David Hollowell at his studio
 

40" x 62" oil on linen.

David Hollowell is a painter who teaches in the UC Davis Art Department.

One of my best classes in college was a special study on human anatomy where we got to dissect cadavers with the medical school first years.

David was the art teacher although he never stepped into the dissection lab. Human remains spooked him. Go figure...

Behind him is the painting he is currently working on.

Close up

...and one more.

Dear Deladier,

Another most excellent painting!

I like the dash and style you bring to your subjects as well as the risks you take with composition (and yes, I do think you have done this very successfully in this painting). I just looked at the measurements on this one: it is one big painting! Good for you.

It's always a pleasure to see your work on the Forum.

Dear Deladier,

This is one huge and amazing painting! It's breathtaking. I love the way the slightly angled background plane draws the viewer into an engagement with the subject. There is an incredible level of focus and resolution in your impeccable draughtmanship. Linda said it well about your dash and style and successful risk taking.

I love it. This is a treat, thanks for sharing it.

Garth

Wow! That's all I can say. Unconventional and so engaging. I've checked into your web site periodically ever since you posted Max Mack here (one of my all-time favorite paintings). As Garth said, thanks for sharing.

Dear Deladier,

I'm so glad to see your work again! The posture and body language of your subject gives him a sense of high evergy, ready to return to task.

It was difficult to arrive at an adequate way to render Dave's painting within my painting. My first impulse was to suggest it broadly as part of the background. It was not that simple. I soon realized that my way of painting would not convey the impression of Dave's imagery.

In addition to that, his unfinished painting in the background was such an important part of the message and it was so close to the figure that merely suggesting its main shapes would never work for me.

Another problem I had was how to distance the figure from the wall behind it. How to add air between them.

In the end, I resorted to selective focus in depicting the formal aspects of his painting. Some elements of his painting were rendered more carefully than others. I also paid very close attention to the color temperature relationships between light and shadow in order to push back the background.

By the way, the keys, the bandana and the lumberjack outfit are as constant as the smirk on his face. Without them, it wouldn't have been quite David Hollowell.

Deladier,

He is just wonderful! What a character! Has he seen his picture?

Doing original figurative compositions ain't easy and you have given us one to inspire us!

Deladier,

I feel like I know him just by looking at your painting. Impressive again, Thank you for posting this. I can't imagine painting another artist's work, and still retaining your own style. It appears that you've managed to do it with style.

Jean