Tag: cat

Behind the curtain

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Some things I find funny.

I found some of my old photographs that I took years ago.

Back in 2000 when I still had my maiden name and I was considered young.

I had a showing of this series in some off the beaten path gallery.

I wrote my artist statement the night before late.

It went something like this.

This series of photographs is called ‘Behind the Curtain’. It’s a subjective approach about cats broken down to its most simpliest form and enhanced by all elements that intervene to shroud the subject. Subtle transparencies emerge and shadows distort but the work is not about clarity but reality. The pictures bring the viewer closer to what exactly is present and in original form. The perception is geared toward the cat but the viewer keeps coming back to the curtain as the light intensifies, flattens and solidifies the curtain. The curtain stands alone with its subtle folds, elegant drapes and soft patterns. Even though we can’t get past the curtain the cat is still identifiable.

How many days does it take to finish a portrait?

Image

Day one: A friend of mine recommended me to someone who wanted a painting done of their cat. So I met them at Alterra coffee-house a neutral place where we could meet about commissioning a portrait of a cat named Bartholomew/Bart. We Looked at photograph’s, I said I could do this painting and then signed a contract I brought along.

Day two: I reviewed photos, did some sketches, e-mailed client back and waited for confirmation.

Day two: Confirmation from client, printed image and picked up canvas.

Day three: Did grid and started drawing on canvas.

Day four: Still drawing image onto canvas. This is a crucial part of the process getting everything right from the start although it all gets covered with paint.

Day five: I started with a basic under painting worked on background and went straight into the fabric.

Day six: I began with the eyes the most important part. I need to get the eyes perfect.

Day seven: Worked on the face of cat and whiskers.
Whiskers really helped painting.

Day eight: painted the ears.

Day seven: I needed to darken the pattern on the fabric. Darkening some fur shadows and added fluffy accents throughout cat giving it more shape and form so it looks like a 3-dimensional cat also filled in front of sofa.

Day eight: Worked on tail made it longer and changed background.

Day nine: Worked on the paws or the impression of the paw.

Day ten: Touched up shape of head and edges of fur.

Day eleven: Pushed more dark shadows and white areas.

Day twelve: Ears and ear hairs needed some work.

Day thirteen: I always keep coming back to the eyes.

Day fourteen: Worked on back leg, body shape and pattern.

Day fifteen: Finished. e-mail client confirm pick up date.

day sixteen: Went with hooks on back of painting/attached.

Day seventeen: Coffee shop 9:00 dropped of painting. Waitress walks by and says it’s brilliant. It catches me off guard. I laugh. They like painting. It was exactly what they expected.

I was painting my Scruples?

                                                                                                    

I framed this piece today I’m trying to decide if the gold goes with this odd color combination…or not?

After a time of taking a lot of photographs for my series ‘Behind the Curtain’ and other photo’s of interest that went into a different direction. I began to paint some small acrylic paintings using some of the photo’s as a reference and inspiration. This is one. This was my cat named Scruples who was my faithful companion for over ten years. She was named after the book by Judith Krantz. She was a one person cat but when my daughter was born her maternal instincts kicked in too so she was always there and very concerned until she started crawling of course. So it is nice to have these photos and paintings although she is gone now cat heaven we say.

I keep leaning toward the abstraction. I want it complicated enough and simple enough so it catches the curiosity and brings the viewer closer. Abstraction is harder than I ever thought it to be. So I do a combination of both abstraction as we see things and how we might think we see things. Art and the creative process what’s your process?

The cat behind the curtain.

This is one picture of a series of photographs that I took during a time when I had stopped drawing for a while and took up the camera. 

This series of photographs is called ‘Behind the Curtain’. It’s a subjective approach about cats broken down to its most simplest form and enhanced by all elements that intervene to shroud the subject. Subtle transparencies emerge and shadows distort but the work is not about clarity but reality. The pictures bring the viewer closer to what exactly is present and in original form. The perception is geared toward the cat but the viewer keeps coming back to the curtain as the light intensifies, flattens and solidifies the curtain.The curtain stands alone with its subtle folds, elegant drapes and soft patterns. Even though we can’t get past the curtain the cat is still identifiable.