Awhile back I posted a quick sketch of the Dead Mother and discussion about the subject ,link to post ; the following is a continuation upon the theme.
I’ve just finished it, I believe it is as far as I can or want to take it…for now.
The Dead Mother
oil on canvas
20 by 30 inches
Symbolically it is a self portrait, the middle aged man finally realizing the breast is dry; analysis thanks to my psychologist. Or it is just a really creepy painting, best forgotten.
Several months ago I posted my intention to begin a new painting The Temptation of St. Anthony of the Desert ; these few months later the painting is progressing well enough that I feel able to post an update. I have been working on it in between class assignments and several other smaller paintings.
It is a rather large painting, 36 by 48 inches. The image is a bit fuzzy as I’m having difficulty photographing the painting ; but as the painting is still unfinished a bit of fuzziness allows for progress. The sheet of paper, which I use to wipe off excess paint, hides the Abbot, he is of yet just a sketch.
Temptation of St. Anthony of the Desert
unfinished
oil on canvas 36 by 48 inches
As I have been noodling with the painting, I am as usual kept company by the pugs Rose and Viola. This image below explains my slow progress, Viola just demands a certain amount of attention, she is my greatest Temptation.
Viola, the vigilant studio assistant
I’m taking a break, my eyes grow weary with the tight work, I have a Dead Mother I am working on, a far looser painting; I will switch off after my dinner break. Viola is at this moment in the study with me, snoring away, delightful company as always.
I have for several months been working on a rather large painting in between my printmaking assignments. I am afraid it has been treated a bit like the ugly step-child.
As I am now on winter break I was eager to give the painting the attention I thought it deserved. My intention was to create a simpler, more direct narrative. Working on a larger painting was far less challenging than my previous paintings; having spent 2o some years painting murals I am far more comfortable with big. Small paintings leave me feeling cramped, perhaps that may explain the somewhat less successful earlier paintings. I do know that I hope to continue with at least 40 by 50 inch format in the future.
I have called the painting The Resurrection of the Father, please pardon the terrible quality of the image.
The Resurrection of the Father
oil on canvas
40 by 50 inches
The painting was inspired by my continuing fascination with the Popol Vuh narrative; in this instance when the Hero Twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque retrieve the remains of their sacrificed father Hun Hunahpu. Working with my well worn maquettes I created a simpler composition than I have in the past.
I did not fashion my Maize God as I have before, instead I took my inspiration from an early fertility figure found in the Columbia River region of western Oregon. I stumbled upon this treasure when David and I visited Portland Art Museum last summer, we were both enchanted by the priapic fellow. As we are planning to move to Portland in 2014 or so, he seemed a suitable totem for our mutual aspirations.
I am now in the throes of another painting , readying for an interview with an art school in Portland and of course the upcoming Spring semester. I am also trying to enjoy the final hours of 2012. Wishing all of my blogging chums a very happy 2013!
As 2012 nears to end I am tidying up the studio and finishing up what paintings I can. One such painting is this small oil (20 by20) that follows, The Widow Theseus.
It is a continuation upon a theme, that of the relationship between the monster and the hero, who is the victim, who is the victor.
The Widow Theseus
As I mentioned it is part of theme I have explored in previous posts (filed under Theseus and the Minotaur) and more recently in my printmaking class. I also dabbled a bit in the unfamiliar medium of pastel (and graphite). The following is the result, The Approach of Theseus, 12 by 18 inches on paper.
Printmaking has been an enjoyable challenge for me, not unlike clay work. I enjoy the process, have tended to dislike my results. I have made numerous prints of the Minotaur, few pass muster. The following, though far from perfect is approaching what I am after. Once again it is based upon a very loose sketch and once again I am relatively pleased with the translation.
The Broken Minotaur relief print on paper
This so far is what I have , will most likely continue upon this them throughout the new year.
Today is my birthday, a monumental one I suppose, a half century.
