Manipulation

Here is what my dining table currently looks like. I've got sketches and paintings and ideas scattered about. I'm constantly thinking and planning and manipulating materials. I've been thinking how cool it would be if I could offer PHOTOGRAPHS and PAINTINGS. A few of my friends have let me use some of their photos to practice with and build up a bit of a portfolio.

April and Randall

While these are very rough, I think the talent for capturing a mood and a feeling and a face is there. And yet, I have the art of manipulating it the way that I want...playing with colors and lines and shadows in a way that I can't when an image is caught only on camera

Stephanie and Kurt

I've thought a lot about manipulation lately. It happens a lot. It happens with everyone and I've had a bit of it this week with someone I barely know, a man, who is trying to get me to date him. He is SO obvious in his manipulation...the compliments, the guilt trips, the slight phrases that are said to get a certain response. I keep wondering if the world of dating is rooted, somehow, in subtle manipulations? I only had a few interactions with him, but does he not see how transparent he is? 

Stina and Theo

Are you the type who can see clearly when someone is trying to manipulate you into a certain reaction or mood or belief? Do we manipulate ourselves? Can manipulation ever be a good thing? What is at the heart of it?

Spring Break Day 1

I am officially on Spring Break! I have been planning this for awhile. My original plan was to go and bum around New York with Michelle for the week. But as times are hard, I've been trying to cut back and save everything for rainy days and Paris...or rainy days in Paris. 

What to do with my free time? Read and paint, read and paint. That's my plan...A painting a day. Yesterday, I got those two out. I love them and I walked right into this fancy schmancy restaurant and said, "Hey, you have an open wall right there and I have just the paintings to fill it." And I showed them and now the paintings are up and out in the public. Kinda cool.

I painted the above painting today. Well, I started it late last night and finished it this evening. It's actually quite large and inspired from a photograph I took two years ago of one of my favorite couples. Since I have no romance in my life at present, painting "love" seems to be perfect food to feed and fill my romantic needs.
I liked it so much (it's quite large, about 16x20) that I put it up over my favorite antique (a dresser I've had since my birth...though it dates back much farther.) What do you think?
This one is smaller, but of the same couple. It's a 10 x12 with gouche (just black and ash blue). I love the comic book feel of it and the way her face turned out. Very sexy.

Streaks of Skin

Make sure to keep your eye on the painting blog over the next week, there will be a series of paintings posted all about slipping into your skin. Hallelujah!!