Family Time

This is a series of portraits I did in 2012 of a very handsome local family, which I realize I had not posted back then. The small paintings were 6x6 in size and the larger was 9x12. The portraits were all done based on photography - I had only met 2 of the people (and the dog ;-). The client provided a plethora of photos yet not all were of the best quality, nor were they all of the specific pose we were after. It is really difficult to create a face from elements in different photos -- especially if you've not met the person. I wouldn't advise it. In fact, if I was to do this over again, I would request a sitting with each person and factor the sittings into the price of the portrait. 

I do enjoy the finished quality of the paintings with the juicy loose brush strokes. I had just come back from a workshop by Dreama Tolle Perry and studied her bright use of color and transparent paints. Her influence is very evident in these paintings. 

He had a lively personality from the photos "Lassez-Fair" 6x6 oil on board, ©Laura Gable

The youngest son, 6x6 oil on board, ©Laura Gable

The son who was in the military, 6x6 oil on board, ©Laura Gable

The daughter, 6x6 oil on board, ©Laura Gable

"Piercing" The same daughter (in a different pose), 6x6 oil on board, ©Laura Gable

The fun loving and very driven parents, and a sweet old labrador (SAM?), 9x12 oil on board, ©Laura Gable

Cloud Scape

"Cloud Scape" 8x10 oil on board, ©Laura Gable

Painting clouds can be challenging as there are no hard edges. This is an attempt doing so from a photo of a distant horizon and the earth curving away above. I'm not sure I've captured the curving away of the sky, as this was very vast. I do like the feel of it though, and the bits of orange that crept in on the left side of the lower sky.

Today's awareness: I have this wanting to create scenes from memory, yet I find I do much better if I have something to reference in front of me while I paint. Seems like a simple awareness, but it is powerful none-the-less.

Golden Canopy at Zintel Canyon

"Golden Canopy at Zintel Canyon" 11x14 oil on board, ©Laura Gable

An autumn day's sojourn into the thickets and pathways of Kennewick's Zintel Canyon, had me stop awhile before this majestic tree. Painting in the Fall is so enjoyable, with it's mixture of wetness and heat, and the various odors marking evidence of the underbrush's nubile composting process. The occasional rustling and clatters from large golden leaves falling behind me, keeps my awareness sharp as I stand intently painting off the path.

Though painted in the fall, I did do some touch up today to unify things and work out the shadows on the troublesome dirt of the pathway. Today's goal was to work with golds and yellows in a lyrical fashion. Also while working, an awareness came to me about the necessity the artist has to design the scene on canvas -- to alter nature if necessary to make a more pleasing story in paint. This I believe will be a life-long pursuit.

Sage Land (sold)

This day's goal was to wallow in the oil paints and use a limited palette-- using only the paints I have here at home. Well it worked for awhile until I realized that the last dregs of white were not nearly enough. Landscapes need a lot of white!! I do love the blues I was using here -- cobalt teal and another softer King's blue from Rembrandt that my niece recommended. Anyway this one is based on our land here in the shrub-steppe region of eastern Washington. Oh and it was painted from a photograph taken earlier in the first wisps of the Autumn season. I like the composition and may consider it for a larger painting later.

"Sage Land" 5x7 oil on canvas, ©Laura Gable

Icy River Sketch

Iced River--Columbia River @ the Richland Y.
I loved the melodious movement of the young branches.

The day sunny and the temps warmer than usual, though still not warm enough for this fair-weather artist to paint on an icy Columbia River shoreline near the Richland Y. I always sketch before painting anyway - gives me a better opportunity to work out composition. As you can see by the boxes inside the sketch, the image kept growing and went from vertical to horizontal format. It's a great view of Rattlesnake Mountain, all lavender and shadowed, peeking above the horizon line while the low water in the foreground was still frozen over. The breeze off the icy surface chilled my fingers in fingerless gloves, and I knew my easel would likely rock about so I'm saving painting for another day. 

My day's goal was to "be in the landscape" and so for about 30 minutes, I was. I did paint in the studio afterwards for a bit too. Will post that painting at a later date.