Angela, Peggy Baumgaertner's class
 

This is Angela, 20" x 24", oil on canvas. Painted during Baumgaertner's 5-day Sarasota workshop.

Mari,

This is very nice. The lighting seems unusual. Was it directly overhead?

Good job,

Congrats Mari
 

This is beautiful Mari. The first two things that came to mind were how well the color/value control is in the face - it provides to the face an energy that has spirit and softness. Secondly, I bet the brush strokes when seeing it real life bring it a confident character.

Great job,
Linda

Ah Mari, I can hear the "omp pa pa" and see the pints of ale being passed to and fro!

I see now why you loved this workshop! I love the colors! :thumbsup:

Hi Mari,

Your portrait of Angela is wonderful. Having painted her myself (during the workshop) I can say that the likeness is "dead-on", the brush strokes are deliberate and I see a definite style emerging.

Sadly, my "Angela" has been banished to the top of the bookshelf. :o I have, however, adopted Peggy's technique in my latest animal portraits and my current project is leaping off the canvas.

The completion of my new studio (currently under construction) will afford me the space needed to continue my studies in portraiture using live models. Until then I didn't want to muddy the waters by painting from photos...

Again, my compliments to you. Angela must be very pleased.

P.S. Funny. Elizabeth got the same ale-slinging impression that I did the moment Angela sat on the stage. :D

Hi Sandy, it's good to hear from you!

I hope you will email me your latest work directly, the "little people in fur coats" story doesn't fly here, but I loved your Jack Russels, each one had such a unique personality.

I've done several paintings from live models using Peggy's technique, and the one I'm currently on, a 10-year-old girl who thinks holding still has a 12-inch uni-directional error margin, everything is actually coming together. I'll post it when it's done, if I don't screw it up.

There isn't anything else on the calendar for SSOPA for 2003; Sarasota very much shuts down. In the spirit of "if you can't beat them, join them" I'm also going to leave town during the summer. I've got you on my email list for when things kick back on. You might want to put a bug in Cynthia's ear about a regional SSOPA portrait competition... many of us would volunteer for the efforts required.

Anyway, thanks for your kind words; workshops rarely produce real work immediately, it's the months after that count.

This is a really great painting - so nice to have discovered it this evening!

I also found your blog, Mari, to see what else you do and found your exquisite (i.e one of the very best contemporary classical portraits I have come across) Portrait of A. I am so moved by it, and I am hardly moved by much of contemporary art at all - impressed often, but not moved. You should post it here for everyone to see. I love that you can paint so well so freely and do such forceful classical work too.

You are so mysterious, Mari, and you look so interesting. You have such interesting extra things (things other than your art and comments) on your blog too. I wish I could find out more about you.