Sophie's Back - Oil on Linen

Oil on Linen, 15' X 19" SOLD

Sorry, it's been a long while since I posted, I know.

You know that old saying, "Those who can do do, and

those who can't, teach"? - Well, that's been me for the

past few months. I don't mean that I literally can't

make artwork, I just mean that the economy has

forced me to spend more time teaching ( I teach

private workshops in my home).

I enjoy doing this

tremendously, but preparing for them requires a

tremendous amount of time and effort.

For instance, I am teaching one for the next several

weeks. It meets on six separate days. Just painting

the examples for it, doing the research, typing up

the text, putting together the reference materials

for the students, etc., has taken me three weeks of

solid work. Fortunately, I do enjoy that as well. I

think I was a monk in a former lifetime.

But it's time to get back to work!

And I mean ARTWORK!!

Thanks for visiting today.

Nautilus

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Pastel on White Archival paper, 6" x 8"

I did this drawing today in my "veils" pastel technique, using

many thin "glazes" of pastel powder over a charcoal drawing.

It is hard to see in the photograph the beautiful surface of the

drawing, particularly the different textures - the difference

between the soft, velvety backgroundm the grainy table,

and the smooth and shiny shell. This is a very fun technique

and is one that I teach in my class and in workshops.

Thanks for visiting today.

A Roman Woman, C.100 AD

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Pastel and Charcoal on White Sketch-weight Archival Paper

This is a drawing that I started at home, continued as a demo for my students in 

class as an example of my "veils" technique - which involves using many thin layers of color and applications of fixative combined with charcoal drawing -

and finished at home.

I used the Sennelier "Fixatif  Latour",  which comes only in a spray pump bottle.

It is wonderful because it has a citrus base,  and unlike most fixatives (many 

pastelists refuse to use any fixative at all,  as a mattter of  fact there is a big lack

 of consensus about this...), you can spray it right in front of your face. You don't

even have to go outside. It has two drawbacks:  one is that because it is not solvent-

based,  if you are working on a thinnish paper,  as I was here,  it can actually cause

the paper to buckle. But of course this is not problem with Wallis sanded, or even

Canson pastel paper. Secondly, because it is a pump,  one often gets little spots if

the nozzle isn't 125% clean.  You can see the spots if you look closely in the pink part

of this piece.  Sometimes that has its advantages.  Sometimes not!

Thanks for visiting today.

Sharon Arabesque

  Sold                                             Oil on Board, 6" x 8"

  I just wasn't able to do anything today.  One of  THOSE days...

  I don't know if it was the gloomy weather or what, but nothing

  was happening.  So, I decided to post something I did last year

 and sold in my eBay store - that explains the watermark in

 the lower right corner.  I've always liked this pose, and was

 happy with the way the painting turned out, so I don't mind

 showing it.  I hope you enjoy it.

 

 Here's hoping tomorrow is a more productive day.

Thanks for visiting.

Blue Cloud Landscape

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Pastel on Black Canson Pastel Paper, (9"' x 6")

I did this drawing as an example for the students in my

"Painterly Pastel" class at the Art League School in Alexandria,

Virginia, where I teach. This is a really fun way of working.

When people first hear black paper, their ususal reaction is

"yech", black velvet!! Elvis, tacky horses, farm scenes!!  But, it

is actually a very beautiful medium, because it makes the colors

glow.  This is a very loose interpretation of a landscape, but I do

love the blue cloud.

Oil Sketch of Liz

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Oil on canvas, 5.5" x 5.5"

I really enjoyed doing this quick oil sketch of Liz, a young woman who used to 

model for me in my classes.  It was done from a photograph, as is most of my work,

except my work done in class.  This is mostly because my studio is about as big

as a small walk-in closet.  But, my husband is about to build me a new studio in

the backyard,  which will be 10' x 15'. I know that's not large, but after what I've

been working in for the past 17 years,  it will seem like an ice skating rink - and,

there will actually be room for a LIVE model - at last!!. Also I'll have more room

to teach workshops at my home, which is something I really enjoy doing.

Thanks for visiting today.

