Are you a VIP? - In The Green Room

So far this year I have painted 15 large format palette knives, from life sitters,  in two 3 hour sittings. They have challenged me, turned my art brain inside-out as I am so used to painting in the way I paint, sight-size usually. I have felt some art fear, some art embarrassment but something kept me going. Explore, explore. 

I thank Julia for this latest sitting and LuksMarbella for this wall. 

I chose a harmony of cool greens for this one going from an olive-yellow green to a phalo green with a verona green mixed in too. Oh, yes and Gamblin's radiant green.

I gave myself a year to explore in my Wednesday Saddlerock Painters' Group that I host at my studio. Now I have to decide if I shall continue the experimentation thru next year?

In The Green Room - VIP
By Johanna Spinks
36 x 36"
Via Palette Knife

Green eyes?

Smooch

Opening Reception - The Face of Malibu

Come See If You Recognize The Faces?

Full details here: http://malibuartsandculture.org/268/Face-of-Malibu

“This great project helps residents get to know the people in their community better,” said Mayor Skylar Peak. “For all of us who have seen the portraits in the newspaper for years, it’s really exciting to be able to see all of the original paintings hanging in Malibu City Hall.”

"The Face of Malibu by Johanna Spinks" features a slice of this famous beach town with sixty sitters painted from life over the last four years in a single sitting of two hours each, no photos or money exchanging hands. An interactive community art project, each portrait sketch and the sitter's' life story, were featured monthly in The Malibu Times, most interviews by writer Homaira Shifa.

The portrait show runs until January 12, 2018. The series is ongoing.

"The Face of Malibu" follows on from the "The Face of Ventura By Johanna Spinks" with The Ventura Breeze newspaper, that series of 58 life sketches, including movie star Kevin Costner, now in the permanent collection of the Museum of Ventura. Spinks is also working on "The Face of Charleston" with The Charleston Mercury newspaper.

From the proverbial butcher, the baker, and candlestick maker, to police chiefs, mayors and our very own California State Senator Henry Stern, come see if you recognize some of the faces? A part of old Malibu, rapidly disappearing, has also been captured in this series through its' citizens sketches and their published tales of Malibu old. Three of the sitters were close to 100 years old.

This show is in conjunction with The Malibu Times and is sponsored by The Malibu Cultural Arts Commission.

This is an open reception and refreshments will be served.

Other more"' finished" portraits by Spinks will also be on display.
www.johannaspinks.com

Painting a Public Demo Life Sketch - Step By Step

Honored to be invited by Les Boudoirs Boutique, a luxury lingerie store in California, to do a Mother's Day strawberries and champagne event, doing a painting demo of the lovely Amina in a gorgeous corset.

Some good friends in the audience took some step-by-step pictures which I thought I would share to show my demo process. So here they are!

Thank you to Les Boudoirs Boutique, my lovely model Amina, and all who attended.

http://lesboudoirs.com

"Les Boudoirs to Degas"
SOLD
18x24"
By Johanna Spinks

It always feels good at the end.

The Pose: Who can go wrong painting the beautiful Amina in a lovely Les Boudoirs corset?

The start. Quick charcoal lines to loosen up on a toned board just like Degas and Lautrec used. 

Gestural drawing to capture the movement of the figure. Trying to say a loose as string.

Off to paint we go, blocking in light and dark side of forms. Thinking solid forms!

Working up the elements, knowing  I have things pretty much in place now, and the corset will be icing on the cake. Much easier to paint for me than the body and face. I know at this point the demo is going to be fine.

Blocking in features of face, keeping them loose and pushed back. One can't paint a fully developed  portrait and a figure in just three hours. Something has to give. In this case, the face is kept loose and sketchy through to the end. 

Close-up: Oh, what fun. I added some new drawing lines in to complete the sketchy feel. 

WANTED!

WANTED! The best red head in town. If you approach her, this songstress/muse is heavily armed with talent and dangerous to all life painters who tackle her. Do you know her? Life sitting this week - via my palette knife.

