Zero to Sixty

After a six week break from painting the figure I made the trek to Alexandria, VA to attend a five hour session at the Art League. I had my pallet mixed and ready to go at the10:00 starting time. The model was forty minutes late, snow issues or something. Often in these cases someone from the group will step up and pose for some warmups. No one seemed inclined so we mulled around chatting waiting for the model. Her arrival involved a quick entrance and getting right into pose. No warmups, no adjusting the setup or lights, just right into pose.

Seated Nude, oil on canvas, 16" X 12". 2015

When a model gets set I usually take a couple of minutes to assess my approach. But the late start gripped me with a sense of urgency. I had to get up to speed fast. The first hour and a half were quite nerve-racking. I didn't calm down and feel in sync until after the lunch break.

It felt good to be facing a model with a brush in my hand instead of a pencil. The first moments approaching a blank canvas are always fraught with anticipation, excitement and often a dash of fear. This session was a shock re-entry and didn't disappoint.