Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Framing the family: a holiday memoir


     Many celebrations occur around our dining room table from Easter to birthdays. Always crowded and askew, the table is an ideal setting for another family portrait. When Joe asked me how I wanted to frame it, I suggested he invent a solution. He cleverly took hints from the shape of our house so the dining room could be in the house. All I have to do is paint it. I have started to do so.



    Family members are crowded around the table, but I wanted some gravitas. I had looked at Van Gogh's favorite group table painting, The Potato Eaters. I put that on my lap to show granddaughter, the reader. I let the horn in grandson's hand echo Max Beckmann's in his self-portrait on the wall by the windows. Beckmann used crowns in paintings, but these are from our poppers honoring the great organizers of our families. I needed one more painting for the wall so I added the Van Gogh flowers since I had recently looked at his irises and roses at the Met in NYC. I replaced the floral centerpiece with a drooping sunflower in my hand as a symbol of Van Gogh's or any painter's challenge to paint. This group portrait effort is/was certainly stressful, although I forgot the pain once I thought of the sunflower centerpiece.

     Joe gessoed twice (the saint) and screwed his frame onto the painting. Today, I have started to paint it. The other building and painting this month, was Joe's letting grandson build and paint a car. Joe helped David hammer and drill and they finished it in an evening. Enlarge the photos by clicking; and thanks for visiting!



15 comments:

  1. I spent the afternoon looking at picture frames with my daughter--yours tops them all! And makes me homesick for my once-upon-a-time yellow house. You and your fine family always make me smile!

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  2. Amazing, rich and meaningful. Appreciate the detailed information/inspiration. Joe's idea for the frame to mirror your house shape is brilliant!

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  3. This painting and its frame are so charming. As usual you have allusions to other artists' works, which I have always admired about your paintings.

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  4. I am amazed as always at your ability to get such detail and color variety into a small work without it looking at all cluttered. Your composition abilities are amazing!

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  5. That frame is so clever!! You never cease to amaze me. And the painting of your family--so detailed and wonderful. Apparently, your Joe is artistic and creative, too, and it's so incredible that you found each other. Did you meet at Baylor? Please refresh my failing memory when (and if!) you have a spare moment. Much love, my dear friend...RA

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  6. This one is excellent--the expressions on the people are so alive. Thank you for posting. GSC

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  7. KJ: Wish I had your gift of documentation with flare! What a fun piece!

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  8. Another fantastic piece. I just LOVE your work Linda! CH

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  9. W W K: All your connections and references linked to a fascinating family ...wrapped around now in such a clever frame echoing your home. Just a WOW! Linda you are one most interesting and talented person!

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  10. Your paintings are poems, moving my mind and heart to your side. Don T.

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  11. Read! Now folks! This is a great picture, a great family and a greatest picture frame! Trilla

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  12. Linda, I really like this one. The color mix is great & you reveal the personalities in the faces of everyone around the table.. Rosemary

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  13. Jo W: Love this one, too! You are very creative! Your detail is wonderful! What is your medium?


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  14. The skull makes me shiver but I love all the rest. Do you know how fortunate your grands are to have you?!! Wow, blows my mind. Love U dearly and admire you more than I can say, RA

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