Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown

[Alexandra Tyng]

Oh, hi, Ilaria, I almost missed your post! Thank you so much. The papers and folders on the table were a lot of fun. They even use a color-coded system of post-it notes that fit right in with the color scheme. Diagonals are one of my favorite things to play with, maybe one of those things that carries over from early childhood. My mother has always been interested in geometry, and I used to listen to her talking about how triangulation strengthened things, so I guess it got into my painting somehow.

[Allan Rahbek]

Alex,
this is such a sweet painting, everything is color. Look how all colors are reflected in the table, wonderful.

Allan

[Carol Norton]

Awesomely inspiring! Everything about the painting gives the feeling of such competence...both of the artist and the subjects!

[Linda Brandon]

This is beautiful, Alex! I love the subtle directionals in the composition and the way you have placed all these wonderful fresh colors. It makes the viewer feel as if this were a table which welcomes him/her. I often find portraits of couples to be difficult to manage and your idea of being engaged in work on a common table is an excellent device.

[Kimberly Dow]

This is a stunner! I am so impressed.

[Alexandra Tyng]

Thank you Allan, Carol, Linda and Kim! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support and encouragement.

The colors were quite a departure for me. I'm so glad you approve. I tried to balance the bright pinks, yellows and blues with some darks and greys, keeping the chroma more intense towards the foreground.

Here are some of the sketches I did with notes. I don't know if you can see them too well this small. They are not very good likenesses but my subjects are moving while I'm sketching so it's worse than doing a ten-second gesture sketch as far as likeness is concerned, but I try to get the essence and the gestures, things like that.

[Michele Rushworth]

VERY nice work! The creative and natural composition is so refreshing. I also like the high key colors.

Can you tell us how big this is, who commissioned it and where it will hang? Also, can you post more closeups (hands, folders, background etc.)?

[Garth Herrick]

Bravo, dear Alex!

Well for the architecture and exquisite urban design of a great canvas, you're the best! As others have said, this is a chromatic and spacial tour-de-force. You really captured the Venturi-Scott-Brown's to a real sense of their gentle and yet intensively creative nature.

I can say this because I "met" them at that last annual juried show opening at Woodmere (Art Museum, where they are engaged to design the new wing expansion). I saw them there in the crowd, and actually said hi, in passing. I "knew" them through your portrait in progress at the time. How's that! Then I immediately hunted you down at the opening so excited to tell you that your acclaimed subjects were in the house (Alex gets into all the good art shows)! Like any other celebrities, you can "know" them while they have no clue who you are.

Again, Bravo. You captured them perfectly, based on my momentary encounter.

Garth

[Alexandra Tyng]

Garth, thank you for the over-the-top compliments! It's really nice to know I captured their likenesses well enough that you recognized them at the Woodmere opening. (By the way, speaking of art shows, I seem to recall that you get into them, too!) That was a fun evening at the Woodmere, and I was so surprised to see the Venturi-Scott Browns there after just seeing them in a totally different context.

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Dear Alex,

What a beautiful painting! It makes me feel like I have been able to tip toe into a room lit by sun light , sharing the quietness and harmony that exists between two people, who have known each other for ages.