Friday, October 17, 2008



Standing on the table and leaning over the image with a camera, is just not the best recipe for clear, straight photographs. It is not worth the risk to smudge the work done by taking it off the table.
The plan was to have just a light grey tabletop in the bottom portion of the composition, but I decided to make it into a concrete wall. I walked down to the parking garage down the street from my studio today and took several photographs of the low concrete walls to use as reference. This change of plan will, however, make this small (hah!) endeavor take a bit longer.
If the strange delineated composition of this piece and the last one I did just doesn't make sense to you... let me show you some of my favorite paintings, which I think will clue you in partially to my pshyche.
The Death of Marat by Jacques-Loius David is one of my all time favoites, if not my favorite painting.
as is this painting by Gustave Caillebotte "Paris Street, Rainy Day." Actually look at the range of Caillebotte's paintings and the types of compositions he chose. It makes me salivate.
Add to these a fascination with all things Edward Hopper & I think you WILL understand me better!

10 comments:

April Jarocka said...

keep going! I'm enjoying this one!! Regards
April

Anonymous said...

It's mesmerizing Nicole. I can see a definite influence by the palette in the Death of Marat painting.

I'm excited to get a chance to see "Paris Street; Rainy Day" next weekend in Fort Worth at the Kimbell Art Museum (https://www.kimbellart.org/) - can hardly wait!

You just keep getting better Nicole, it is delightful to watch.

- Liesl

Jo Castillo said...

As I say over and over. You are an amazing artist. Wow. These last two are superb.

Unknown said...

I love your compositions, so original. And just the idea of including the stones makes this even more interesting than the face alone, which is great by itself. You really are a master.

Unknown said...

Thanks April!

Hi Liesl! Oh, you'll love that painting in person! I used to work the gift shop at the Art Institute of Chicago where it usually hangs. Its amazing how you feel you can walk into it.

Thanks JO!

Thank you Deborah!!! To tell the truth I had different props and my daughter chose that one! Kids really enjoy the fantasy of posing!

Rhonda Bartoe Tucker said...

By taking your work to the next level with content, composition, and technique, you are pulling the rest of us who are CP artists right along with you. You keep raising the bar. Thank you.

Gerbilfokkerijtjes Myrrha & De Geklauwde Krijger said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Really phenomenal looking! How do you get your image onto the canvas to start your pieces? Project it?

Casey Klahn said...

For the love of all things good and decent, get this one photographed professionally when you are finished. (Maybe you already do...but if you don't...)

It really is special, and needs to be preserved.

Unknown said...

TY Rhonda!

Greg I either handdraw it on there or project it. I projected it this time.

CASEY! Thank you! I will get it photographed, I promise!