Mahjong Players, acrylics on canvas, 73 cm x 60 cm, SOLD
This painting is a combination of realism, in the walls, leaves and ocean with the expressionist figures whose bright colors combine with the lines of design to draw the eye to the game. The muse displays along with the clock (similar to my grandfather’s) on the shelf.
Mahjong is game invented in the Qing dynasty (1635-1912) in China. It is now played world wide. There are usually four players. It is similar to the Western card game rummy. There are 144 tiles marked with Chinese characters and symbols.
Dance 3, acrylics on Canson 300 gram paper, 57 x 76 cm, 22.5 x 30”
For years we danced with various International Folk Dance groups in the US, France and Spain. Here they dance to the violin.
This one has a ton of movement. I did the hands/fingers two ways. I think that adds interest, variety. It looks great on our wall here. Lots of color. The violin shines, which you can not see in the photo. the wooden part of the bow has three facets, hard to see in the photo.
La Cevezeria Alhambra in Valencia is famous in Spain for its tortillas. It’s a tiny place that at the time of this painting was run by a couple who had been there 37 years. After they retired their children took over. Looking through the window we see 3 people in conversation. We can almost hear the words passing between them.
Cafe Tortilla, acrylics on canvas, 65 x 81 x 2 cm, painted edges 26 x 32 x 1″
There are two exposures of the painting. All images appear differently on devices. This one in particular is more diverse than most.
Cafe Tortilla, acrylics on canvas, 65 x 81 x 2 cm, painted edges 26 x 32 x 1″
Cafe Tortilla is about a bar famous in Spain for its tortillas (Spanish omelets). They make 5 or 6 varieties in their tiny kitchen. After 37 years the couple retired. He made the omelets and she served them with nary a smile. She did not have time to smile. The place was almost always packed. You had to catch her eye to order- she would glance at you for a second as she sort of kept track of who was next. You had to start talking right away or she was off.
We were there when a newspaper photographer shot the photo I used to create the painting. He stood outside as the three of us were talking.
When I can manage it, I have a model in my studio for 3 hours. For about half that time a few days ago I worked in acrylics on canvas, after first working in conte.
After seeing the Caravaggio and His Times Exhibit in Rome last week I did some rough-ish drawings of some of his paintings in conte crayon. The man certainly could draw very well in the manner of his day. That did not make him unusual as an artist for that time. Rather it was his perfecting the dramatic use of lighting in his paintings.
