The Chair

The Chair. I'm reminded a bit of Joseph Kosuth, but only slightly.

This particular chair is often occupied. At this particular moment, it is not. What you're seeing is the middle of the first session of a portrait, during one of our breaks.

Welcome to New York. Thanks to Lyndsey for agreeing to take a turn as a subject. Painting the portrait of a photographer is pleasant evening.

This first stage was an exercise in proportion and composition. Stage two is scheduled for this week, where we'll hopefully settle in on local color.

The English Bookshop Guestbook

The English Bookshop Guestbook. We were wandering around Stockholm, looking for a warm place to have an adventure. Enter the English Bookshop in old town Stockholm.

"Yes! Julie, they have a guestbook... Grab a book to read..."
-Which book?
"Any book... You only have to pretend to read it anyway..."

Little did either of us know that she would pick the Horrible History of the World. Which is my least favourite type of book. Hers too...

-Do I have to keep reading this? I hate it.
"Yes! You picked it... Just pretend that you like it."

Sometimes I have a demanding personality. But fifteen minutes is not so long, is it?
The English Bookshop. Old town Stockholm, about 8pm. Fifteen minutes later, we were warm. Time for Julie to sign the guestbook too...
...so she signed the guestbook in the guestbook... get it?

Waiting in Heathrow Airport

Waiting in Heathrow Airport. I was waiting in Heathrow Airport, waiting for a trans-Atlantic flight from London to New York. December, 2007. One of my last drawings from 2007, in fact.

From the Warm Blanket sketchbook.

Women Watering Plants

Women Watering Plants. A women watering plants. North London, late-July, 2008.

I'm in Sweden right now.

Ewelina In Islington

Ewelina in Islington. The first drawing from our sessions. Black and White. Pencil on Watercolour paper. The Kings Head in Islington. June 4th, 2008.

I'm going to Sweden tomorrow.

Sketch for Biba II

Sketch for Biba II. Another sketch in oil from the same night.

Next week we'll start on the formal painting.

I wonder what that will look like?

Sketch for Biba I

Sketch for Biba I. It's been a long time since I've painted a painting with a pallette knife...

And, when I'm not drawing Teddy Bears, I'm painting and drawing women I don't know.

This is a quick sketch in oil for Biba, from last night: Thursday, October 16th, 2008. We're trying to work out the right composition for her formal pose.

Five Sketches of One Nude

Five Sketches of One Nude. From the Long Dark sketchbook, sometime in January or February 2007. I like the way all five drawings exist on parallel planes within the same page.

Ewelina Has Many Faces

Ewelina Has Many Faces. September 27. 2008. We were going through my briefcase.


Ewelina was wondering why I carry so many sunglasses. So I explained how each pair carries a different personality. Which is when our conversation began to focus on image and projecting a certain character.
Which is when Ewelina admitted to having many faces.
Recently I've been fascinated with putting portraits and drawings together with thoughts... When I make this into a painting, I'm going to paint both panels and show them together. The portrait. and the context of our thoughts.

Sorph and Bobby at the Sunrise Festival

Sorph and Bobby at the Sunrise Festival. From the Sunshine sketchbook, June 2007.

Katerina and the Church

Katerina and the Church. A different day in Hampstead, we kept our feet in one of the ponds.

Walking back, we found a church. And some steps.

And a blue door. Blue is often my favorite colour.

This summer my favorite colour was yellow. You can see my new adventure pack on the steps.
We found it too distracting with people walking by. So, no drawings that day. But, here is a drawing from earlier in July.

Katerina I

Katerina I.

July, 2008. Pencil. Black and White. A sketch.

Katerina in the Park

Katerina in the Park. Hampstead. July, 2008. A sunny day. We had an orange blanket which we used to push down the wildlife long enough to make some drawings.

Circles are my favourite shapes.

Notice the use of symbols to approximate form. This is my favourite drawing with Katerina.

Katerina with Sunglasses

Katerina with Sunglasses. You may recognize these sunglasses. Here, they're sitting in my briefcase.

Here, they're being worn by Katerina in July, 2008.

Sketch for Gabriela on the Couch with Pillows

Sketch for Gabriela on the Couch with Pillows. Oil. A painting. Black and white. A sketch for this painting.

Gabriela. On the couch with pillows. But this is the sketch. The real painting isn't finished yet. We just finished the sketch tonight. It's nice.

I'm allowed to say nice about this painting. I'm the artist.

It says so, right here:

Sometimes "nice" is the right choice, no matter what they say.

Painting Gabriela on the Couch with Pillows

Painting Gabriela on the Couch with Pillows.

Video. Look closely, and you can see the black and white sketch (in oil) leaning against the wall.

Ewelina in a Chair

Ewelina in a Chair.

Black and white pencil drawing on paper. Oxford Street. June, 2008.

Gabriela

Gabriela.

Watercolour and pencil on paper. June, 2008. Hendon.

After sharpening all of my pencils, we tried three diferent poses. This last pose included lots of circles, implied shapes, and pillows. At the time (two and a half weeks ago), we had decided that this watercoulour of Gabriela on the couch with some pillows would be the painting pose. Of course, that decision never came true and was overridden by the future.

Pencils are People Too.

Pencils are People Too. I did not, in fact, neurotically sharpen seven pencils in a quick succession. I did however sharpen seven pencils in a quick succession. To prepare for some preparatory drawings of Gabriela, I had to explain the benefits of a full range of ready-access graphite.

She listened intently. Then said, "I didn't know that."

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paintings.drawings.arithmetic.

Maryte in the Park

Maryte in the Park.

Watercolour and pencil on paper. June, 2008. Angel.

We were in Angel park, except that it's not really called Angel Park. What I mean is that we were sitting in the park which is located close to the Angel tube station, the one with the war memorial. It was one of the first sunny days of the summer.