| Are you a people watcher?
I am. I think most of us are; artists even more so. I am continually
delighted to observe humans going about their daily lives. We ride
our bicycles; take the bus. We fish; dig for clams. We walk our dogs;
groom our pets. We work and play. We dance and jog. We
swim. We ski. We marry and raise children. People are
solitary. People are social. They come in a variety of shapes
and sizes. There is never a moment when a human being is not terribly
interesting. Even when a man, woman, or child is asleep, there is
a quality there that appeals to the artist in me. In faces and postures
you can read a history of mankind. That is why I paint people.
"They come in a variety of shapes
and sizes."
Traveling around the Northwest, I have had
the opportunity to be at the right places at the right times to watch fishermen,
who harvest the bounty of the ocean, as they clean their catch. I
have been in small communities when they celebrate a local festival.
Dressed in colorful costumes they exalt with much joy in music and dance.
There have been occasions to glimpse athletic men and women who extend
the limits of their physical endurance in cross country bicycle tours or
marathon runs. People linger in long lines to attend a special event,
exchanging pleasantries with each other as they patiently wait for admittance.
There has been the camaraderie of folks who have hobbies in common, such
as kite festivals held in small towns and large cities along the coast.
The vibrant colors of these moments are enchanting to see (and to paint!). |
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And the children......!
Ah the innocence and beauty of the children! Would an artist not
be intrigued by the softness and gentle demeanor of a baby? Would
one not want to paint the mischievous twinkle in the eye of a toddler?
Resist if you can the wise-beyond-her-years lift of the chin of an
adolescent girl. Can the don't-bother-me now attitude of a pre-teen
boy be captured on canvas or paper? Try to catch the elusive
young people as they rush from scene to scene bursting with barely bridled
energy! Then, again, they have their quiet times. While reading,
sitting at a computer keyboard, or practicing a musical instrument, a child
in repose is worthy of the time it takes to capture them with photograph
or sketch. Sometimes you can even coax them into posing for a formal
portrait.
"..a child in repose is worthy
of the time it takes to capture them with photograph or sketch."
When I began to paint people, I acknowledged
that I should start with the ones I knew the best. So, I chose
to portray my family. (They were willing and available) Then
I branched out to include my childrens' circle of friends. Before
too long, I was set up in the local mall with a table, two chairs, a pad
and charcoal, doing instant sketches for a minimum fee. When my confidence
increased, I hired models and did oil portraits. What a rewarding
experience! There was no pressure to obtain a likeness, or complete
a studio portrait in a required time frame. Today, with the addition
of gouache and pastel to my repertoire, I am enjoying a resurgence of the
delight in painting people.
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