"Best Red-Head In Town- Mather"
16x12"
By Johanna Spinks
Palette knife
www.johannaspinks.com

Under The Microscope?

Dr. Donna Nofziger Plank
Scientist.
Face of Malibu Sitter Number 34
Kindly featured in The Malibu Times
Story here




Under the microscope? You bet! Painting scientist extraordinaire Dr. Donna Nofziger Plank in a single life sitting, two hours,  for my Face of Malibu portrait project with The Malibu Times. Sitter number 34. Thank you both. 

I'm Talking At The Museum!

I am honored to be invited by the Museum of Ventura County to do an 'artist's talk' this Saturday, April 26th,   at 1 p.m.

Join me?

My 'Face of Ventura' project is on exhibit at the MVC until May 18th. The talk will take place near the sketches which are now in the permanent collection of MVC.

http://venturamuseum.org/current-exhibitions-3/mvc-current-exhibitions/

The Face of Ventura By Johanna Spinks
58 portrait sketches all painted from life in a single sitting. No photos used.
Each sitter was featured in The Ventura Breeze and on The Lyn Fairly and Friends Radio Show over a two year period.

The Face of Malibu, Sitter #17

NFS

Thanks to Malibu horse whisperer Talley Hutcherson for sitting for my Face of Malibu portrait series appearing in this week's Malibu Times. Single life sitting.

Read her life story here:
malibutimes

Picture Hat Perfect - Malibu Art Association Demo

Show stopper! Lovely sitter. Picture hat perfect. Thanks to everyone who showed up last night for my one and a half hour demo for The Malibu Art Association.

SOLD

My New Face of Malibu, Christine Hameline

Another portrait, another life story. 
NFS
My newest "Face of Malibu" sitter, Christine Hameline, featured in today's Malibu Times.
 Single two hour life sitting. No photos.
16" x !6"


Christine is the new president of The Malibu Chamber of Commerce and a top realtor in town. The sitting was a breeze. We talked so much I hardly realized I was painting. I love it when it flows like that. Read more about Christine's life story here:here

Face of Malibu, Brad Pitt?

 Ms. Marie Stapel
NFS
Face of Malibu by Johanna Spinks
Single life sitting - two hours

Thanks to The Malibu Times for continuing to highlight my Face of Malibu portrait series featuring local residents who make up this uniquely famous beach town. I am trying to focus on people who might be somewhat less obvious than the Mel Gibsons and Brad Pitts who have put this town on the map, although if Brad calls, I will definitely paint him and  you'll be the first to know.

This month's sitter is Marie Stapel, twice president of The Malibu Art Association and all-round lovely lady. Now in her golden years, she continues to surf on boogie boards even.

Read more about her life story here:
malibuhere

The Face of Malibu By Johanna Spinks

The Face of Malibu By Johanna Spinks, Dr Bill Swarout, featured in this week's Malibu Times
NFS

I remain honored that The Malibu Times is featuring my Face of Malibu portrait series. This series is hot on the heels of my Face of Ventura project, now in the permanent collection of the Museum of Ventura County.

Here is the latest sitter Dr. Bill Swartout, painted from life in a single sitting. He has an interesting story. Read by clicking here

Turned out to be quite a colorful sketch. A camera crew was behind me. That may explain why.

I seem to be in a very colorful mode right now.

Another Head Sketch Clunker...

Another head sketch clunker from life that failed to do it for me.

I am referring to the bottom one.  I must have a room full of ravishing rejects now which is hard when you are trying to sell your house and clear out the studio decks which I did last week prompted by a new studio move.

I was left dissatisfied after an open house painting session at LAAFA yesterday. I didn't hate what I did but I thought I could have said it better and maybe in a more 'artful' way. So today, I did another sketch from yesterday's one, trying to work out my "issues" and spare the $$$ on an art therapist. And I liked how it came out. I like a more muted look in my paintings these days and am striving for that in my life-painting. But sometimes, too much OOOMPH and SIZZLE comes out of me.

