My Art Diary: August - December, Part 2

Mixed in with the pets that I wrote about in my last post, I was honored to paint these portraits that were to be Christmas gifts for loved ones. Every portrait has a story and this first one had an additional aspect to it, I was asked to paint two pastels of the same subjects. Same size. Same everything. Each would be going to separate families. The challenge didn't come until I had completed the first one and had it approved. Then it faced me. I needed to come as close as I possibly could to duplicating these two handsome boys -- keeping them as similar to the first portrait as possible. (I got to know these boys really well!)

I am usually asked to paint in oil so this was a change of pace to create in pastels.

Reid and Eli, I
20 x 16", Pastel on paper
Rita Salazar Dickerson

Reid and Eli, II
20 x 16", Pastel on paper
Rita Salazar Dickerson

After I completed Reid and Eli, I began the portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Carlson. It was also to be a Christmas gift. An added bonus with my work is the opportunity to take pleasure in hearing the story behind the painting...in this case the special memories shared between two people of a time and place they both enjoyed.

Mr. and Mrs. Carlson
16 x 12", Oil on canvas
Rita Salazar Dickerson

Portrait Of A Little Girl: Elena Running / 3rd Session

Elena Running
oil on canvas, 16x20
3rd Session

Little Girl Portrait: The Background

Grace
oil on canvas, 16x20
6th Session

I enjoyed painting in this vivid green portion of the background which immediately enhanced her light blond hair and little pink bow.

Little Girl Portrait: Mouth and Hair

Grace
oil on canvas, 16x20
3rd Session

Portrait Of A Little Girl: The Face

Elena
16x20 oil on canvas
Second Session

Starting With The Eyes

The eyes tell so much about a person. Especially when they belong to a little person who doesn't worry about who she is and is very comfortable just being herself. Young and confident. Not afraid to look you in the eye. With a summer week spent enjoying out of town guests, I knew that opportunities in front of my easel would be limited. It was very satisfying to set a small painting goal for myself, to paint just the eyes, and then accomplish that goal.

South Africa: Candy Apple Red

I realize that I was attracted to painting this woman for many reasons - one of them being, she was wearing red. And not just any red - but bright, shimmering, candy apple red! In addition to her red shawl, she was wearing this wonderful bracelet that added just a touch of color and detail to her wrist while casting a shadow on her arm. Everything she was wearing seems so right to me. If I could have had a say in how she dressed that day, I would not have changed a thing. The excitement is mounting for me as I progress with this painting. Once I get this far into it I begin to have trouble sleeping because all I really want to do is paint or think about painting. I cannot get her out of my mind. There is also a deadline coming up: the Fireside Gallery intake and installation for the South Africa exhibit is this Thursday. I love and hate deadlines but they keep me on task. I can't wait to paint tomorrow!

 

South Africa: Fresh Eyes

I stayed up painting until 11:30 last night. Her arm, like everything else, took twice as long as I had imagined and I still wasn't happy with it. So, the one good thing about staying up late to paint is that I can get up early in the morning to continue painting and it feels like I only took a short break. My paint still feels fresh on the canvas, nothing has gotten sticky or dried out and I can continue where I left off - painting wet into wet. The one advantage to this break is that I had fresh eyes; I could see things this morning that I could not see last night. And now I am moving on to her red shawl. I can hardly wait!