Child's Play the Van Gogh Way

Captain Awesome and Aunt Shade-Queen of the Universe

had a small tornado...I mean visitor, come for an

overnight stay a couple of weekends ago.  Last time 

we saw Devin (Captain Awesome's grandson)

he looked like this.....

 

 

Now.....he looks like this....

 

 

Budding Superhero...

Takes after Grandpa!

 

 

Dashing good looks...

Must be from Aunt Shade.. 

(Or maybe mom Amber who was

resolutely camera shy.)

 

 

Art enthusiest...

Check out the Chagall T-shirt.

That came back with us from Nice, France.

 

And speaking of art appreciation...

I updated this piece from a class I took

at Vino and Vango...

 

 

with a few personalized Devin touches.

 

 

A cheerful rug to save the knees...

A ball to keep him busy...

And blocks to spell his name.

Devin zoomed right in on the ball.

It's one of the first words he's learned how to say.

Good thing I put one in the picture.

I know I took some liberties...

but I think Van Gogh would approve!

Thank you Devin for coming to visit...

Even if it was too short.

Inherit the Wind

I'm sorry my faithful readers for being away so long.

I have been busy with a couple of paintings that I

will show you soon.  And I tackled a painting project of a 

different kind at the Very Little Theatre here in Eugene.

 Floorboards were needed for the set of "Inherit the Wind".

Through the magic of theatre shortcuts (which aren't always

so short) we dunked rollers into various colors of paint to 

start the process.

 This is Bill, our intrepid leader who showed the way.

He is also in the show as the character Henry Drummond.

 Adrian (stage manager) and I took grooved plastic and

drug it through the paint to give it texture.

 

After that dried we painted in dark lines between the "boards"

to give them definition and Bill painted a light stain of

brown over the top to make the floor look more uniform.

 

When we were finished....viola....a hardwood floor!

Red chairs for the jury box.

 

What you don't see behind the scenes.

 Chris McVay is a long time member of the  Very Little Theatre

and the director of "Inherit the Wind".  The play is running

one more weekend, through June 14th.

The play is a fictionalized account of the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial

which resulted in John T. Scopes's conviction for teaching Charles

Darwin's theory of evolution to a high school science class, contrary to

a Tennessee state law.

Director Chris McVay says,  "The fact that the themes of science vs.

religious dogma (creationism or intelligent design), and the place

of individual rights in society are profoundly relevant today, nearly

60 years after this play was written, give "Inherit the Wind" 

a contempory universality. This play is about the dignity of every

individual mind; the right to think, speak, and in this case, teach

ideas that may go against traditional accepted thinking

and even the law."

Chris McVay sets a wonderfully cinematic tone to thus play with

a wonderful cast headed up by Chris Pinto as Matthew Harrison Brady,

and Bill Campbell as Henry Drummond.

I've seen it twice.  There are plenty of laughs and drama.

If you are interested in catching the last week of this show,

check out the link below:

http://thevlt.com/now-playing.html 

or this review:

http://registerguard.com/rg/entertainment/arts/31650657-60/trial-inherit-wind-brady-brown.html.csp 

Modigliani Madness

"No other painter of modern times has been as

heavily burdened with as many legends, myths

and cliches as Amedeo Modigliani. 

 

Modigliani is the prototype of the artist who executes

his work in the draughty studios of Montmartre and

Montparnasse, intoxicated by alcohol, hashish, love and

poetry.....lives in the artistic heart of Paris and at the 

same time stands isolated on the fringes of the belle

epoque.....(yet) never seems to waver in pursuing his 

own path; who experiences little or no success and is

and is so poor that he can only just pay his bills in the

legendary bars.....with quickly sketched portraits of the

customers; who dies - at the young age of 35 - of

tuberculosis, penniless and emaciated at the end of a 

life which has been entirely devoted to art.

 To heighten the tragedy of his life even more, on the 

day after his death, his pregnant young fiancee, Jeanne 

Hebuterne, jumps from her parents' fifth floor flat,

leaving behind their small daughter as an orphan."

MODIGLIANI ~ Doris Krystof 

Published by Taschen

Six friends gathered in the perfect temperature

of a sunny Saturday afternoon to celebrate the art

of Modigliani.  We had a wonderful breeze, green

grass from all of the rain...and plenty of tempting

snacks for nibbling while browsing the other

artists progress.  Luscious, sweet strawberries anyone?

We each picked our own picture for inspiration...

and here is what happened in the next three hours.

Katie brought a friend and first time painter.
Katie coached her through the process of reproducing
"Our Lady of the Carrot".

 

Katie added a few finishing touches at home
with her colored pencils.  Her friend was shy about
showing her first time work...but I can tell you
it was really good.  Maybe she will share next time.

 Jean chose to do "Woman in Yellow Jacket"

also known as "The Amazon".  I think she did the

largest canvas and finished before the rest of us.

Those are some impressive sketching skills..

and the proportions and shading are amazing.

I can hardly believe she did this in

less than three hours!

  

Karleen went a different route and turned a

reclining nude into a languorous kitty...

Stretttccccchhhhhhh....that spine.

Purffffffect colors and so much fun!

Sandi clearly does things her own way...

four brushes at once...she's a busy painter.

Sandi chose "Portrait of Jeanne Hebuterne".

I love the colors in this palette....

She said this picture reminds her of 
someone special in her life.  I can't wait
to hear her reaction to this lovely painting.

I chose this picture because of the the expression
of the model's face, reinforced by the color palette.

Here I am part way through, trying to capture the
quiet, resolved weariness of her demeanor.

This is the original...

And here is my is my tired French girl.
I am pleased with her and want to paint more.
She reminds me of the mythic bohemian Paris
I am so in love with.

Look at this group of happy, proud painters...
minus the shy one.  There are more play dates
coming and I'll keep you posted....I promise.

Here is some Parisian prettiness to enjoy...

Bon Jour my readers!

3 Trips to Venice

Just a short post to say that I 

finished my Venice picture this weekend..

 

 

After Sunday chores I dug out the paints

and hoped to remember which ones I started with...

 

 

You can see which ones they were on the right.

What a blissful mess!!

 

 

It's all in the details...

 

 

From left to right....

Sandi....Melysa....Shade

I think they look so cool lined up like that..

 

 

In closing...

I took this picture on the way home

from work tonight.

Had to share.