I find this re-sketching  from a life study to be quite a cathartic learning experience actually. To really look at something I have just done, paint it again on a separate canvas, and work out what you feel you could have done better. What was it that you missed? What to take to the next...

The top is today's version, 9 x12. The bottom, yesterday's, 18 x 24, about three hours with plenty of breaks and, dare I say, interruptions. It was an open house and as a teacher at the school I expected that. But I know I didn't get into the art zone at all. Today I did.

Does anyone have any good ideas for all these reject head sketches that are taking over my house and studio? 

I am starting to put the ones I really like for sale on Ebay. Visit here:

cgi.ebay.com/Family-Jewel-Fine-Art-Oil-Painting-by-Johanna-Spinks_W0QQitemZ200357755464QQcmdZViewItemQQptZArt_Paintings?hash=item2ea640ba48&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1205%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

This one is called "Family Jewel"...

11 x 14, oil on linen.

SARA STREETER - A DECADE SWEETER!

There isn't an artist around the L.A. scene over the last 10 years who hasn't painted the enigmatic art model Sara Streeter.   People drool for her. The TV show "Nip and Tuck" used her for a huge billboard on Sunset Blvd. for goodness sakes. 

It is hard to put your finger on her really. For one thing she is as thin as a pin. Transparent skin. Balletic body and a mysterious face that is beautiful in a not obvious way, more European than cookie cutter L.A. She is reserved, clearly intelligent and super professional arriving with the most amazing outfits usually.

I hate models that have been doing the art circuit for a while and they get that haughty BORED look. That look that says "I rather be at Taco Bell eating a bean burrito right now than modeling for you."

Sara is interested in what she does still.

 She also hasn't aged a day in the years I have been painting her which annoys me because I certainly have - just by the sheer volumes of squinty frowns it has taken over a decade trying to capture her magic on canvas. NOT.

So, there she was modeling for my teaching class at LAAFA last week and again this Sunday at the school's open  house, doing what she does best in her most muse-ful way. The demo I did in my class I really rather liked. I never like my paintings of Sara. I just never quite 'capture' her it seems. Looking around, a lot of people seem to have this problem. Her likeness isn't easy to come by, her elusiveness perhaps her endless appeal like the art muses that went before.

It got me thinking. I went back into my studio cupboard and pulled out a few STUDIES I have done of her, all painted from life, over the last decade. The good, the bad and the ugly. My fault, not hers. What makes something work for an artist, and what doesn't? Why do I like some studies and not others? Why do I paint really well sometimes, and then like a Dunkin' Donut others? No offense to them.

I place these studies  in the order I think I did them, the top one being the most recent. A few are really heinous but they do provide a little retrospective of my artist view of her as I tried on new techniques and kept on trying. That is why I tell everyone, KEEP your early sketches from life. I have kept all of mine. They are a hilarious hoot, the early ones,  and a sight for sore eyes. I had no idea I was that bad at the time.

Funny thing is, the very first one I did of Sara I REALLY like (last one in row). I don't paint like that anymore but it is a strong head and most certainly HER.  Almost jarring in its 'in your face-ness". 

Then you take all these lessons, read all these books and too much "thinking" takes over. Paralysis by Analysis.  I think I am finally getting back to painting without thinking so much. I am also painting in a less literal way. I don't want to paint exactly what I see anymore. 

Now if I could just stop the ageing process I would really be onto something.

(All images - single sitting)

Take The Time...

I haven't posted in a while, not because I didn't want to, I just have so darn busy meeting the demands of deadlines necessary in my painting work life. My life whizzing by in a crazy way. Which leads me to my painful point.

Suddenly, in the middle of all this art/professional mayhem, a lot of it amazing, governing your time and then some, heck, your priority, shows, great commissions,  new teaching posts, etc...your breath is taken away by life making you catch your breath. And making you stand drop dead still. And think. And cry. And deeply regret.

