The Sub
Here’s a crop from ‘The Allegory of Climate Change.’ My husband served as a model for this one – it’s a running joke between our friends that Matt is in all my paintings because someone always calls in sick on photo shoot day, and he is the sub!
Home Stretch
WIP: just need white highlights on the skin and to paint the last bit of flowing fabric. I’m into the home stretch on this one…
Night Sky Study
I’ve done this little study for the background of my current large painting. I don’t want to be experimenting on it. I’m unsure if it works for me – I’ll have to think on it a while.
The Eyes Follow You
Attempt No.2 to get the eyes just right. It’s a really subtle and complicated expression. I want to show how he is at once vulnerable, scared, and ready to enter into a sexual encounter with the viewer. Plus, the eyes have to follow you no matter where you move in the room. I think this will work.
Torn Between Two Versions
I’m really torn as to how to paint this painting of the female gaze. My primary goal is to present a figure that is sexualized, however, he retains his subjectivity; that is, we recognize him as a subject with thoughts and feelings. He is not merely an object for our titillation. I want him to be ‘naked’ and not ‘nude.’ The first image of the figure floating in space will be more like the original Pedro Americo painting ‘The Night’ that I am basing the image on, but it also puts the image in the realm of fantasy/objectifying the subject. I want to complicate the relationship the viewer has with the subject, so perhaps the second version would be better? Or maybe something else between the two? I want to have the most impactful image, and that includes lighting, cropping, realism vs painterliness, etc. I’m taking so much into account right now and having a hard time determining what will work best and get my point across.
