The Honorable James McGirr Kelly

[Garth Herrick]

On a side note, I thought I should mention that I deliberately chose to maintain a warm cast to the light bathing the flag and figure. Yet not too much so. This was to reflect the incandescent origin of the principal light source. Ironically, I painted this in a full-spectrum fluorescent light, so that I could see and manage the slightly warm painted light with some confidence and accuracy. The brightest highlights are cooler in temperature. It just feels better that way. I wanted this warm glow to reflect the inherent native warmth of Judge Kelly's personality.

Following this warm path, meant keeping the red and blue in a warm key in the flag among other things, so the blue is less blue than one would expect. None of the whites are even closely related to a pure white.

Garth

[Ngaire Winwood]

Bang, thump.......ouch....

Garth your painting just blew me off my chair.

Unbelievably brilliant!

Thank you for also sharing the process with us. Something we can only hope to aspire to. Although I think I could be around 124 years old when and if, I ever achieve to this level.

[Tricia Migdoll]

Garth, congratulations on yet another marvellous painting.
Thank you for sharing the details. It is all quite fascinating.

I can only imagine the confidence one must have developed, to take on such an undertaking.

[Allan Rahbek]

Garth,
You put so much love into every detail and value that makes it a pleasure to study your painting. Doing things right is rewarding in it self.

The light is beautiful and you are right that the highlights had to be cool. I like the folds in the leather at the right side of the chair. That personal flower sort of balances the formal flag.

I wonder if the V - shape of the lines was intended to make some perspectively expression. I think it does create coherence and energy to the whole painting. It also seems that you have painted the background strokes to support the direction of the V - shape.

This, I would like to see in person and study. I think you are loosening up on your brushwork. Bravo.

Best, Allan

[Leslie Bohoss]

Marvellous painting, Garth.

The close up of that hand remembers me at Mr. Rembrandt.
Brilliant painterly.

cheers

[Michele Rushworth]

You've blown us away again! Congratulations!!

By the way, how much time were you given to paint this?

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

Garth, what a solid, convincing piece of work. Great edges, I think an earlier deadline was indeed useful.

For me you have said enough,and I don't think there was any need to paint more than you did! Bigger paintings need less details in any case (Harold Speed said).

Many many compliments
Ilaria

[Garth Herrick]

Ngaire, be careful there! I don't want to see anyone get hurt by a thumbnail! There is nothing particularly difficult in executing a painting like this. The main concern is just making sure all the various components fit together in a relationship.

Hi Tricia, it is good to have you on board here! Confidence is a fleeting thing with me. Sometimes even when it is a bit lacking, a fixed delivery deadline can take over that void! Just making oneself paint, ready or not, goes a long way.

Allan, I greatly admire your latest portraits, with their gestural, painterly style. It makes me want to see ways of introducing similar qualities in my work. I want to leave larger, bolder brushwork where it holds together. Frequently I will lose it by making fussy adjustments. It is important to sense when it is time to leave a passage alone, and move on. You are one who knows when.

Leslie, cheers to you too! That hand seemed to magically paint itself in a few strokes. I am not often so lucky.

Hi Michele. I believe I was commissioned at the end of March, although I had other paintings to finish first, and I did not realiy get a convincing start until a few weeks ago, after I first explored ways of fitting the robe on Judge Kelly. Even as late as two weeks ago, the painting seemed tentative, but somehow it got done despite a four day excurion to Arizona in the following week!

Dear Ilaria, thanks for reassuring me that deadlines can be a good thing! Being more painterly and editing out detail can give the subject more life and spontaneity. You are already a master of that!

Dear Alex, thanks so much for your kind words! You are already intimately familiar with this Courthouse, having a fine portrait of your own in their collection. Kudos! We will have to post a directory of all our various Distict Courthouse portraits: Courtrooms 8A, 10A (you), 17A, 14A(?), and another I have to locate.

Janet, such good questions: I tended to paint alla-prima on this and take it as close as I could to a resolution in one session. In truth though, this alla-prima is a great foundation, and retouching the cured paint a day later makes it no longer alla-prima, but I did glaze, scumble and wholesale repaint again, on the slightest whim of dissatisfaction. Taking breaks, even four day breaks is a good thing, to help me assess whether a passage is a finished statement or not. The most important thing is to summon the courage to paint even when not having all the answers yet in your head. Many problems will magically work themselves out, as if automatically, just by manipulating and pushing the paint around!

Thanks again,

Garth

[Julie Deane]

Congratulations, Garth!

And I agree with Leslie - I just got back from a museum trip to Washington D.C, getting to observe some Rembrandts up close - the closeup of that hand reminds me of R's work.

[Janet Kimantas]

Garth,

I have greatly appreciated being able to see your work (albeit at 72 dpi) over the last few months. It would be such a treat to see some of these paintings in person. I have been wondering about your technique. Do you do a lot of glazing and scumbling or is it more alla-prima-over-time? I'm sure I ought to be able to tell just by looking, but I can't. I think I remember you mentioning a 52 value greyscale that you use, which indicates to me that you are pretty precise right from the start, and don't get into the wholesale repainting that, for instance, I waste a lot of time on. Do you do temperature adjustments as the work progresses, or is that nailed down too? Sorry to ask so many questions, but I really am enthralled.

Thanks, Janet