Saturday, June 1, 2013

Back to Painting...a new start


     Friday before last, Joe and I drove into the MFA to see the colorful quilted 6" x 8" flags sent in from six continents to celebrate Boston. Ahead of me, I had the quilt challenge of "CELL" by my Material Maven international art quilt group. Synergistically, Joe and I had just returned from a stop at the Neue Gallerie in NYC where we viewed "Adele Bloch-Bauer" which is always on permanent display. I happened on a movie of Klimt's life via Netflix and found an unread book in my library titled The Kiss about a Klimt painting. As it turns out, Klimt viewed a lot of cells under microscope which appeared in many paintings. The power of Klimt's paintings inspired me to pick up the brush again.

       Just at the hero and heroine in a romance novel are at odds before they fall in love, I had never liked Klimt's paintings as much as my other favorite painters. Absorbed in his work, I became semi-obsessed.

 
       At Costco, I saw a painting kit, a little more challenging than paint by numbers, and I painted Klimt's "Tree of Life" to get a feel for his cells or signets (an excuse to be a child again). I found some ideas for getting the grands to create their own trees at YouTube. Back into painting, I set up two portable easels to oil paint (alkyds) the grandchildren from photos. I prefer painting from life, but distance is a problem. Whereas I once painted 9 am to 9 pm, after two hours, I had had enough. The next day I realized I needed my BIG easel so I could brace my arm and Joe got me a tall stool. Painting became fun again.  I am looking forward to painting less traditional portraits inspired by Klimt, my teachers at the SMFA Boston and art history...now that I rediscovered my old, but bigger, easel.



       Here are the first day and the second day...MORE TO GO on both. Hannah begins to look like herself, I think; but Erika's is a major miss. But I won't give up! Try, try again, now that I am comfortable. I will save those portable easels for painting landscapes in the open aire, also inspired by Klimt and art history. Click photos to enlarge.




11 comments:

  1. Thank heavens for Klimt, SMFA teachers, art history and the big easel! YOU MUST KEEP THIS UP BECAUSE YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL AT IT! WHAT A GIFT! I love these portraits - everything about them! ss

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  2. Wonderful! Wonderful! I'm glad to see you back at the easel--keep us up to date as the pictures emerge!

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  3. Hi Linda,
    I love your paintings.
    Elana

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  4. Very interesting about Klimt's cells...bet your Cell quilt is going to be fabulous! ( Mine will be quite ordinary/predictable I think! )
    LOVE the paintings of your grand daughters! Erika is adorable with lots of energy, can't see why you think that she is such a miss? I can almost hear Hannah playing. Missed you today at QC show!

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    1. I worked a little more on Erika and reposted her...you saw the later addition...with chalk on the blacktop :*) I can't thank you enough for the QC show reminder.

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  5. What a treat to look at these!
    A

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  6. I raved on and on via email about how much I love these portraits of your granddaughters. But I will repeat here; I think they are beyond wonderful verging on extraordinary! As I said in the email, if I could paint this well, I would not want to do anything but paint all day long!!!!

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  7. Hi Linda.
    We were in Houston, but now home again. Just saw your email. I agree 100% with Alice—love it when you take up the brush!

    Years ago we visited the Belvedere in Vienna and enjoyed Klimt—my introduction to him & a fan ever since. I imagine you have been there too.
    The Neue Galerie in NYC is a great contribution to art in the City.( I have not been.) The background of the Adele Block-Bauer at the N.G. Is so interesting (Nazi theft). But you probably know that too. After N.G. Got the painting, I read that the Belvedere placed an empty frame on display in mourning! I don’t know if that is still on display or not.

    Paint on, old friend!
    Sarah

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  8. I love Klimt. I think we saw him at the Neue when we were in NYC - together. I am looking forward to your cell quilt. The portraits of your grands are wonderful. I am so glad you're painting again and sharing it with us.

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  9. Love following your steps along the way as you decided to pursue the Klimt inspiration for your paintings of the grands. I look forward to seeing the end products. What you've done thus far is wonderful!

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  10. Just back from out West. Great paintings; I guess you haven't lost your touch!

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