Vivian, oil, 13 x 13" (33 x 33 cm)
John Darley
Inspiration
When I met Vivian, I was struck by the degree of wisdom and strength she possessed at such a young age; a sort of young but knowing queen. I aimed to make use of the angle (upward) and posture (frontal and assured) to present her regally. I love her expression in this piece: calm, focused and ready. For the background, I used the mountains of Vivian’s family’s home. While she is looking directly into the future, she is centered by the elements of her origins.
Process
Once I landed on a composition and palette that represented my subject, I started with a line drawing to provide structure to the portrait. I generally like drawing on paper more than linen, so once the drawing was complete, I transferred it to a linen surface for painting. The first painting layer is a general base to establish value and chroma scales, as well as to begin rendering the form. After the general form was established, I polished that form with small flecks of paint, almost like a glaze, to add accents to the form and to optically mix with the color. I knew the painting was finished when I turned my studio lights off, and the painting seemed to have the glowing effect I am always looking for.
My Little Frida, oil on board, 39.37 x 39.37" (99x 99 cm)Raquel di Carvalho
Inspiration
One of the most famous painters in history and a social and cultural reference in Mexico and beyond its borders, Frida Kahlo has been the inspiration of many women for her inner strength when facing the obstacles that life puts in front of her. Her image and iconic figure have led to the creation of this work with the aim of representing the many Frida’s around the world. The childish and innocent image, contrasted with serenity and hardness, makes us reflect on the different phases of life and how they lead to changes in character and personality. There are those who see the young girl as the reincarnation of the artist, while others see the different visions and sensations of the characters and their stories.
Process
When a work is created many times, chance helps us. In my case, it was totally like that. The mother of the girl in the painting entered my studio to ask for information about classes, and she inspired me to see her bushy eyebrows and her innocent expression but at the same time her strength and sureness of character. I immediately had the image in my head of the painting I wanted to execute. At that moment, a piece of the puzzle came together: to represent the myth of an artist who expressed her passion for life and her desire for freedom.
Solace, oil, 30 x 40" (76 x 101 cm)Dominic Avant
Inspiration
This painting is a complete dichotomy of my experience on a trip to Rhode Island. The summer of 2020 was filled with tension from civil and racial unrest, wildfires out west and a pandemic that was spiraling out of control. When I arrived in Rhode Island, I had to quarantine for five days, so when I got out, I went straight to the shoreline (Beavertail). There I did a series of plein air paintings, hiked and had a picnic with my son, Dean, who is pictured in the painting. It was our moment of tranquility and a much needed break from the societal issues that plagued us. The title describes exactly how we felt that weekend spent along the rugged New England shoreline.
Process
The final painting was created as soon as I returned to my Florida studio, using photo reference, plein air studies, and a little imagination. I wanted it to feel as vivid as it did when I was there, so it was important to create it quickly while the visual memory was still fresh. The plein air studies helped tremendously with capturing the energy and mood of the location. For example, the sky was recreated from a field study. The main challenge was to capture the entire vista while still communicating the subtle contemplative emotion in Dean’s portrait as he gazed into the shallow waters. This piece was painted in my head well before it was actually completed.
In My Life, charcoal, 18 x 24" (45 x 60 cm)JuliAnne Jonker
Inspiration
This is my first self-portrait. I was looking through my photo archives to find something I was inspired to draw, and when I came across this image, I knew it was perfect. It was a very poignant time in my life. I was 39 and in Europe visiting my brother. It was my first time in London and my first time on a trip without my husband and children. We traveled to Italy, also a first, and it was on this adventure that I fell in love with the country and its people. It was also a pivotal time in my career as I was branching out into a busy portrait studio. I titled the portrait after one of my favorite Beatles songs, which carries the same nostalgic feeling for me.
Process
The charcoal portrait is on heavy Bristol board. Rather than starting with a line drawing, I began with a quick charcoal sketch. I blocked in the general form and placement of the lights and darks and then proceeded with cross hatching and shading to sculpt out the form, adding more detail with each layer. The background shading was added at the end to balance the negative space on the left side of the composition. I used vine charcoal, charcoal pencils, and loose charcoal, as well as various tools and acetone to manipulate and move the charcoal.
An Instagram reel showing the making of the portrait is at juliannejonker_fine art.—