I am thankful for the time I can spend in my studio during the summer!

I am currently working on a commission of 6 family portraits (all grandchildren and great grand children of my good friends) I started this project over a year ago and am finally getting close to finishing.

Some challenges I faced: All I had to work with were small black and white photocopies of the people in the painting. I had to look very closely at all the details.
I used oil on recycled canvas (old paintings that were not going anywhere and were longing to be painted over) These canvases had some unwanted texture and if I were to do it again I think I would use new canvas, or something with less texture.
It was challenging to get all the detail just right, or close enough to capture a strong likeness to all of the people represented. This was extra challenging because I know and have met most of them, so I know what they look like!

My Process:
The paintings are designed to be hung right next to each other in a cluster format. This was how the painting started. The very first image I painted was of a tree that branched out to all the canvases (after a lot of visual research and looking at different trees I settled on an image of an oak tree) I then problem solved which people to put together on one canvas (I had to look at a variety of different photographs to form one painting) I then had to decide on what groupings of the family to paint on which canvas, as the canvases vary in size. Very challenging but exciting and fun at the same time.

What's next?
I need to add some more fine details and some thin washes with liquin impasto (I love the finish this creates- a semi-gloss that is not too reflective, but very lovely.

I am going to start working on a new series of paintings and drawings and ceramic sculpture for my show in October. I will post work as it is finished. :)