Human on My Faithless Arm
 

Human on My Faithless Arm,
Oil on shaped birch panel, life size in scale, 1995

This is not a new painting. I painted this while feeling a little depressed during this period in my life. I wanted this self portrait to speak about that.

It was painted entirely from life, and much of the time in that horribly uncomfortable pose with a mirror, although interestingly, while dressed most of the time. At the time I first thought it was finished, there was clothing represented but it did not conceptually fit in well. At this point a studio neighbor stopped in to see what I was up to, and was the first to see it of anyone. His reaction was very emphatically presented to me that if this is to be a penetrating self portrait, why am I dressed at all? "Get rid of the clothes!" So I did, and it was done. Now, ten years later, I could never fit in this space!

Of course this portrait does not fit in any other section in this forum, so I thought I might try it here. It will be interesting to see what this new forum nude figurative section will become and I hope there are a number of fine submissions to come. It will be interesting to see what kind of feedback come out of this section which, I believe we can all grow from as portraitists. I welcome your comments and thoughts.

Garth

Garth, I'm delighted that the first post in this new section is a nude self portrait, and even more delighted that it's of you. :) Just trying to decide whether a flurry of nude artist self portraits is going to markedly increase the number of hits to this site or whether there will be a mass exodus.

Seriously, about this painting, I love the sense of being trapped and the gloomy brown colors enforce this feeling. How different it would have been if you'd used cads in the skintone. I love your facial expression and I keep turning my head on its side to look at your face straight-on, much as a person crouches down to talk to a child face to face.

What are the circular shapes above you?

Very nice to study! Faithless arm being your dominant, art arm? Very moody piece.

Garth - this is exceptional and thought-provoking. Great start to the new section!

Garth,

This design is amazing. I love this painting. What do you mean "shaped panel?" Do I see that you are pulling a string from one hand to the other?

Dear Linda and Patricia,

Thanks for being the first brave souls to comment! I can certainly relate with the feeling that this and a few more nude self-potraits may generate a mass exodus. :o But I hope not. Linda, It would be nice to see some of your original nudes posted. Please do!

The circular shapes are of an old piece of architectural salvage my wife found once: an ionic order capitol, I believe. It was intended as a device to represent a weighty burden on my back. Since you've expressed curiosity about what it is, I just took a snapshot of it sitting abandoned in the corner of my studio. Since this photo is not of a nude I hope it is okay to include for conversational purposes. The shape above that was a nicely painted Blue Hubbard squash, until I smeared brown paint all over it at the last moment! I see there is even a tiny dried gourd remaining atop the capitol in the photo below.

Some days I am still in this mood (Today perhaps? So much that needs to get done in so little time). Thanks again!

Garth

Dear Kimberly and Mike:

Thanks so much!

Kim this is that depressive old painting I alluded to in an early communication last year, which you asked me to share. Well finally, here it is. I hope you post some of your figuratives too.

Mike your observational ability is amazing! I forgot all about that string or what it may have ever represented. As for what I mean by a shaped panel, the painted pane is irregularly shaped in the upper left corner. This was deliberate, but I often got questioned about why I would ever ruin a perfect rectangle during past exhibitions of this piece. In fact this missed out on some prizes and awards simply because of that controversial shaped panel. This painted panel overlays another larger gilt panel that acts as its frame.

I appreciate your encouraging words,

Garth

I already wrote Garth and told him I love this, so here it is publicly. This piece reminds me of some of the work of Ronald Sherr.

Thanks!
 

Dear Cynthia,

Thanks for your kind support, and also for informing us about Ronald Sherr's paintings.

Garth

I see now. I thought it was painted directly onto the panel which surrounds. I thought the under panel might be undulating or convex.
Who could explain such thoughts -- one shape more perfect than another. As if it were a bolt misshaped for its nut ...

Garth,

What an exciting piece that is beautifully executed as well. I do love the frame. The shape and the design takes it out of the all too trite figurative concepts that are so prevalent today.

I am happy that this is the inaugural piece.

I was out for the morning and I could NOT BELIEVE all the nudes that flew out of the closet to greet me when I got home!

Powerful
 

Very powerful, Garth. I think I saw this (elsewhere) and it struck me hard with a convincing feeling of emotional burden. Is this piece to be considered part of your 'dark period' ;) ? Regardless of theme, it is well done. I am curious as to what (if anything) you are holding in your hands?

David

What's in my hands?
 

David, as Mike pointed out to me this morning, there seems to be a piece of string between my hands. The only thing is, I don't recall why. I don't think there is any profound reason for that; the string was probably just littering the floor, and picking it up perhaps seemed to add more mystery to the image. If you can come up with a better story, you are welcome!

