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 ...