Greetings!

Catherine Muhly · 09-18-2002, 06:22 PM

Hi everyone!

I thought I'd introduce myself. I've been studying painting and portraiture for the past 12 years, mainly as a student of John F. Murray, plus I've taken a few courses with Marvin Mattelson. I guess I'd call myself a professional portrait painter, because I'm hanging out my shingle as one starting this year.

I'm beginning as "full-time" because, up until last December, I was working full-time as a systems analyst in a large brokerage house. Don't let the IT/brokerage industry put you off: throughout all those banks of cubicles can be found many aspiring artists, playrights, musicians, etc. for whom computing and finance is a day job. Add to them the employees - and management - who love the arts. I'm currently working on a painting of my former boss's teenage daughter. If I do right by her, she will be the jewel of my portfolio.

The events of last September caused me to have an epiphany of sorts. My workplace was two blocks from the World Trade Center. I was preparing eventually to "retire early-ish" and pursue painting full-time but the chance to get laid off *now* proved irresistable. After all, the indefinite future might never occur.

So, here I am, attempting to make a go of portrait painting as a career and viable business. Wish me luck and success!

I'm attaching (hopefully) a picture of me, plus a picture of what I think is my best painting so far.

Catherine Muhly · 09-18-2002, 06:26 PM

Here's a picture of me.

Catherine Muhly · 09-18-2002, 06:29 PM

Here's my best painting so far.

Cynthia Daniel · 09-18-2002, 06:50 PM

Hi Catherine,

I thought your name sounded familiar and now I know why. You won a Certificate of Merit at the 2000 ASOPA Portrait Competition. A belated congratulations and welcome to the Forum.

Alicia Kornick · 09-18-2002, 10:43 PM

Welcome, Catherine.

Beautiful work. What is the size of the piece? Are these your parents? Glad to have you in the Forum.

Patt Legg · 09-22-2002, 12:32 PM

Welcome Catherine,

I knew also that I had seen your name before. Wow, too, at your entire portfolio on your site. You obviously have been painting and not only doing the day job with the brokerage house. Absolutely wonderful work.

You also have that great light or glow that I see in so many artists' work. Do you mind if I ask whether you tone your canvas prior to painting and with what? In your painting that you just showed us, it seems to have a greenish tone to it. I like it very much. Is that so or does it just read that way here?

Again, welcome and hope to share the Forum with you often.

Catherine Muhly · 09-22-2002, 11:16 PM

Hi, Patt!

I do notice a teensy whiff of green in the greyed-down areas in the face (on this post). Happily, I have the original painting, and I see that the greenish cast that's on the .jpg file is more pronounced than on the painting or the c-print; I often put a bit of yellow (cadmium, naples or sienna or ochre) to warm the grey up a bit. In the background, I glazed a bit of a darker value of the green turtleneck top onto the background, which was predominantly burnt sienna. I didn't want the green top to stick out and compete with the heads.

I usually tone my canvases with a thin wash of raw umber (7th value), just to remove the glare of the white. Occasionally I try a yellow ochre wash on the canvas. After that, I tend to paint in a color underpainting which is lighter than what the lay-in and subsequent layers turn out to be. In some parts of the painting, I let the underpainting show through (as in the reflected lights under the chin, etc.).

I was able to look at my website on a number of friends' computers, and I had additional friends critique my website. There is a lot of variation between video cards, monitors and platforms and browsers. In one version of my website, I used a solid forest green background which varied from totally black to pool-table green on all the computers I got to test it out on. One could spend a lot of time twiddling with a web page. I sure did!

Hi Alicia!

In answer to your questions, the painting is 24" X 32" and the sitters are not my parents: Fran S. has been a class-mate of mine in John Murray and Marvin Mattelson's classes for quite a number of years, and just today we enjoyed a lovely brunch! She's done a nice portrait of me that's hanging in her apartment.

Thanks to all for your encouragement; this Forum has been engaging, helpful and inspiring. Best to you all!

Denise Racine · 09-22-2002, 11:39 PM

What a beautiful painting! You say it's your best but you have quite a few nice one on your site! Glad you are with us!

Linda Ciallelo · 09-30-2002, 10:45 AM

What an excellent portrait! Welcome. I read with great interest your description of color use in this painting. This is just beautiful!

I particularly like the texture of your paint. You seem to be applying it quite thinly. I like that. I wonder if you could tell us what medium you are using? I also would be very interested in the colors specifically. For instance, what color do you use for your underpainting? Burnt Sienna perhaps? Are you glazing, and if so with what medium? I would be very happy if I could get my paint to look like that.