The next step

I have worked from the live nude periodically since the early 1970's. This blog started August 9th, 2012 in my second year of working almost exclusively from the figure.

In the fall of 2015 I reintroduced still lifes and an occasional cityscape into my painting repertoire. Rather than abandon this figure blog or start a new one I decided to add them to the conservation.

All drawings and paintings posted on this blog were done entirely from live models or on location.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Lyricism

There are a lot of highly competent realist painters working today. Many can render incredibly complex subjects with astounding detail and clarity. But most of their work is too mannered, it has an artificial or stilted quality. Much of my early work fits this category - it lacks lyricism. Defined by the dictionary lyricism is an exuberance of style or feeling. One can't artificially inject this quality into a painting - it has to appear naturally.

Female Nude, oil on linen,  8" X  10", 2007
Collection of Amy Satterthwaite

There is nothing like working from a live nude to force an exuberant approach to painting. Regardless of the subject I now work a canvas with a more direct and aggressive style. Urgent but disciplined brush strokes individually and collectively can convey an excitement and flair with the best efforts achieving a delightful lyricism.


2 comments:

  1. This is a really good post Bruce! I envy any artist that can achieve a state of lyricism in their work and capture a magical moment on the fly. But don't dismiss the other side of the spectrum too quickly. I find great satisfaction in the process of creating a well thought-out, intelligently designed, multi-staged painting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete