Watermelon Man

Clive Fullagar · 10-22-2006, 07:04 PM

Just finished this commissioned portrait of a local man who was responsible for establishing a very good retirement home in the community. He is a lawyer by profession. The obvious question is why the watermelon? During the sitting I asked him what he does other than law. His face immediately lit up and he said that he and his family had always farmed watermelons and that he was most content when working in the fields. Watermelons were his balance in life. He would often take watermelons up to the residents and distribute them. I had wanted to include some object in the picture that would provide some information about the sitter. So his wife kindly offered to go out and get a watermelon and there it is. The melon becomes a very nice symbol of both his past and his generosity. What I think worked really well here is that melon, compositionally as well as metaphorically, provides a balance to the figure. I wanted to work in a more informal and modern idiom, as well as get a lightness and brightness to the painting. The picture is 38" x 24."

John Crowther · 10-22-2006, 10:52 PM

I think it's superb, Clive, in every way.... conceptually, compositionally, and skill of execution.

John C.

Alexandra Tyng · 10-23-2006, 02:36 PM

Clive,

I agree, this is really successful in so many ways. First of all, he comes across so well as a guy you might meet somewhere--but totally individual. The expression could only belong to him. Same with the pose. The watermelon works compositionally and as a meaningful object. It reminds me of one of my favorite Copley portraits of a plump middle-aged woman with a bowl of fruit from her garden; she was known for her green thumb and generosity.

The other thing about your portraits that I admire is the originality of design, the understanding of how to pare down a painting to the essentials and arrange them with the utmost economy and intelligence. Oh, and the colors are great, too--not invented, but seen with a different kind of eye!

Mischa Milosevic · 10-24-2006, 04:12 PM

Clive, grate job! I second Alex in all respect. Excellent play with values on your part brings it all together so nicely. A commission well earned.

Claudemir Bonfim · 10-26-2006, 06:54 PM

Great job!

That's a very nice composition. I liked the values very much.

Clive Fullagar · 10-26-2006, 07:04 PM

Alex, I must admit I have never seen the similarity between my work and Copley's. But now that you come to mention it I suppose there is the same crispness of form that you find in Copley's early works. I must admit I have always had a greater preference for the sharpness of his American portraits than the softer, painterly, and more romantic aspects of his British portraits (even though I am English myself). There is something very direct and unforgiving in his early paintings, which I think is quintessentially American (if you will pardon the stereotype) and very appealing. So anyway, thank you for excuse to ponder the connections, and perhaps more important, thank you for the compliment.