Fleeting

Fleeting
is the theme this week at Illustration Friday. Thought I'd put a toe back into those waters. It's been a busy and difficult winter. Fortunately time is fleeting for both the good times and the bad (although the tough times sure feel longer don't they?)

The woman holding the little girl in the this picture was actually pregnant at the time, and now both her children are past the toddler phase. Talk about fleeting! This painting is currently hanging in the biggest one-person show I have ever had: 50 paintings! Not quite a retrospective, but something approaching it, for my Genre of Inclusion project. If you want more info on the show, which is up thru the 22 of April, click here.


In the Gallery, 16 x 20 inches, oil on canvas, 2004

BABY
is the theme at Illustration Friday this week. What fun, I love painting babies! I was one of those little maternal girls with a family of dolls I lovingly tended, and I still like to draw babies whenever I get the chance. Very rarely does anyone ever commission a painting of a baby however...I guess because they change so dramatically in such a short span of time. Often there is only a faint resemblance between an adult's face and his or her baby face, but there is usually some likeness between a child's face and an adult's. Personally I love the face morph time. I love doing teenage portraits as well, again, a time period only rarely commissioned.

Well whatever, this challenge has made me realize that I have only ever painted five or six portraits of babies (!) and I'd like to do more. So maybe I'll just do some for fun. If you live near me (Philadelphia) and have a cute baby, send me an email!

I was shocked to realize it has been several months since I last participated in IF! I have been busy preparing for my first one person show in New York; it's called Still Moments and I just delivered all the paintings on Tuesday. Now comes the nerve-wracking period before the opening, where I worry about the work and its presentation even though at this point there is little to do except try and find a nice dress for the reception. If you're in Chelsea on June 7th, please stop in Sherry French Gallery and say Hi! And if you say Hi Baby I'll know you got there from IF ;->

Nya and Katina, oil on canvas, 28 x 24 inches

LITTLE THINGS
is the theme this week at Illustration Friday. Not a hard topic for me, since my mind tends to run on small matters, not least when I am in the studio. Night, sleep, death and the stars are all very good as topics for brain activity when you are a childless, unmarried, middle-aged, male poet but not such all-consuming topics when you are a married, middle-aged, female, painter with three children. Vive la différence, of course!

Speaking of little things I am currently in two different small works exhibits. They seem very popular these days, lots of galleries do them in December. Perhaps as a last gasp attempt to get a little of people's holiday spending money before the old year passes on? Anyway, this little piece is up at Artists' House Gallery and the opening reception I will be at (there are two) is this Sunday. I prefer this opening which features a classical guitarist, tea, coffee and cookies, as opposed to the Friday might opening which is wine and cheese and hordes of heavy-booted art students. Not that there is anything wrong with heavy-booted art students, I was one myself! Still have the boots as a matter of fact, they are very useful. Anyway, if you are in Philadelphia (PA, USA) on Sunday then do please stop by the gallery and introduce yourself!

SMALL WORKS
December 5 to December 23, 2007
Reception: Sunday, December 9, 1-4pm
Sunday Snow Date: December 16

Artists' House Gallery
57 North Second Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 923-8440
Hours: Wed - Sun 12-5 PM
or by appointment

Powdered Sugar Doughnut, oil on gessoed paper laid to wood, 4 x 6 inches