Through the face, we relate to others. We also see ourselves in them or through them. To paint the face is delightful and maddening. I have spent hours, often standing up, without a break going over and over just the mouth or one eye. And once I get it right, the challenge for me, is to make the painting look as if I have just dashed it off. Fortunately, at times, it just flows.
While I am painting, I actually feel what I want the face to convey. The spirit of any art I make seems to emanate from that feeling or a sense of what I am trying to capture. It resides in me until I see it in the image.
The genre pieces are people in scenes or just an interior that evoke an emotion or convey a message. Sometimes, the image suggests a mood or archetypal memory. Other times, there is a social message. As I go through the day, I see a scene or snatches of life that move me or make me laugh. I wish I could paint every one of those moments.
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