In the space of a month, two people, both husbands of  good friends who were so much part of our earlier lives with young/teenage families, Halloween, birthday, holiday parties, trips away, carpool etc..., quite frankly all the things we did at the that time to raise our kids the best way we knew how, suddenly died in very difficult tragic circumstances.  I found myself painting very sad and shaken. 

Most of all sad that I had let painting overtake that phone call I should have made so many times. Sad that suddenly good old friend times had given way to just working, achieving. Painting in the obsessive compulsive way that I do it. I regret this. 

I feel disappointed in myself that I let friends go...and then they are gone forever. You can never pick up the phone again. You are left at their memorials. Feeling dreadful. As an artist, we work, work, work. In a solitary way.  I have at times felt myself becoming reclusive and thinking, accepting, this was OK., too tired at the end of the day to reach out to my immediate family yet alone anyone else. My art life more important than keeping ties. 

Sadly not OK.

So, in the midst of this, I found myself taking the time to finally paint something I had always wanted to paint but somehow never found the time to do it. My eldest daughter, now 22, and a delight in every way.

This photo of her had stared at me EVERY morning when I woke up. I had thought for years, I needed to paint that. Yes, it is cutesy. But that I should really do it. Not for gain. Just because...

Well, I woke up in the middle of all this yuk stuff, in the middle of intense deadlines, and just did it in five hours. Because I kinda had to.

I like it. My agency hates it. 

But that's fine. If I keel over tomorrow which is highly possible, at least I did something that I knew needed to be painted. It will be in our family forever as a moment in time that mom bothered to paint finally.

Most of all my daughter likes it....and that is the best. 

I will be taking the time from now on to make that phone call. 

Student of the week! Terrible idea.

I had this idea, which I thought was good at the time to get people to this blog and also maybe provide a learning lesson, to choose a 'student of the week' painting "study" from either my still life or portrait class. 

With the benefit of hindsight, this was not a good idea at all. First of all, there were many good paintings in the class for different reasons at varying levels of his or her art journey.  Secondly, as a teacher, the moment I announced this idea to the class, I felt awkward not wanting to pit people against each other, or themselves, in a learning environment.

 I sheepishly got my camera in from my car and felt immediate regret. Uncomfortable actually. For one thing, I had missed someone who left early and dropped her painting on the way out. That would have been a good SOTW candidate. For another, a favorite former student returned to my class, and I kind of wanted to giver her SOTW because I was so darn happy to see her. Then there was the guy who I adore, a very intelligent former surgeon, who had been painting on fire the whole day. Then there was the student who bombed in the morning and pulled it off in the afternoon. Definite SOTW material. That is the hardest thing to recover like that and not leave in tears. I know! Then there was the student who brings in fabulous baked goods made by her daughter each week. And she works hard, following my instruction to the tee. Another perfect SOTW! And then there is my oldest student (with me from very early teaching) who deserves SOTW for not only improving in leaps and bounds, but also for putting up with me and the same old jokes/lines.

Lines can get crossed and choices!

 No matter how much I hate to admit it, and dislike myself for it,  I have been in workshops where my competitive antennae is up. Who is doing the best job?  Who is going to get the teacher's gold star? And trust me, I have been at both ends of that spectrum. Doing absolutely great (not for long usually) and absolutely terrible (for much longer) . Terrible, far too recently  in fact that it still hurts. 

For workshops I prepare. Practice my drawing harder a few weeks before. Then you just have to trust and leave your ego at the door knowing that you can still have a very "off" day and not show the teacher what you wanted to. It is just the way it is. Just follow the teacher like a pet poodle. Watch, watch, watch and you will learn. 

But I have decided in my own teaching class, naming a student of the week is counterproductive to the type of teacher I want to be. We are lucky to spend the day together, us teacher and students.  I am reminded of this every time I drive to my studio in downtown Oxnard through the farming fields observing people doing back-breaking picking work, rain or hot shine. How lucky and privileged are we? Let's just get together for the learning experience and forget about the rest. Ok?