Isla Morada Hybiscus

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Oil on Canvas laid down on board, 7.5" x 9 3/4"

I did this from a photograph outside of the Casa Thorn, 

a  wonderful B&B we stayed at in Isla Morada in the Florida Keys. 

 The whole

place seemed enchanted, from the wonderful woman

after whom it was named, to the myriad of fascinating

objects with which she had decorated it - all things she

had collected during her incredible 91 years. Everywhere

you turned there was something beautiful to see: Moroccan

screens, carved ivory netsukes of sensitive nudes, unique

paintings from the 1940's,  photographs of her friends - who 

just happened to be Frank Sinatra and his ilk - and plants

everywhere inside and out.  Giant palm trees, flowering

plants, with Cambodian granite heads peeking out from

behind.

 I've been thinking of painting this since last

August, and I finally did. I'm really happy this evening.

Lesli Pensive

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Oil over Grisaille on board

This is a portrait of a young woman who has modelled often

for my classes. She is incredibly talented in her own right,

being an actress with an incredible voice, and also, obviously

very beautiful. The color of her hair is what inspired me to do

thi s painting.

Figure in a Blue Light

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Oil paint over black and white grisaille.

This is a painting of my favorite all-time model,

Sharon. She never fails to inspire. I love this image

so much, I actually did another version of it in another

color scheme. That may seems strange - until you look

at Degas. Not that I am comparing myself  to that

19th C. Master, who is one of my idols.  But, he did

literally recycle poses and positions of models from

one painting or drawing to another. It's fascinating.

He was the most modern painter of his group, no doubt.

History will show this to be true as time goes on.

Thanks for visiting today.

Sophie at Fifteen

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Oil Pastel and Mechanical Pencil on Gray gesso-primed canvas, 4" square

This is a picture of my daughter when she was about 15, I think. I have

done a lot of paintings and drawings of her, and she always looked very

sophisticated beyond her years. I like this image because she looks more

her age, and also displays her "lost-in-thought" character.

I have a large set of Sennelier oil pastels - well two really. One, I put

together little by little over the years as I could afford them, and it also

includes Holbein and Caran d'Ache oil pastels. Except for the Holbeins,

which are square, I keep them sharpened to a point with a large-hole

pencil sharpener. The other set I finally bought on sale. It is so

I can hardly stand to use it. It includes ten or twelve iridescents that

breathtaking. They look white, but iridesce to yellow/purple, pink/green,

orange/blue, and so on. Those are also all sharpened to a point.

They are fun to work with, because you can just draw with them, or, you

can manipulate them with palette knives or brushes, and also with

painting mediums. For this piece I used Winsor & Newton's Liquin Detail

Painting Medium, as I was working so small. I don't generally care

for working on canvas, because of the texture, but this was OK. I have to say

in this case, the photograph truly does not do the piece justice.

Two Golden Pears

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Soft pastels on Sennelier Carte Pastel Board, approx. 7" x 5"

These two Bosc pears weren't in very good shape anymore, but they still had

some beautiful colors in them, and in the right light they were worthy subject

matter. I had a piece of Carte Pastel left, in one of their colors - which are very

strage, by the way - this one is sort of a cross between tan, curried chicken, and

moss. I scanned the image. Whether a photograph or a scan, it's terribly difficult

to give a color image its due. The "golden" quality doesn't really come through, for

some reason. Oh well, I guess you'll just have to imagine it.

Thanks for visiting.

Angel from Another World

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Pastel on Wallis sanded pastel board washed with blue watercolor, 10" x 6 6/8".

This is an interpretation of a photograph of a cemetary angel. I really like the

colors, and I love working in pastel. I never get tired of it! It is a wonderful break

from painting. I don't have to wash and brushes, and I love to draw!

15-Minute Color Sketch of Standing Nude Female Model

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6 1/2" x 11 1/2" on Canson Mi Tientes paper

This was done as a demonstration for some

students in class a couple of Saturdays ago.

I teach a figure drawing class every Saturday

morning, and have for about 17 years - has it

really been that long? I can't believe it.

The problem here was to work with a very

limited selection of Carb-Othello pastel

pencils (wonderful!!), on grey paper, or any

mid-tone colored paper of their choice.

