Studious.

For a blog that's supposed to be about my studio practice, I've sure been light on the photos lately. Here are some now.

This is my studio, or at least, the wall of my studio where paintings happen. It's lit by Ott lightbulbs in this area. The easel in the corner is one I've had for years and the wooden thing in front of that is the nightstand half of a nightstand/dresser combo we got at the habitat for humanity store for ten bucks. I use it as a painting stool sometimes.The drafting table to the left is a custom build by my preferred carpenter and studio-mate. He also made the viking shield whose backside is visible in the low left. The folding chair was given to me by a friend.


I started some sketches for my grant project in a 3.5 by 5 inch sketchbook. First I had my photos printed and made photocopies. Then I cut the figures and props out of the photos and moved them around to make little temporary collages from which I did drawings.

I started with Jay and Abby Michaels, The Harper and the Minstrel.
Abby and Jay always wear green and their costumes include forest-y motifs like leaves. In the second sketch I tried a Jacob Jordaens style layout which included animals. I used photos of the Highland Cow and Rooster that I took at the Georgia Festival. I have three more sketches of The Harper and the Minstrel, and I am trying to edit them into the right composition so I can begin painting. I'll photograph and post the other sketches soon.

Finally, a lousy photo of a decent painting:



This is Lady Merrilee, resident courtesan at the Florida Renaissance Festival. Courtesans are interesting characters in painting and history because they existed for male viewing pleasure but tended to be well educated in music and languages, as well as occupying an important place in society. I was riffing on this idea when I made the painting, so in addition to my photo references, I looked at some classic Renaissance portraiture, and paintings of midcentury pin-up girls. The painting is not so glare-y in real life. But you get the general idea. I made this piece to experiment with black gesso and painting style. The chest and face are too overworked , I think, for the Baroque brushstroke I hope to capture. But it's a start, and I am pretty happy with her hands and costume. For the cord crisscrossing her bodice, I picked out just the highlights to paint, and i think it worked well.

Off to the studio now, for more studies.