Me

This is me. Finally, I have fallen victim to my own brush. It's not exactly how I see myself (do I really look that intense!?) but I was going for it, like I have done with all of my portraits, drawing and painting what I see and letting the moments flow together until I feel like I have a complete portrait. When I start a painting, whether it's a landscape or a portrait, I never know how it will end up. It's what keeps me going - it's an adventure - and the act of painting changes me and I come away with a different understanding and connection with who or what I just painted that I didn't have before I started.

So, I've been thinking, after completing my original goal of painting 250 portraits, how, or even IF, I would continue The Portrait Project. I have gained much from this project, both in terms of improving my skills as an artist as well as gaining a deeper connection to my friends. But I've also realized that by working with photographs - and usually without my subject's permission - that I'm denying their participation in the process of making their portrait. So, here's what I'm going to do - I'm throwing all of the names of my Facebook friends (currently there are 477) back into my "friend jar" (The "friend jar" is a jar that sits next to my desk that has the names of all of my Facebook friends whose portraits I haven't done. I reach into this jar without looking and take a name out when I'm ready to paint a portrait) ((really, I do this)). But this time, I'm going to do "live" portraits - as many as possible - rather than working from photographs. I hope you will all join me on this new and exciting journey.

OK! Let's make some art and see what happens. Should be fun...

8x11 pencil and watercolor. #253

Greg

This is Greg. And that's a little piglet he's holding. He's a farmer now but when I first met him about 15 years ago he was working for a big bank and getting out on his bike whenever he could - probably just trying to get outside of being inside so much. Biking is a great release from stress and being indoors.

It's been interesting to see him make the transition from banker to farmer. He's not on his bike as much as he used to be - probably doesn't have the time - but he also probably doesn't need it as much. I saw him recently after not having seen him for several years and he was a different man- calmer, more seasoned, more settled in - like he's found his rhythm - his cadence.

20x30 Acrylic and gold leaf on panel. #252

Patty

Watercolor and pencil in my huge Moleskine sketchbook. This was about a 15 minute pose.

Greg in Progress 2

Portrait in Acrylic on OSB. Experiment with iridecent pearl paint. Day 2 detail.

Greg in Progress

Portrait in Acrylic on OSB. Experiment with iridecent pearl paint. Day 1 detail

Fabian

This is Fabian. He's an urban sketching friend living in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Fabian

Quick pencil study for Portrait Project

Tugs

I rode the Scrambler up to Belfast and painted the tugboats - experimental approach - acrylic on 9x12 red primed OSB. Had Egon Schiele's "Houses On The Town Square In Klosterneuberg" in mind when I started but this ended up nothing like it. Didn't like it much at the conclusion in Belfast but found some redeeming qualities back in the studio.

I keep trying to make acrylic work for me - I just can't seem to get happy with it.