Gwen and Maggie

Maggie, Oil on Board, 6"x9"

Gwen, Oil on Board, 6"x9"

These two oil sketches are of my nieces, Maggie and Gwen Gunnels.  They are always interested in my paintings.  They live many miles from me, but write asking me to draw something and mail it to them. They are twins and wanted drawings for their 12 year November birthday.  I decided instead to give them these little paintings for Christmas.  (They got fancy hair bows for the birthday.)

The boards were salvaged from an old painting which accounts for the pentimento background.  There is also some of that in the hair.  I was unable to use it in the faces because the pentimento obscured their likenesses.  

Hydrangeas

Haven't been in the studio again for days.  We are in Boston this week.  I did manage to work a little on the center bottom blossom.  The light is really strong there.  While in Boston we saw Sargeant's watercolors at the MFA.  He handles wc like an oil painter.  OR maybe he handles his oils like his wc.  Great show, though.  Well curated with a chronological approach that focused on place:  the Alps, Arabia, Venice.

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas, Oil on Board, 12"x12"

I've been in and out of the studio the last 2 months.  Time spent there has been interrupted by travel, company  and fall chores.  I have managed to work on a small rendition of hydrangeas for the Rogers Gallery.  The version here is the second stage in which I block in basic colors, shapes and values.  I have begun to refine the upper left corner.  

Geraniums

Geraniums, Oil on Board, 16 3/4" x 24 1/2"

The completed piece.  I did increase the size of some center leaves.  The reds are uncooperative as a digital photograph image.  The seem not to be in focus.  However, the color is fairly true as are the petal forms.  

Geraniums

Geraniums, Oil on Board, 16 3/4" x 24 1/2"

The center leaves seem too small against the large center bloom.  I've increased the size of a few and will do even more.  

Geraniums

Geraniums, Oil on Board, 16 3/4" x 24 1/2"

I've been painting daily without posting pictures.  The work with red is slow because the translucency makes it difficult to build values. The photograph here does not clearly show the forms of the flowers or the work accomplished.  Red is a difficult color to capture digitally.  

Geraniums

Geraniums, Oil on Board, 16 3/4" x 24 1/2"