Apotheoun (Tom Livezey at Eleven)

[Marvin Mattelson]

Beautiful!

[Michele Rushworth]

Thanks for reminding me just how high the bar is that I'm aiming for. Makes me want to go up into the studio right now and get back to work!

[Garth Herrick]

Geez Michele, That is exactly the reaction I had about this forum when I started this painting. I was quite intimidated by the height of the bar myself!

[Jean Kelly]

Garth, I'm looking forward to the close-ups.

Jean

[Allan Rahbek]

Congratulation, this is really a fine example on how to subordinate values to the "Big Picture".

I recognize it as a detail from your "Apotheosis of the Chunnel"
You just proved that photos can be used, unless you have an extremely long memery for color.

Allan

[Holly Snyder]

Garth,

I love your original composition, and it is so well painted. I would love to see closeups of the forms of the bodies, they're rendered so beautifully. It is a treat to look at!

[Garth Herrick]

Thanks Everyone, for this unexpected positive response!

Chris: Again, Thanks! Color adjustments and edge transitions were in a constant state of flux and reassessment. Change one thing and everything else needs an according adjustment. The yellow reflected light in the torso was changed at least six times, being dictated as the chroma levels of the towel were modified.

Marvin: Thanks! You are also a great teacher, reminding me of my own.

Michele: The scope of talent in this forum has truly been inspirational to the way I approached this painting.

Terri: Thanks! I never knew what espadrillles were before!

Jean: Thanks, I will attempt some close-ups in the gallery this afternoon.

Allan: Thanks! Hopefully I have grown as a painter. I see big changes to the way I approached the same subject ten years ago. Photos can be very unreliable resources for paintings. I chose to accept that the final look of the painting would have a very tonal photographic effect; - it would seem super-human in my mind to get beyond that reference limitation. The color seemed to be of lesser importance with the tonal qualities dominating. One also has to use common sense when interpreting color out of a photograph. The colors are always wrong; in my case there was a strong blueish cast. I aimed for the color effect I thought should be there, and then constantly readjusted it until everything just clicked.

Holly: Thanks! The composition was determined through careful cropping. This meant tweaking the canvas stretchers until they were half an inch off of their original intended length.

[Geary Wootten]

Superb Garth!

You you have masterfully captured the warm fuzzy feeling of a sun-soaking, lazy day. I love the fact that it's photo realistic in nature but without the "plastic look" around the edges that a lot of that style has.

This makes me want to fly out from Seattle to see it. Excellent painting!

-Geary

[Denise Hall]

Garth,

I am so happy you're posting here at the forum. Your work is a joy to behold. I love this one and am studying it!!

Denise

[Sharon Knettell]

Garth,

Amazing,original, daring and beautiful!
I was up in Boston today arranging for a piece of my work to be exhibited in a portrait show. From what I could gather it was going to be same old, same old, figures with vase of flowers and other old chestnuts. I wish your painting was going to hang there!
It would make me work harder.

Sincerely,