Lucky shot

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

Garth, that's a difficult question!
During the last week we had sunny spells after dull day, and the sun, around six o'clock was coming in and bouncing under the clouds. Warm golden light, very diffused, cool halftones. The trouble is that it lasts fifteen minutes in between the Simpsons and bath time, so trapping my son in the studio to sit is almost impossible, but magical when it happens.
Anyway the main thing it affects is the mood rather than the painting! In the winter we have days and days of overcast weather that would suit Cezanne (he used to paint dr Gasquet only in white sky days), and it is a constant cool light to work in, but I am desperate for sunshine, once a week!
I.

[Linda Brandon]

llaria, I love this strongly painted head and I'm a big fan of your fresh, painterly style. I'm very impressed that you painted it so quickly.

What a wonderful face and how lucky this child is to have this painting by you! Congratulations!

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

Linda, thanks, I'm impressed too, it sort of painted itself. Wish I could have more such days!
Ilaria

[Lisa Ober]

Originally Posted by Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco

Linda, thanks, I'm impressed too, it sort of painted itself. Wish I could have more such days!
Ilaria

Ilaria, I don't believe I have ever had the good fortune of being able to say that. How wonderful. I love the expression on his face and I agree with all the other compliments as well.

[Jimmie Arroyo]

I need to add my "beautiful work" comments. It's contemporary and classic, also in love with that splash of color.

[Elizabeth Schott]

Ilaria, ditto Jimmie and all above... it is so refreshing!

Do you find yourself ever going over and reworking areas or do you seem to keep your strokes free and right the first time?

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

Jimmie, Elizabeth, thanks a lot for your comments.

As I said this was a bit of a fortunate accident: I normally work and rework my faces many times, even more if I am painting from a photo.

But the more I paint the more I realize how actual ability at the easel is influenced by many conditions: in this little work I had nothing to lose, I was not under pressure to finish this, as these people are in Italy and I'll see them again in a month time, I had plenty of time to do another one if this didn't work out.

I was trying out blocking in with a monochrome underpainting as per Richard Schmidt's book that I just got.

Well, it's a bit like Freud said, how many people are in a bed? So, how many people are behind the easel? The artist, the client, the mother in law, the grand mother who finds the girl sad.... so many people bothering with the most irrelevant comments...

Here it was as if I was painting for myself, that works for me.

Lisa, come on, we all saw your sari painting, you pretty much showed you can do anything you like
Ilaria