10/14 - Works in Progress

Since my mood has lightened, I'm able to get back to work on painting(s). I've started a new 2 canvas piece, a semi portrait of my friend Kathy - there is no title yet. Although I don't have contextual intent, I've already painted it in my head so it'll be fairly easy to execute.

Kathy was kind enough to let me photograph here late ne night, around midnight, in a Times Square coffee shop on Sept 30th - the LIRR had been hit by lightening and we were stranded in Manhattan http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/29/l-i-r-r-knocked-out-by-lightning-strike/ . She was EXHAUSTED but chose to be a really good sport in a terrible situation. Her hair and the shadows are what got my attention.

Acrylic, spray paint and fabric paints on 2 - 3' x 5' canvas'

Poor Kathy didn't get home to Long Island till 3 am -the photo, the look.

I don't have clear contextual intent (no underlying theme) - contextual content is important to have and, although sometimes  I do start with some theme or quote or word or idea but not always. Sometimes the intent of the work comes to me midway thru - intent can come to me in a flash and always at the right time so I don't worry about having a theme right away - first I set up the painting puzzle, then I start to solve the painting puzzle, tin the need I take on refining technique and content. Somewhere in the painting puzzle stages is typically where contextual content....is revealed (....?). 

I knew before I started, but after I'd painted the work in my head, what the feeling and contextual intent would be in "Dysfunctional objects" - I heard the phrase "dysfunctional objects" during an interview on NPR and pop! the idea instantly flashed in my head. I started the canvas back in Sept but, for a variety of reasons, I haven't even looked at it again in a while - BUT because the painting came to me so instantly the project has been easy to paint in my head and will be easy peasy to execute:

The start - acrylic, spary paint and marker

 

Oil on acrylic added to the base.

The hair is black acrylic and spray paint with a mixed grey but I've gone back in with Gamblin's Torrit Grey - a special tube of oil made from a collection of left over paint dusts - the company puts out a Torrit grey annually. And depending on the dusts the color grey varies from year to year. As example, it' can be green grey or blue grey or a blackish grey.
http://www.gamblincolors.com/torrit.grey/index.html

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