The Naked Truth

With certain subjects, including landscape and still life, it is possible for an artist to obscure a wide array of technical weaknesses. But working from the live figure there is no place to hide. When one dares to depict a nude it isn't only the model barring it all, in a very real sense the artist is also.

Nude Study, oil pastel on toned paper
9" X 6", 2017

Ego

Personal ambition fed by societal norms and expectations had me playing the part of a professional artist for decades. My recent decision to end this pretense and start identifying as a student has proven to be very beneficial. It has allowed me to drop long held preconceptions. It has allowed me to shed ego based insecurities. It has led me to approach figurative painting from a completely new direction.

Torso Study, oil on canvas, 14" X 12", 2017

The Destination

A local art space has started a new daytime figure venue. Attending the first session I was buoyed by the genuine excitement in the room. A broader group of artists was discovering the thrill of working from the live figure. Then to my dismay, as the formal session ended, multiple artists asked the model to recreate her poses and a smart phone photo shoot ensued.

That I am shocked by artists reflexively reaching for cameras exposes my naiveté. I contend, however, that nothing anyone produces using those pictures as source material will come close to capturing the collective experience we had all just shared. Working from life should be the destination, not just a stop on the way to a photo shoot.

Ballerina Study, oil pastel, 8 1/2" X 7", 2017