Friday, January 22, 2010

Another Matisse - Or Perhaps a Gauguin

"Yellow Shoes"
22" x 30"
Acrylic on Paper

Last October I was one of the coordinators for a Betsy Dillard Stroud workshop. We had live models and this lovely young Asian woman came prepared with costumes. We loved her retro shoes. We had 20 minutes to capture her using a brush to draw her on the paper. The next day we were given the exercise to do a Matisse painting. At the time I did one of Jane Ferguson, a wonderful artist in our society. I really liked the results that you can see here.

We've been battered all week with wild wind and rain, so I hunkered down yesterday and pulled out the drawing, wanting to do another Matisse style painting. The greenery, the patterns, and the organic shapes mimic Matisse. I put a few finishing touches on the piece this morning. As I was nearing the finish, I began to think the piece looked more like Gauguin because the model has an exotic look. Somehow, life drawings are difficult to make into anything but what they are. The poses look very static. I'm lukewarm on this piece.

I am planning to do Silicon Valley Open Studios and registration closed mid-January. There will be three of us this year at my home. I was notified yesterday that my new pieces are now on my personal SVOS page. Each artist can display three. You can see them here. They've all been posted in 2009 on the blog.

9 comments:

FitFoodieMegha said...

Hey Mary! I am just loving ur paintings...The yellow shoes are just amazing!...Well done!

Color Pencil Drawing-Rajasthani Painting

Mary Paquet said...

Megha, thanks so much. The shoes are the very best part!

Unknown said...

Oh Mary! I love this! This is unique, fun and colorful. I went to see what three paintings were posted on the open studios site and I see my favorite anvil painting is there.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mary, I see what you mean, there is a touch of Matisse and Gauguin! I find the painting appealing. Oh, and it's a big one on acrylic! Wonderful and congrats! I bet those yellow shoes were just too good to resist!

Mary Paquet said...

Sheila, you are just so supportive. I am delighted you like my anvil painting. It is one of my personal favorites.

Peggy, it is a full sheet painting and in acrylic, so I am in the learning mode. The yellow shoes really grabbed me.

Anonymous said...

The yellow shoes are awesome! And I like the painting very much- the pose does seem deliberate and static- but that is what gives it it's charm. Your Matisse rendition is awesome too! And I agree with Sheila about your anvil painting. You just seem to nail those kinds of scenes!

Mary Paquet said...

Pam, you are a so articulate when you post. I feel like you are in the room talking with me. Thanks for the support.

Unknown said...

Hi Mary, Like you, I see both Matisse and Gaugin in this piece. It has decorative flavor and lots of interesting aspects. Many of the shapes and forms are very interesting! Keep painting :)

Mary Paquet said...

Kathy, thanks so much for checking in. Your blog has such fascinating discussions.