Thanks for your compliments! Perhaps this is part of my early dark period........

Garth

mesmerizing
 

Garth,

I've been mesmerized by this painting ever since I saw it for the first time. Very powerful I must agree!

Maria

Believe!
 

Dear Sharon,

Thanks for your compliments, and for finally making me feel that irregular frame was justified!

It's my pleasure to help start things off here, but get ready for an onslaught from that stuffy closet. I expect there will be many more nudes running out and lining up ready to greet you.
:sunnysmil

Garth

Congratulations Maria!
 

Dear Maria,

I see you are the first one brave enough to post in the brand new Nude Critiques section. Good for you for starting things off there. Here's a link:




alla prima

Garth

Garth,

What a surprise! :o Thank you very much for posting the link. Do you want to go first and post your critique? ;)

I' m so happy that these two "nude" sections finally appeared on this great forum.

Maria

Garth,

I like it too. It

Perceiving the Nude as the Natural Human Statement
 

[QUOTE=Allan Rahbek]Garth,

I like it too. It

I did not think so either. ;)

But fortunately our imagination is more capable then we can imagine, don

Dear Garth,

What a marvelous painting - original and compelling composition!
I agree with LInda, I keep leaning over to look at you straight on. Gorgeous skin tones.

Post more!

I, too have seen this posted somewhere else - but I think this is where it really belongs: as the inaugural nude which sets a definitive standard for this new section of the forum.

Just wonderful, Garth. Thoughtful, insightful, powerful (plus other positive adjectives ending with the same suffix) - this is a figurative work to make one stop and think past the marvelous handling of paint for which Garth is renowned.

I'm very happy that this new section of the forum has magically appeared!

A Head Shot:
 

Dear Chris and Rob,

Thank you both so much for your very high praise. Careful! It might go to my head! :D

Here is a closer look at my head. Obviously there is a lot of texture in the background:

Garth

WOW Garth, this is absolutely stunning! That transformed blue gourd on the column reads like a rock (to me anyway), adding more weight to that oppressive column head and you so claustrophobically human underneath. Wonderfully original and compelling! (oh... :bewildere guess Chris already said that!... there just aren't enough words to describe this!)

Thanks for posting the closeup!

Well, I waited too long to post - and everyone has said what I wanted to say! LOL

So I'll just add - BRAVO!

What an incredibly compelling image. And, when I grow up I want to paint skin just like you. :)

Garth, another beautiful piece. (like we would expect anything else, duh)

Out of curiosity, have you done other self-portraits over the years? Wondering if this painting would be possible if you started painting it today. Not technically, but emotionally. It still feels like you have personal burdens, but how to portray yourself today would be interesting to see. Maybe you should celebrate the painting's ten year anniversary by painting an update? I'm sure we would more anxious awaiting it's completion than you would be! ;)

Can't say it enough, but your work is truly incredible.

It's just as cool seeing it again as it was the first time I got a look at this Garth, expressive, good work. :)

Kudos to Cynthia for deciding to open the figurative and nude sections.

I second Jimmie's suggestion! No pressure, Garth - but come on! The modeling fees can't be all that expensive!;)

Garth,
What a perfect opening to the new section. It

Ah, I love this new section and I agree - what a fitting piece to start it off with. Garth, this is just so twisted and bizarre, yet so very interesting. I too would love to see how you would paint yourself today.

Be careful what you wish for!
 

Dear Terri, Cindy, Jimmie, Carl, Rob, Garth, and Heidi:

I am overwhelmed with your positve responses and interest about my painting. Actually I am at a loss for words. Your support and encouragement really takes the sting out of feeling perhaps overexposed. Okay, I am feeling a liitle more comfortable now. Thanks!

Jimmie, Rob, and Heidi: Be careful what you wish for! Yes, I have done a couple of nude self portraits over the years. I have one from 1983, which is quite different as a composition and is dramatically lit from behind ( I used Liquin glazes a little too freely in this one though, so it already has conservation issues). I was rather skinny then, but alas, am not anymore. I have never considered doing another since Human on My Faithless Arm. I can't fit in that pose today. A new image would have to reflect some posing changes with a fresh insight. Your invitation has me thinking though, about how one might best go about to portray what is plainly evident to be an unremarkable, unideal, and age-faded human figure into a representation that could be sufficiently resonating and compelling as a painted image. I'm sure it's possibe to do well, but you shall have to encourage me on. August marks the ten-year anniversary for this painting.

Of course if any of the rest of you have self portraits, bring them out to share here as well, so we can have a community of peers. :o

Garth