A Connecticut Girl: Laura at Thirteen

[David Bottoni]

Garth, I really have to give you an 'online handshake' to congratulate you on another great piece. I am thoroughly impressed by your solid technique in the handling of colours and edge control. Technically, I love the realism and smoothness. As a portrait piece, the image is casual and beautiful without being pretentious. What I find very interesting is how the background is incorporated so well with the different light sources and composition. This piece really shows me that (with proper planning and preparation) a casual scene can look classical and 'masterful'. I have to ask...do you purposely refine focal areas such as the figure (head, hands, skin) and leave other areas, such as clothing, background etc. more loose with visible brushstrokes? Furthermore, do you try and keep sharp edges to a minimum?

Great work.

David

[Jimmie Arroyo]

Garth, another great one. I think I like this one the most of yours so far. (until the next one)

This was my quote from the other painting of Jane and her dog. You've outdone yourself. I love the balance of classic and modern, formal and informal. That balance has me more impressed than the wonderful technique. I'm very jealous.

Don't know if it's been asked of you before, but do you have a website where I can conveniently envy your work in one sitting?

[Mike Dodson]

Garth,

This painting is quite wonderful. It has a "Sargent" look to it, particularly the overall color scheme and background. Looks like a photo from a distance while maintaining it's painterly quality up-close.

Superb!

[Linda Brandon]

Originally Posted by Mike Dodson

Garth,
Looks like a photo from a distance ...[.]
Superb!

Ditto that, Garth; I thought at first you had posted a photo for us to pick apart. This is another incredible painting and I love this girl's mood.

Will you kindly either stop painting so well, or else show us, step by step, how exactly you pull this off? I know you have been generous with information about your technique; maybe we just need to pull it all together in a single thread.

[Garth Herrick]

Hi Everyone! This Forum is amazing. I had no idea one could log on remotely, when out of town. Great!

Dear Allan, David, Patricia, Jimmie, Mike, and Linda,

Thank you so much for all your kind enthusiasm and compliments. I never know if I have a good painting until I am told I do. Your input means a lot! I am still nervous, being less than an hour before I unveil this. Wish me luck!

Allan: I doubt I be sharing the first version, because it is quite tentative and unfinished (and I no longer like it). Although the pose was the same, she was slightly slouched and the dress was perhaps too casual, with an over sized tee shirt.

You know I am a big fan of Hammershoi's portraits and paintings as well. I saw a very moving show of his works in D.C. in 1983, and I think I've been influenced ever since.

I think the colors echo and compliment each other much better in this second version of Laura.

David: I appreciate your on-line handshake! It is nice that you say this portrait does not appear too pretentious, since Laura's family are completely unpretentious folks. I am glad this comes through.

I don't know how to explain my reasoning for refining areas of the painting, except that I just keep painting until it looks right. The more I keep working the painting, then automatically, the more refined it gets. Sometimes this goes too far, and I see where I want to try to unrefine things again (which is hard to do). Initially every passage in this painting began as a vigorous alla-prima approach. With refinements, some of that original vigor gets lost, sadly. If I could figure out how to paint everything in one shot and be happy with it, that would be great. But alas, if I fix and improve one thing, then the next thing needs improvements also. With Jane and Iona I managed to maintain an alla-prima whirlwind going in the last 24 hours, as I repainted literally everything.

As for how sharp to keep the edges, I just keep adjusting them until the feel right, and usually what feels right is not all that sharp.

Patricia: Thanks! I was trying to keep the skin tones within a soft understated range that I observed in some Paxton portraits, while up in Boston last April for the SOG Dinner (lets all gather in D.C. this next year!).

I feel close by you today. I'm in Jamestown, PA, just exactly east a short distance from Cleveland. I would love to get out to your town again and see that great museum of art you have!

Jimmie: Thanks, I think I just missed you as you were writing your quote just as I was posting this. I am jealous also of your amazing drawing ability.

You are right; I need to think about getting a website. This forum is as close as it gets right now.

Mike: Thanks! I would love to learn a little insight into the process Sargent used to paint his masterpieces. Were they alla-prima, or done in stages and layers? I like to maintain some painterly brushwork when possible. The faceted surface can add so much interest. The more I refine things, the more photographic the effect, but a slightly broken painterly color effect should be preferable, I think.

Linda: You are too much! Thanks, I will try a little harder to not paint well. I am still learning and evolving in my techniques, and have been much influenced by everyone else's high caliber work in this Forum (including your's). If you or anyone have any good suggestions on how to pull this learning process all together, then let's do it!

Hey, what do you know, it's after four o'clock and I have to unveil the painting now!

'Till later, all the best,

Garth

[Garth Herrick]

OK, I am admitting it. The clients really liked the portrait. My subject seemed to be all smiles! Whew; I am much relieved, and on my way back home.

Garth

[Geary Wootten]

Garth, Garth, Garth,

I have to join sentiments with our friend Jimmie and say that you just keep outdoing yourself, man. I had just taken a look at the other one, and was duly shaken again by your technique and vision.

I just have to tell you that as far as the type of realism that honestly makes me glad to be alive to art....your style touches me just as much as any fine artist's work I've ever seen.....anywhere. The way it has the photo realism without looking totally static.... just soothes my soul!

I would just LOVE to come out to your home town someday and just spend whatever time we could together over coffee and viewing your work.

Blessings to You,
Geary

[Garth Herrick]

Aw, Thanks Geary!

You are really profound. I don't know anyone else anywhere who seems more moved by what he loves in art than you. I know others do too but you really can express it.

Coffee would be great. There are some museums to see in Philly, and its satelites, N.Y., and D.C. We forum members should team up with coordinated museum visits more often than just PSOA events. I would love to see Seattle and the Northwest coast firsthand some time too.

Thanks again, I can already smell the coffee,

Garth

[Geary Wootten]

Coffee's on me.

Geary.....in the home of Starbucks

[Garth Herrick]

Originally Posted by Geary Wootten

(....) The way it has the photo realism without looking totally static.... just soothes my soul!


Geary

Photorealism without a static look is tricky to pull off, I think, but a virtue if one can. I prefer a more painterly look, and a variety of descriptive surface, texture, transparency, and inventive spontaneity. If not careful, all of this becomes very elusive, and buried underneath photo real (political) correctness.

Garth