December portrait

William Whitaker · 02-16-2004, 01:47 PM

Former governor, currently head of the EPA.

Oil on canvas. Measures 50x38"

Figure life size.

William Whitaker · 02-16-2004, 01:48 PM

Close up of the head.

Timothy Mensching · 02-16-2004, 03:09 PM

...

Ngaire Winwood · 02-17-2004, 07:02 AM

As I close my mouth from being awe inspired by your work, Mr. Whitaker and get off the floor and back onto the seat. I would like to say one thing, thanks for logging on.

Mr. Whitaker as I am only a sapling in this honourable group of artists here and of the many before us, I feel thankful accomplished artists like you take the time to allow us to feel and see your perceptions.

Timothy, you said it better than I did.

Kimberly Dow · 02-17-2004, 06:15 PM

Ditto what Tim said.

If you have the time, can we see a close-up with the hands & glasses - they look marvelous.

Elizabeth Schott · 02-17-2004, 10:57 PM

Bravo again Bill!

You would never know this guy skipped town on you in the middle of this!

Linda Nelson · 02-17-2004, 11:02 PM

This is absolutely exquisite. I am so impressed with your work.

thanks for sharing it.
Linda

Carl Toboika · 02-18-2004, 07:28 PM

Bill,
Thank you for showing this one. It's every bit as marvelous as I knew it would be. The brushwork in his face is really very interesting and wonderfully done.

From looking at these three, I can see that sticking more to the painting in the studio, and less to the internet, is very much agreeing with you Artistically.

Now that you have completed a painting of large size on this particular type of support, how did it stack up in your opinion compared to stretched? Did it have to be cradled in the end?

William Whitaker · 02-19-2004, 09:47 PM

Kimberly, hands and glasses, coming right up.

Beth, fortunately he came back to sit -- in spite of a bad case of jet lag.

Carl, as long as Tim Giles mounts good linen canvas to gatorfoam board, I will be a happy man. I haven't stretched a canvas since I started using those NEW TRADITIONS canvas panels. It feels like I'm working on a stretched canvas, NOT a canvas panel. The 50x38" support remains completely flat and rigid. No need for cradling. I'm glad he lives nearby. Large sizes would mean heavy shipping charges.

William Whitaker · 02-19-2004, 10:01 PM

Timothy my man, your words were so wonderful that I'm going to have them engraved.

You are off to such an incredible start yourself that you are going to be an INCREDIBLE ART MONSTER by the time you are my age.

I'm working with a number of artists of your generation - there's a party in my studio practically all the time. Some of them will probably get in touch with you by and by. Yesterday I was showing off your work to my current intern Molly. You really inspired her. You, and others like you, are going to make the 21st century the best ever for the visual arts.