Orator

Thomasin Dewhurst · 07-11-2007, 07:32 PM

This is 30" x 24", oil on canvas.

Sharon Knettell · 07-12-2007, 08:46 AM

You know it has been years since I experimented like this. It can reveal unexpected beauty and directions to take never thought of before.

Lovely and evocative.

Carlos Ygoa · 07-12-2007, 05:24 PM

Thomasin,
The way the head emerges from the darkness is both mysterious and dramatic. It holds the viewer

Alexandra Tyng · 07-13-2007, 09:57 AM

Thomasin,

This one is amazing! The expression and the hand are working together, and the ambiguity of what they are saying, the elusiveness, holds my interest.

There is something about the way you paint features that I have never seen before. Maybe it's not deliberate on your part, and maybe you struggle with it, but most people would end up with an overworked mess while you keep the spontaneou, fluid, in-process quality of the face, and that is what evokes life.

I'm also very admiring of the warm, almost glowing areas where the halftones go into the shadow aras.

Can we see some closeups of the face?

Thomasin Dewhurst · 07-13-2007, 11:49 AM

Thank-you very much, Sharon, Carlos and Alex.

Thomasin Dewhurst · 07-15-2007, 11:40 AM

Thank-you for your comments, Mischa.

Thank-you Sharon. You inspired me to take a look again at Monet, Turner and Munch.

The paintings below are, in order from top to bottom:
Monet; Houses of Parliament, London, Sun Breaking Through the Fog; 1904
Monet; [B][I]La cath

Sharon Knettell · 07-15-2007, 05:36 PM

Thomasin,

A lot of art was coming into the West from Asia during the 1900's. It was what inspired artists to look at design and color in an entirely different way. The rigid aspects of the Atelier method and Classicism were abandoned by the most adventurous of the 19th century painters such as Turner and Manet. Manet was completely bored with Couture.

These artists wanted to free themselves from the tight strictures, not only of form but of ideas. Gad! all those Venuses on the half-shell and wretched Alma-Tadema/Gerome slave markets painted to satisfy the prurient tastes of a Victorian art market.

Coming upon a Turner is a powerful experience.

That Munch is wonderful, the purples around the hands are exquisite.

Monet's landscapes have made me see color in a completely different way. They not the dull renderings of the pedantic pleine-aire artists, but of a painter who has complete command of his means and can take full delight in the exquisite play of color.

Thanks for posting these.

Marina Dieul · 07-17-2007, 08:37 PM

Thomasin,
there's a lot of vibrations in this work. I like the warm-cool colors contrast : it makes me think that the figure , emerging from the night is lit by a fire and the moon. I love the grey-blue shadows.
I agree with Carlos, the gesture of the hand says a lot with very limited means.
I think that the frontal gaze is more fascinating because it's not detailed, it's just like meeting somebody's eyes and then look away: it's the impression which stays...
Congratulations!

Thomasin Dewhurst · 07-18-2007, 10:45 AM

Thank-you very much, Marina. I've been seeing a lot of blue/yellow contrast in the indirect light coming in from skylights (blue) and the windows (yellow) and have been wanting to paint it for a long time. It so difficult to get just the right blue or yellow, though, but it is so enjoyable to try.

Thomasin Dewhurst · 07-18-2007, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharon Knettell

That Munch is wonderful, the purples around the hands are exquisite.

Aren't they just? He got really right down to essentials there. He frankly said: "I like this blue!"