Anny in Maine

Alexandra Tyng · 08-04-2005, 02:45 PM

Do I ever paint anyone other than my family and friends? Lately I've been on a roll with family portraits. This one is of my mother as she sat on a bench waiting for her popovers at the Jordan Pond House on Mount Desert, ME. I decided to paint her in another settling, so behin her is the house we used to stay in on Mt. Desert. When I look at the portrait I think of her sitting in "her place;" it's become more real to me than the place in which she was actually sitting.

Oil on linen, 36" x 28".

Julie Deane · 08-04-2005, 05:08 PM

Alexandra -

Very very nice! Great lighting, you really feel the "outdoorness" - it's quite convincing. I love how you bring the eye around the composition with the circular lines in the hat. You bring a wonderful dignity to your family members - actually, more than that - warm and dignified.

Brenda Ellis · 08-04-2005, 06:46 PM

Alexandra,
I feel like I'm there in the woods looking at this painting. It's in the afternoon and it's about 74 degrees and there is jus the slightest of breezes rustling the leaves in the trees. It's late summer or fall. Calgon take me away! I must need a vacation. But I think it's more than that; I think you are an excellent painter and I love this portrait. Your mother is very lucky.
You did a stunning job matching the light on both your mother and the cabin.
Also, I notice that the slightly muted colors gives that feeling of that haze you experience when you're looking in the direction of the sun when the sunlight is being filtered through trees. It is so perfect in that regard. It looks to me like you did everything perfect. It's lovely.

Carol Norton · 08-04-2005, 08:38 PM

Alexandra,

I feel like I'm there in the woods looking at this painting. It's in the afternoon and it's about 74 degrees and there is jus the slightest of breezes rustling the leaves in the trees. It's late summer or fall.

Calgon take me away! I must need a vacation. But I think it's more than that; I think you are an excellent painter and I love this portrait. Your mother is very lucky. You did a stunning job matching the light on both your mother and the cabin.

Also, I notice that the slightly muted colors gives that feeling of that haze you experience when you're looking in the direction of the sun when the sunlight is being filtered through trees. It is so perfect in that regard. It looks to me like you did everything perfect. It's lovely

Mike McCarty · 08-04-2005, 09:01 PM

Alexandra,

You have a light and confident touch. I like your paintings very much.

Alexandra Tyng · 08-04-2005, 09:54 PM

Thank you so much, Brenda, Carol (or is it Brenda/Carol?) and Mike!

That's just exactly the kind of weather and time I was trying to convey. I'm so glad it came across. Mike, I really appreciate your comment because I've been working really, really hard on so many aspects of painting in the last few years, and already I am looking back at stuff I did 3 or 4 years ago (paintings I thought were good) and now I see all sorts of things wrong with them.

Lisa Ober · 08-05-2005, 01:00 AM

Does it sound ridiculous that I can see a resemblence from your avatar to your mom? I guess it might. In any case, she is certainly a lovely woman and I am so fascinated with portraits in comfortable settings like this. What a gorgeous job you have done on the whole scene. You've captured such a warmth, such a comfort. She looks like such a peaceful person. Very nice painting, Alexandra.

Tricia Migdoll · 08-05-2005, 02:53 AM

Alexandra, this is so beautiful and quite touching.

I don't know what makes a painting special, but I think you have done it here. Apart from the way you captured the light and the sweet expression on your mothers face, the way you apply the paint seems so fluid & confident.

This is my first introduction to your work, as far as I remember. I am still getting to know you all via the images you post.
I must look out for you again in future.

Carol Norton · 08-05-2005, 08:20 AM

Alexandra, I didn't write that post, so Brenda must have. My avatar just got posted yesterday, so somehow, that may have caused the confusion. It is a lovely painting, however.
Carol

Alexandra Tyng · 08-05-2005, 08:54 AM

What a treat to start the day reading so many nice responses!
Thank you Lisa, Tricia, and Carol .(That is too funny, Carol, about the repeated message, and I'm glad to hear from you in reality.)

Lisa, I'm so flattered that you think I look somewhat like my mother, because I really don't have her classic features. In reality I look more like my father, though every once in a while someone will say adamantly that there is a strong general resemblence between me and my mother.

I think this painting has a kind of wistful quality for me, because my mother moved to CA last year at the age of 83, and we no longer rent that house due to a change of ownership. We had rented it for 30+ years. So there have been major upheavals in our lives and this painting was in some way a response to them or a meditation on them.