago, right?.
You have done a portrait that only a friend could do, and I also like the outdoor feel in it. The Pthalo Blue is also a friend of yours, I see. :thumbsup:

Enzie, if the "bring it on" attitude is German, that explains Nan's no-nonsense attitude to some degree. She doesn't allow herself to wallow in the problems of old age. Thank you, I'm glad you like the light--I had a lot of fun painting it, and even thinking about how I was going to paint it.

Julie--just wondering because I was always interested in psychology and even considered a career in it (briefly), and I know that the way I look at people has a lot to do with my interest in what makes them tick.

Allan, thanks for appreciating the paint handling! You'll never guess what inspired this: Wyeth's painting of Siri standing on a rock in front of a very dark bank of evergreens. I wanted to see how little value contrast and detail I could put into the rosebush (especially the shadowy areas) and still have it read as having depth and interest and form. I'm posting a detail:

Alex,

Allan beat me to it, but I will say it myself: the way you handle the paint! Lovely. And masterful. Reminds me of Velazquez, but outdoors and bathed in sunlight. A portrait of someone one is intimate with always has that feel about it, like the psychological portraits.

"Indian Summer" by Andrew Wyeth. Yes, I am familiar with it. In tempera, and large enough (1m high) to test one

Ahh! Thanks for the title. I was too lazy to look it up. :D

Thanks so much. I'm feeling totally honored and a little embarrassed being compared even slightly to Velasquez, whom I consider to be one of the most brilliant artists of all time. You are so generous in your praise of this very modest effort. I did have fun with it, though, and tried some things I hadn't tried before.

Alex, nice brush work. I especially like the whey you captured the hands in the sun. I like your first of Nan as well.

Thank you, Mischa! I agree that the angle of the sun on her hands made for very interesting colors and patterns. Lots of fun to paint.

This is just fabulous.

Juicy paint (I'm envious); bold application; rich, clean color; GREAT light; really palpable feeling of sculptural mass and weight, terrific characterization. What more could one want?

Alex, I don't know if your experience corresponds to mine, but when I paint someone for a second or third time, the characterization is so much more insightful and subtle, as here. Great that you explored your subject again this way, to see what new things would be revealed. Obviously time well spent.

Best--TE

Thanks so much, Tom!
Yes, I do feel that way. I've actually attempted to paint her several more times before the one I posted here with the yellow flowers in the vase. The first time, I felt I hardly scratched the surface. It looked like her, but was not her. Every time I tried, I was able to say more.

A friend (an artist) asked me to paint portraits of her children at three different ages. The same thing happened. (I couldn't believe she wanted me back, but it was a fascinating experience to be able to do this.)

Alexandra - this is just wonderful! Your pools of shadow and light that have the substance of flesh. My eyes feel so well-fed looking at it! And I so admire your confidence and unquestioning drive, and your honesty.

May I ask this mundane question: did you use a photo or have your friend sit? I presume the latter ...

Thomasin, thank you on all counts!

I used several photos. I wish I could get her to sit for me--she's a big advocate of painting and drawing from life--but I can't get her to sit still. This past summer I even tried scheduling a time, but when I got there she was busy with something else! I'm still hoping, though.

Alex,
very nice light and shadows. I love the close up, I could watch them for hours!

Alex,

I echo what everyone else is saying but I'd like to add a question.

Do you ever (or perhaps I should ask would you ever) take photos of your work
in progress in steps from start to finish? Your paint strokes look so fresh that I am curious what is underneath, if anything.

I also really enjoy the close ups.

Marina and Janel, thanks for your kind words!

Janel, I'm glad the strokes look fresh. I build the paint up in about 3 layers, not that I count them or anything, it just usually turns out that way. If I don't like a certain section (if it looks labored over or if the brushstrokes don't look the way I want them to be), I wipe it out and try again. Even if the paint is partially dry, wiping out with a paper towel smoothes it out and gets off any thicker strokes so it's easier to paint over without getting muddy.

I left a lot of the underpainting showing in the rosebush. I first used sap green (dark but transparent) mixed with burnt umber and burnt sienna. On top of that I added thicker paint only where I needed it. The figure of Nan was done in thicker, more opaque layers.

Actually I have done a few WIPs here that might show the stages you are referring to. They are:

http://forum.portraitartist.com/showthread.php?t=7475

http://forum.portraitartist,com/showthread.php?t=6922

http://forum.portraitartist.com/showthread.php?=6260

But you might have seen these already.

Thank you Alex,

Do I feel stupid?

Yep!

Not sure where I've been that I've missed these.

Tom wrote: My thoughts exactly!