One year ago, on my last birthday, I put together a post when I was about to begin this painting. The painting was based upon the Perseus myth, but in a bit of gay revisionism, fair Andromeda was replaced by fair Andromedus. The post had many images of wonderful interpretations of the myth, far more wondrous than this daub, I recommend you check it out. But my point was exploring the theme from a personal perspective ; I didn’t think it a big deal. The theme has been mined before, exploring the grace of the female form is never without a bit of titilation; why not have a bit of fun by switching the gender.
Most readers of that post didn’t seem to have an issue but one reader did, and boy was he vocal. I foolishly tangled with him off-line and by conversation’s end was ready to throw away my palette. Suffice to say I did not, with the encouragement of many kind folks, most particularly Clive and Thom, I have plodded on, determined to find a means of expression.
Today the painting is essentially finished, always bits of glazing and tweaks here and there, but for now, finished.
The following is the image, but remember, it is my birthday so you must only say nice things.
Tomorrow, tell me what you really think.
Perseus and Andromedus oil on canvas 30 by 40 inches 2012
The following are details, like photos of puppies and nephews, it is difficult to determine how many images are necessary. Scroll down when boredom strikes.
the ephebe in distress
details of our hero
Perseus
and the villain
the sea dragon
and a birthday cupcake from my niece Grace, a virtual treat, she has a cupcake app! As if I didn’t already feel old.
from Gracie
So there you are, I will continue on my Primer, but I am rethinking the Greeks, time to visit Olympus once more.
My sister shipped this wonderful bust of Pallas Athena for my b’day, she will be perched high in my studio, hopefully the Grey Eyed Goddess will guide my brush strokes.
Back in March with a batch of “paper dolls” (my mother-in-law’s description of my maquettes) in front of me,I created a composition that I thought might be suitable for a painting. The painting ,to be part of a cycle devoted to the Mayan creation myth, the Popol vuh. Working from the above mentioned composition I set about creating some sketches; discovering I enjoyed certain elements of each, I came up with what is now (for now) a final composition .
The scene depicts the moment in the Underworld Xibalba when the freshly sacrificed Maize God, Hun Hunahpu is placed upon a calabash tree (some interpretations mention the tree as the World Tree-the Axis Mundi). The orthodox depiction of the scene is one in which only his head is placed amongst the branches; as I have a difficult time resisting the full form, I took some liberties. Mayan scholars take heed.
With our hero dangling like strange fruit, the Xibalba princess Xquic searches out this forbidden treasure (sounds familiar?). The Maize God upon encountering the Princess spits into her hand (subtle romantic move on his part) and from this spittle the Hero Twins are miraculously conceived , one more virgin birth in the canon of world mythologies. It is this scene I depict, one where the infant Hero Twins float between their parents; soon the Princess will depart the gloom of the Underworld for the sunshine of the living earth. A new adventure will begin for all of the characters.
Fateful Encounter at the Axis Mundi 2012 oil on canvas 20″by30″
The following is a detail of the Maize God,
detail of Maize God
This is of the Hero Twins, my inspiration was the many early Renaissance depictions of the Annunciation in which the Christ Child is depicted as this wee little babe floating within a nimbus of light.
detail of the infant Hero Twins
And at last, the Princess ( with her demonic cousin Ralph).
detail of the Princess and cousin Ralph
With that I close, having attempted to depict an epic tale of wrathful demon-gods, a virtuous savior, a virgin birth and heroic infants on a rather limited 20 by 30 inch canvas.
I am now working on a primer, a primer of New Spain. The first letter of course being “A”, will be devoted to the Axis Mundi. So far it looks like it will be handsome.
I finished this painting last week. Certain elements of the painting are experimental, most specifically the use of canvas cutouts applied to the canvas. Inspired by Clive Hicks-Jenkins’ use of maquettes, I created figures and attached them to the canvas.
It was frankly a naive understanding of how to use Clive’s technique; I have since come to better understand the actual approach. I confess I would not suggest my version, it was a bit cumbersome, difficult to remedy errors.
But in the end I rather like the finished painting, a little macabre puppet theatre devoted to the Mayan Underworld.
