Old Coachman Azati, watercolor, 22 x 29" (55 x 73 cm)

Yanqi Zhai

Inspiration
When I was sketching in Western China, I rented a carriage. Azati, the coachman of the carriage, talked with me all the way. His favorite thing was to bathe in the sun and tell the children his story of driving when he was young. His optimistic attitude has always encouraged others.

Process
I drew sketches of Azati from different angles and finally chose this one, which I think provides the best interpretation of his mental outlook. The green background represents vitality. The color of his face shows his skin after long-term exposure to the sun, and the dark red color shows traces of a life soaked by the years. I think the colors and strokes I used capture his spirit well, which is what I am best at.

Self-Portrait with Pearl Earring, oil, 15¾ x 9.8" (40 x 24 cm)

Alessandra Marrucchi

Inspiration
My goal with this painting was to portray myself by going beyond my reflected image, just as I see myself and feel about myself today, with years of a life spent refining and deepening the personal pictorial language with which I identify. I wanted an image devoid of any indulgence in or complacency with my current appearance but full of that tension that rises from the need to be able to express all of myself in paint—the tension and the fascination of continuous research that is never completely satisfied. I wanted it to depict the contemporaneity of an artist with a long life behind her but still with the desire to express many things.

Process
In this painting I used the traditional techniques of drawing and oil painting, learned in the five years I attended the Simi Studio as a young person. These were formative and fundamental years for my art. This international school, directed by Nerina Simi (1890-1987), and before her by her father Filadelfo (1849-1923), was the only one at that time where you could learn a method of study inspired by the great masters of the past. In fact, Filadelfo combined the teachings he received at the Academy of Florence, where he then taught, with the studies done in the four years he spent in Paris attending the atelier of the famous painter Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904). I hope to be able to always carry on, promote and make contemporary this art in which I believe.

Say What You Will, oil, 32 x 24" (81 x 60 cm)

Dan Bullock

Inspiration
The reference material for this painting had so many exciting qualities that I felt it was crying out to be painted. The striking pose with the eye contact combined with the strong lighting, providing wonderful shapes of light and shadow, gave an immediate impression of strength and power to the portrait. I love finding images that allow me to experiment with abstract techniques, and in this case the hair acts as a perfect transition between the realism of the portrait and the looseness of the background.

Process
This painting was created with a limited palette using only alizarin crimson and Prussian blue. Starting with a wash over the whole panel, I sculpted the forms out of the dark and utilized the white of the panel to find the highlights. I like to have fun with the start of my paintings, trying to be as loose as possible and using unorthodox, impressionistic techniques (attacking the painting with a tea towel or a kitchen spatula are firm favorites). Then, as the work progresses, I become more refined and start building in details. Exclusively working wet-on-wet, I have to move fast, but this stops me from overworking the details and helps retain some of the initial energy in the finished piece. I also have to mention the final, scariest part of the process, where I drag a solvent soaked rag over parts of the painting to create some interesting, destructive effects. 

Mr. Dale Jenkins, oil on canvas, 40 x 28" (101 x 71 cm)

Phil Boatwright

Inspiration
This was a commissioned portrait, and the gentleman’s personality and spirit were the inspiration for the painting. He was a retiring, highly regarded (by colleagues and employees alike) CEO of a large company. The portrait is now hanging at the company headquarters. His wish was for a genuine, innate and open expression. Through natural light, discovery of expression, watchful attention to detail and a thoughtful pose, my inspiration was captured. 

Process
The initial sitting took place at the subject’s home, which had superb natural light entering through tall windows. Several poses and locations were compositionally considered before this final setting and pose were agreed upon. His comfortable chair allowed for a relaxed, natural posture, and the collection of precious family photos illustrates his sincere and caring personality. The composition was based upon the armature of a rectangle, which divides the picture plane into harmonious divisions. I began with an accurate line drawing on a blank 40-by-28-inch canvas with some sparse rendering of values. Local color was applied with acrylic washes, letting the drawing show through. I then built up the middle to light values with a mixture of flake white, stand oil and chalk (calcium carbonate) using bristle brushes and a palette knife. This completed the underpainting, and it was allowed to dry. Using egg oil emulsion as a medium, subsequent layers of translucent oil color were applied over the underpainting, refining the details until it was finished.—