Found Photo of Figure Exhibit!

Just ran across this photo of the Vicarious Exhibit at Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art from 2018! Fun! 

 

Weight Series: The Figure as Metaphor

Society puts tremendous pressure on its citizens. The pressure to succeed weighs on the public and individuals. There is great pressure to consume as well; we are all pressured by market forces, peer pressure, family obligations, and demanding jobs. Instructors for example, are pressured to be subject experts, industry leaders, class room disciplinarians, administrators and entertainers. If societal pressures are not enough, we also pressure ourselves to advance in our careers in addition to being perfect children, parents, spouses, friends, etc. In other words, we pressure ourselves to “have it all.”

In the midst of this weight, it is important for art and artistic concepts to maintain a place in society at the conscious as well as subconscious levels.  How can art to address the pressure in our lives? How do these demands on me and those around me become art? Does art add to or alleviate the pressure? What metaphor can be used to show the weight on people in society? Who in society carries the most and least weight?   

In this series of drawings, I will explore the figure and its role in the context of today’s pressure-cooker society. Through a series of drawings, I will attempt to address the above questions, reflecting on our society. The series, called “weight,” uses the figure as metaphor to explore the weight that society places on us. The series will be a metaphor for our lives.  

I have drawn and painted the figure throughout my career. However, I have never undertaken drawings of this size and scale. Large scale drawings will hopefully have greater impact on the viewer, but are much harder to execute successfully than small drawings.  

 

Body Positive Exhibit Opening Friday March 12th

The Body Positive Exhibition opening will be LIVE, IN PERSON on Friday March 12th. The Charlotte Art League will be socially distanced and safe! I will have several figures in the exhibit. I hope to see you there. 

 

Vicarious Exhibition Photos

The Vicarious Exhibition opening reception was very well attended! My Weight drawings were displayed in the center of the gallery, hung Japaneses scroll style with magnets. After my talk people gravitated to the center drawing saying it was positive and uplifting. 

New Weight Drawing at Wooden Robot Brewery

This drawing from my Weight Series of figure drawings is on display at the Wooden Robot Brewery. The Brewery is located on Bland Street just off South Tryon. The painting hangs right across from the bar.  They have awesome beer in addition to the art! This drawing is 6 feet tall on paper. I used graphite and white charcoal as the mediums. I drew from a live model.

Drawing 9 Begun!

I have a process for each drawing or painting I begin.  I do a small drawing or value study in one of my sketch books first.  This allows me to catch problems in the composition before I waste too much time on a larger drawing.  In the sketch of this drawing, I changed the slant of the rock a lot.  At this point in the drawings above, I have worked on the outline or contour of the entire figure.  During this stage I had to make a lot of changes to the face.  When the contour is at a certain point I put in the first white highlights with white charcoal.  Looking at the drawing now, it  looks like her hands are cut off, oh no!  I will have to work on that.  Her toes look cut off as well.  I have a long way to go on this one. 

Standing figure final drawing

It has been so hot in August that I have not been able to go to my studio to draw.  However, I have been documenting the drawings.  Here is one of the finals for the standing figure.  This image shows the negative space around the drawing which I was unable to capture in my personal photographs.  It pays to hire a professional!  I am very happy with the cast shadow on this drawing.

Rock Texture

In this session at my studio I concentrated on the rock value and texture. I added highlights as well as dark values. I wanted the dark values on the bottom of the rock to be similar to the dark values in the figure's hair. My aim is to lead the eye from the rock to the figure. I tried to simplify the values, but add complexity to the rock shapes and texture. So I incorporated many more small rock shapes.

Drawing in the Highlights

In my series of large scale figures that I have been working on recently I used color paper and pencil or graphite. I did not add highlights with white charcoal or color pencil. So now I am beginning that process. To do that I am completing some sketches on a smaller scale. This drawing is only 18 x24 inches. The drawing above is the first experiment with highlights. I need to see what medium will work the best as a highlight: color pencil, white charcoal, white conte, etc. The top sketch is the first several hours effort. There are no exterior contour lines yet and just a little color pencil highlight. In the bottom drawing, the pencil dark values and the white color pencil value have been more fully developed. I have not addressed the rock yet. The arm is turning out well.