Sacrifice and Redemption 2012 oil on canvas 40 by 30
In this admittedly theatric depiction we witness two acts. On the left the Maize God Hun Hunahpu is sacrificied by the treacherous Lords of Xibalba. The Maize God’s head is placed upon the proscenium, in the Popol vuh it is placed upon the upper branches the calabash tree.
On the right, the celestial ball payers, the Hero Twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque redeem their fathers honor.
The following are details of the Sacrifice and the Redemption. In the sacrifice, the snakes pouring out of the torso are a reference to the Mesoamerican tradition of portraying spilt blood as snakes.That really is a very clever idea, I can imagine streams of blood seeming as frightful as venomous snakes.
detail of the Sacrifice of the Maize God
detail of the Redemption of the Maize God by the Hero Twins.
The following is a detail of the Lords of Xibalba.
For now that is it. I am finishing up another painting from the Popol vuh series, plus one devoted to Perseus and Andromedus, yes a male Andromeda. In what my friend Clive refers to as gay revisionism I am claiming this much loved theme for my gay self.
This painting, Sacrifice and Redemption caused one of my professors concern in that it might offend Chicano machismo sensibilities. She felt I should reconsider the nudity. I cannot, I see almost all of my characters in the buff, through a quasi Classical perspective. I was taken aback by her suggestion, particularly as she holds a Phd in Renaissance art history. But there you go!
Take care, LG
I realized after making the post the head of the Maize God had become clipped, I confess I may very well be the worst photographer ever. I intend to remedy that by taking a class in the Autumn. Until that time, patience please.
I have just finished this oil sketch (18 by 24) of Philoctetes, post snake bite, post festering wound and most pitifully, post abandonment by his brothers in arms. There a several variations on how the snake came to bite the master archer, but what seems consistent is the fact that the stench from the wound proved too great an ordeal for his comrades to endure. In a startling act of betrayal, they abandon our hero on the island of Lemnos. Alone with a painful wound, Philoctetes’ rage festers.
It is this moment I chose to paint, one of impotent anger and resentment.
Philoctetes oil on cardboard 18×24
I painted this image on cardboard, a material I really enjoy painting on. The lushness of oil color on pedestrian cardboard really satisfies some aesthetic instinct. I love how the oil glides upon the surface, canvas no matter how fine, snags my brush. I love panels, but they are costly , with cardboard I can screw up with very little anxiety. I’m eager to try copper panels, as was the tradition during the Renaissance , but I know nothing about their preparation. Until that time, cardboard is readily available.
I was keen to keep this painting a simple sketch, I did not labor over a drawing in order to prepare. I am trying to be more free ( more brave?) and just lightly pencil my idea and begin the sketch. There are of course flaws, most particularly concerning anatomy, I do not have a model, save my own reflection. It is quite difficult to twist and turn and sketch away. I have tried snapping an image of myself, but all I come up with is some sort of sordid image in front of the mirror.
Hopeless really, I need a model, must work on that.
I love to put together extensive preparatory renderings but at time that becomes burdensome. I decided Philoctetes could survive the experiment, he has been through a great deal already, one more trial could hardly cause much harm.
Starting a painting is tough for me, I thoroughly enjoy the sketching, and thinking, planning and drafting; but actual brush to virgin canvas can send me into a tizzy. This new painting is not an exception. I vacillated between medium, initially favoring watercolor, going so far as to buy expensive paper. But now I lean towards oil.
I’m blocking out the painting in acrylic because I can cover a lot of ground with fast drying mediums. All well and good, but acrylic gives me a headache, it is sluggish in my hands, fighting me most of the way. The images that follow are just the germ of what I want this painting to be, but I am determined to post even if it isn’t where I want it to be at the moment.
For someone of my controlling temperament a big step.
I look forward to moving onto oil, but I have a lot of work to do before that; I probably will not bring out the linseed oil until next week.
First day of blocking in.
So there we are, looks a bit rough, quite rough. The Maize God needs to be blocked in , as do the infant Hero Twins. I haven’t even added the Underworld Princess. I need to sketch her out, will do that tonight.
But for now, with an aching back, I’m calling it quits.
detail from Temptation of Saint Anthony in the Desert
Boondocks Babylon 