Giverny Shadows, 40" x 30"
 

This is a figurative I painting for myself. I am disappointed I didn't correct he foreshortening of the girl to the right, but I had fun playing with a composition that was about the setting and less about the people. Again I am trying here a more impressionistic texture.

Linda,

Did you travel to Giverny in your mind or did you pilgrimage to the water lily pond?

By the way, I like the theme of composing the two girls in a decorative way in the picture, so that they are just a part of the whole and not in front of it.

Allan

I don't see any foreshortening problems. Looks great to me.

I lived in France for a while , and visited Giverny a few times. What a place, it really is like going to a holy place, as you can feel the painters of past sizing up the landscape around for their next painting. It really is an exceptional place.

I think another reason I like the impressionists is that they, in my mind, are some of the first movements to actively use photo references for their works. Knowing that, it seems they took what they learned from experimentation in "live" work to be more exploratory in their studio when using just a black and white photo.

A comment I'd like to make by the way is Alex is supremely proud to have his bike in his portrait. I say this as food for thought for those who might overlook or be timid about suggesting a composition as mundane as a kid with his bike. Kids have a different world than we do, and I luckily (and unknowingly) happened to portray him with one of his pride possessions...

I think the bike is a nice touch. It brings the composition into the present and de-sentimentalizes it.

Linda--

I'm really impressed with all of the recent posts, but I especially admire this one if for no other reason than the totally fresh point of view.

I really take this as a challenge to always stretch for an original concept, even (especially) in the commissioned work, where it's easy to just knock off another version of the last piece one did.

Thanks for jolting me out of my complacency.

Best as always--TE

Wow Tom,

Your comments really give me a sense of confidence, like I've just earned my first feather in my hat. Thank you so much Tom.

I think this is tremendous. The way you composed this is almost overwhelming to someone like me who has no natural sense of color and balance.

Kind of reminds me a little of Andrew Wyeth's 'Christina's World' -because of the dreamy effect. I imagine that the grass could go on forever, and the children have no cares or worries.

Thanks for the peace, we need it these days...

Thank you Carlos - that 's so odd that you mention Christina's World, I bought a book a few months ago on the three generations of Wyeths (awesome artwork). Maybe some of the book seeped through onto the painting!