Candyce & Fiona

Chris Saper · 06-15-2008, 11:45 AM

Truly one of my favorite clients, Candyce has also become my friend over the years. She has a spectacular appreciation for color and isn't afraid to use it.

Oil, 30 x 24.

Alexandra Tyng · 06-16-2008, 09:13 AM

Chris, thank you for posting this. It is one of my favorites of yours. As always, your use of color is bold, sensitive, harmonious, exciting, and poetic. The composition is incredibly well designed yet it appears spontaneous. (Perhaps it was a little of both, but it takes skill to recognize when you have a great moment.) There's a great feeling between mother and daughter, and I love seeing the daughter's resemblance to her mother. The close-ups really show this. It's a transcendent portrait!

SB Wang · 06-16-2008, 09:44 AM

This a must for a meaningful, wonderful, heartwarming
FATHER'S DAY!

Julie Deane · 06-16-2008, 12:33 PM

I really like this, Chris. As Alex said, great composition. Love the colors and the way it's painted.

That's a lot of work in a relatively small size!

Chris Saper · 06-16-2008, 07:43 PM

Thank you all very much. I was lucky in that I had the chance to go over to Candyce's home the week prior to try out different lighting, clothing and color options, although I had a fairly good idea about what I wanted beforehand.

We also had the chance to work out the relative figure heights which, as it was, took quite a while, given the available seating, pillows and all. I used natural light, supplemented by artificial light.

Clive Fullagar · 06-22-2008, 08:14 AM

Chris,

I also think that the composition of this painting is terrific. It is so consistent - structurally and psychologically. The white, black and pink ground the figures and make them seem as comfortable as cushions on a couch. I really like the way you have arranged the mother and daughter - the mother being gently protective of a daughter who is on the cusp of indpendence but who is young enough to feel comfortable in being embraced. There is such a relaxed quality to the pose that really tells us something about the closeness of this relationship. I think that often in portraiture we tend to put everything into the faces, but in this instance I think that it is the hands that tell the tale.

Christy Talbott · 06-22-2008, 11:50 AM

Chris,

I had missed this before. It is lovely! The natural positioning of the sitters, their expressions and the colors are all so inviting!

Allan Rahbek · 06-22-2008, 01:38 PM

Me too, the more I look at the composition the better I like it.
I also like that there's nothing small sticking out, only solid shapes and colors that sing's.

Chris Saper · 06-22-2008, 02:48 PM

Thank you all! Candyce has beautiful hands, large and strong. She is a physician, and her hands have healed many.

When I get into trouble with a painting, it's usually because of "too many" ...too many values, too many shapes, too many colors, too much saturation. So I appreciate your comments about the simplified colors and composition!

Carlos Ygoa · 06-23-2008, 07:52 AM

I guess I have to say it also: wonderful composition...the two figure dilemma has been solved quite astutely by the pyramidal scheme and the diagonal lines in the background serve to rivet even more attention on the figures.
Your handling of the figures themselves is masterful, as usual. I like the simplification of colour and tone also very much.
Very nice work!