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Thursday, March 18, 2010

Pass The Envelope Please..365 Days of Drawing...



Posting early...need to arrive at studio, dawn. Deadline. Shipping in timely fashion required , not wet. Swish unveiling to attend East Coast. Early April. Sitter present. My roots need to be done. Need to lose five pounds. PRESSURE.

Teaching at this point is REALLY getting in the way of the above.

That said, I seem to fall hopelessly in love these days with a certain type of face I meet, and a certain type of "energy", so impossibly in love that I can't help myself.

Took a risk today in my PRIVATE teaching class. Invited someone to sit for me , a very modern gal, who was so exciting visually. She is so contemporary, I really didn't know if she would even show up. Her cutting-edge jet-black haircut, and that bold swag of red color within it like an oddly placed postage stamp, said as much.

Professional models do what they do. And I applaud them for that sincerely. Safety and security for all. Teacher and student. All arrive on time for the most part. Paint/sit for the required 15 minute segments. All hold a pose, in ways that are expected of both student and model. Don't bother either parts on their break. Student goes for awful art school treacle coffee, model goes for alfalfa/tuna/bean salad. Hunky Dory. This art dance has been going on for centuries. Rembrandt's students drank the same coffee on breaks I am sure. Not sure the models ate tuna tho'.

However...people from regular life sit for you very differently....VERY.

They don't necessarily understand arriving on time. They sit FAR longer than the standard 15 minute break very happily, excited by the process because unlike professional models , they haven't been painted before. They don't eat on breaks. They are a bit nervous perhaps.

On top of that, the teacher/painter finds herself far more nurturing. This exquisite soul has bared herself to be painted by you. She is not used to this. Not always so comfortable. Just got out of bed, maybe. Teacher shares the coffee from her cup knowing sitter arrived without. Teacher does whatever she can to make this person who has deigned to sit for her and strange class, feel comfortable.

TEACHER REALLY WANTS TO paint this beauty and share that excitement with the students. Students gain from seeing that excitement. Errr...maybe. But that is the hope.

TEACHER RETURNS TO STUDIO exhausted. Too tired to resume painting on aforementioned important commission. She thinks booked "model" eating on each 15 minute break maybe break less tiring.

Seriously tho', this day was worth it.

I pushed my envelope.

Open Your Art Envelop today. Push it in every way.


PS...the DRAWING block-in I photo'd for this demo, got accidently deleted. Sorry. Trust me the drawing was there and I have witnesses.

SOLD




4 comments:

Roseanne said...

Love it! You do the most beautiful mouths!!

Johanna Spinks said...

Hey Rosie. Not bragging but I remember when I did makeup for Teen Maganzine, I was told that I was THE mouth girl by the fashion editor.

I think I have taken a lot of that makeup stuff into my painting world.

But YOU are the makeup whizz..STILL>>>>>A gift in your brushes. And so kind to help me, early days.

Anonymous said...

Johanna...thanks for sharing...great write up and of course portrait is fab. Have a great weekend!

Marian Fortunati said...

You always make me smile.. Johanna!