Painting My Friends

Me painting at Paul Emory's farm October 2011.

I scanned two paintings that I did last October during a yearly party at Paul Emory's farm in Zanesville, OH. I'm not sure how many years this paintout/chance to buy a painting/chance to eat fabulous food party has been going on, but it seems to grow a little bigger each year. Not only is the party for artists, it's for collectors, animals and kids as well - and I always see lots of my family of artists and friends at this party!

My first painting of the day was a 'landscape with goat'. I titled the painting "Ruby's Goat". The goat didn't belong to Ruby. It was brought in as fodder for paintings. But Ruby liked it, and she wasn't happy when Dad tied it to the very tree to use as a model, the very same tree that I'd painted the year before - entitled "Ruby's Tree". I haven't bothered to take a photo of that painting because I wasn't totally happy with the painting which seemed to be all tan-ish.

After working on "Ruby's Goat" for a an hour or so, artist Sharon Visintine and her husband, John, stopped by my easel to say hello. John was all decked out for fall, and wearing his wonderful Scottish cap topped with red pom-pom.

Red in sunlight, it gets me everytime!

So, I asked John if he'd pose for me.
To my delight, he said, "yes."

My husband, Martin on the left, my model on the right, and my painting on my easel in the front.

"John" 6" x 6" Oil on Archival Canvas Panel by Utrecht
Copyright 2011 Debra Joyce Dawson

Here is the result of the sitting. I massed the shadows and darks first, and was really glad that I did, since the light came and went on John's face due to the clouds above. I had such a good time painting this wonderful man of Scottish decent. I searched for masses and colors, and feel it would have been a stronger painting if the light had stayed steady, but the shear joy of painting had a hold on me, and we won't talk about the red wine.

"Frank" 6" x 6" Oil on Archival Canvas Panel by Utrecht
Copyright 2011 Debra Joyce Dawson

I just couldn't get enough of painting now that I had models. Frank Dean was there at the right time, and I asked him if he'd pose. And he said, "yes." What a delight to be able to paint Frank's celtic ruddy-red complexion, his red hair, and creamy-colored beard!

And here is part of the 'critique while she's painting group'. Reading left to right, artist Rick Akers, Dave Terry's wife, Frank Dean, artist Edie Dean, and artist Dave Terry. Paul Emory is missing from the photo. Dave and Paul were having a field day watching me and making comments on each and every stroke of the paintings. WOW! What a way to paint. They were positive, animated, asking questions, and seemed to really enjoy watching me paint these guys.

When it was done, I just wanted another model.

By the way, I just couldn't get photos of these paintings without glare, so they sat on my counter top since last October. Then one day, I decided to try and scan them. These scanned images have no glare and turned out better than I expected!