Conversation (Nan and La)
 

Oil on linen, 18" x 26"

I've been working on a bunch of landscapes and figurative work for months. That's why I haven't posted any portraits. But here is the first of a couple of small interiors exploring the theme of two figures in a composition. In this one, I've intended to make Nan the focal point by shifting her towards the center and making La more peripheral. I'm a little disappointed in these images--the real thing is not nearly so contrasty and washed out in the lights. Also, La's dark hair has a lot of variation in the shadow. Oh, well! But you can get some idea of what it looks like.

Great work Alexandrda, I can even hear what they are talking about!
Love the atmosphere you have captured.

Thanks, Ngaire! I really appreciate your comments.

Another great composition where still-life and figures take equal place. I like the way the foreground figure's legs are just suggested so the eye really moves across the still-life to the figure of Nan (which, after reading your comments again, I find was your intention - so excellent work!)

I also really like the variation of light from darker to lighter throughout the painting, and your brush strokes and drawing are very good. You have. a lovely light touch, but you get very good substance and solidity with it. And I like the extra details of, for example, the map on the wall with it's bent corner and its shadows - you are a great painter of paper!!

Lovely work, Alex!

Hi Alex,
thank you for showing your new paintings, I like them very much.
I would love to study your brushwork, is it possible that you could post a close up of Nan's head?

Thank you all!

Nice play on words, Sharon. The tablecloth was probably the most difficult part of the painting aside from the figures. It involved getting the perspective right and pushing around the blue and white edges, adjusting the values, etc. I used a lot of ultramarine violet and cad yellow light in the shadows, which I used to vary the temperature on the shadow sides of the cloth.

Allan, here is the closeup. Keep in mind that Nan's head is only about 3 1/2 inches long.

Thomasin, I'm glad you like it. It's amazing that such a small work could be so complicated. It is somehow easier for me to make decisions to stop developing detail in places, or to put more in in other places, when I am working small. I think it is due to my timidity around large brushes, which I'm trying to get over by forcing myself to paint with them. I really enjoyed painting the corner of that map, so thanks for noticing :) .

Alex, thank you for the close up.

Painted by the feelings. !

There is no way one can see what the brush is doing, it's controlled by intuition. I wish that I could paint that way in large scale.

Me, too!

Alex,

My eyes are drawn immediately to the figure of Nan--you have handled her figure supremely well--the body language, the hands so typical of the way an elderly person would have them with that seemingly constant tension; and the expression of the face (!!)--such maestr

Thank you, Carlos! I think your comments will carry me through the day and beyond. Yes, that expression is a very Nan-ish one--but so are all the other expressions I've painted. When you know someone and use her (or him) often as a model, capturing their essence becomes more complicated and frankly impossible in a single painting. I can see how Andrew Wyeth spent years on Helga.