Sketches on Paper

I want to be able to be doing many quick studies while I'm getting into my new subject matter, so I've been gessoing sheets of brown paper- the type you wrap packages with, which is an incredibly cheap way to have lots of paper to work on. Of course it's not very sturdy stuff, but it works great for studies.

So far, I've photographed just myself so I can get started and start seeing where I want to go with this idea that I'm working with. I went out on a nice hot day and ran a couple miles and then had someone photograph me once I was good and tired. It takes a little getting used to to be photographed honestly when not necessarily at your best.


Anyway, some of the expressions I think are really interesting and I can't wait to get some more women's faces to work with which is my next step- having some photo shoots with women.

Puffin Foundation and Perceptions

Some exciting news since my last post: I received a grant from the Puffin Foundation!

This is the first grant I've received and it is so wonderful to have my work funded and to be able to go and buy materials. This is especially needed since I'm getting back into oil paint. I'm taking some time to familiarize myself with it once again since it's been a while since I've really painted with it.

I've been doing a lot of quick studies, also portraits, to get used to the paint and to start to play around with the subject matter. My next series which I received the grant for includes three specific portrait groupings. The first that I am starting to play around with involves women's faces after exercising. Women working hard, straining, sweaty, flushed faces and running make-up- I'm thinking about how this reflects how women push themselves for their physical appearance and/or health. It's a view of women not typically represented (think of the pictures you've seen of women working out, usually in advertisements or magazines- they are smiling and fully made up, usually looking beautiful and at ease). I've been interested in seeing what it would look like to portray women how they really look while working out- I think the expressions could be really interesting to work with.

I also just received my contributor copy of Perceptions- a Journal for the Arts from Mt. Hood Community College. I was not expecting such a high quality publication. It's a beautiful publication including fiction, poetry, visual art and a DVD of film and additional images and a CD of music. My piece "You think I'm Joking?" was included in the printed journal and "Swipe" was included on one of the discs including the film pieces and a slideshow of additional images.