The colors they had to work with were: White,

Naples Yellow (Conte), Sanguine, Light Blue,

Cadmium Red Light, Brown, and a Black

charcoal pencil.

This demo really was only 15 minutes. My

class is 3 hours long, but I don't like to take

up too much time with demonstrations, because

we spend quite a while warming up, and also

I am very against the idea of having my students

all trying to draw like I do. I've been drawing for

54 years. Most of them have just started.

I like to encourage my students to find their

own voice, and although most do realism, I don't

demand that either.

Thanks for stopping by.

Oil Sketch of Posing Male Nude's Back

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Oil on Gessoed and Oil-Primed Archival Paper, 7" x 10"

This is a quickly-done limited palette oil sketch done in class

as a demo for students. I was quite happy with the results here,

and am only selling it because, like everyone else, I haveto make

a living. This model, unfortunately, moved to Floridathis year,

much to everyone's chagrin. He was a fine person,and a fabulous

model.

Peppers and Turquoise

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This is a very small painting. It is only 6" x 3". Therefore, I was able to do it in just
one afternoon. I like the colors. I deliberately made the background and foreground
turquoise. So often paintings of this type have brown backgrounds, or the reverse.
That can undoubtedly be beautiful - but it's done all the time. I wanted to try some-
thing that I don't see all the time. Whether or not it's successful, I'll leave up to
you. It sure is fun to be painting again though.

Thanks for visiting.

Margie's Angel

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This oil over brown under-painting was done on a gessoed 6" x 6"
masonite panel. The main part of the features that you can see
are the underpainting. There are many glazes as well: transparent
Gold Ochre, Indian Yellow, Transparent Red Earth, Transparent
Yellow, and then also a great deal of opaque paint.

This is a fun way to paint. Solve the drawing part first, and then
you are relatively free to fool around with color.

Thanks for visiting today.

P.S. You may have noticed that I've added Google Ad Sense to my
blog. I hope you don't think that mercenary of me.....times are
hard......for everyone.

Sgraffito Drawing/Demo of the Charioteer of Delphi

SOLD

This is actually the first sgraffito drawing that I ever did, and
I have used it for years as a demo piece when I am teaching this
unusual but ancient technique to my students. That is why it is
covered with squiggles, pieces of perfectly matched curved-cross-
hatching (done with a tool that has six pieces of wire all the same
length sticking out of a metal holder), and other various messy
marks. There is even some gold Sennelier oil pastel on his hair
ornament - unfortunately, the luminosity of it has faded over the
years.

I have described elsewhere in my blog how to do this technique, so
I won't repeat myself here.

Tomorrow I will present a painting I've been working on for a little
bit every day for a few days. It is the same composition as one
presented on this blog, but with a new interpretation coloristically.
It certainly was fun painting it! And I spent this day, mapping out the coming
week. I have so many paintings I want to do - and this is just the small
ones that can be done in a day or two - that I don't know how I'll ever finish
them!! It's so exciting.

I did a silly thing the other day though - and if anyone who is reading this
happens to have an "in" with Google, or is just more "internet savvy" than I am,
please let me know if you can help me out!

I was looking at my account here, and they suggested that I change my Google-given
URL for my blog to a domain name (at a price, of course...), so like a perfect
consumer, I bought one. Alas, AFTER I purchased it I realized there was a
serious typo in it. It was supposed to read: priscillatreacyfineart.com, BUT,
it reads priscilltreacyfineart.com.

I haven't been able to get in touch with them
through their byzantine "help" pages, I even contacted Enon, the company they
work together with in producing these domain name. Any query has lead
me to absolutely nowhere. And of course, there is never a phone number mentioned
ANYWHERE. There is nothing in Google's FAQ that even touches on this problem.
I offered to cancel, and start all over, but they didn't like that at all. No, no.

So, now I am stuck with a domain name with a misspelled name, and no one will
be able to find my blog, and I have NO idea how to fix it. Does anyone out there
know how! HELP!!

I would most grateful for any ideas - and thank you for visiting today.

Oil Color Monotype: Italian Geometrics I

NFS

I explained the procedure for this type of monotype in my blog
on Monday. This one was used as a book cover by the David R. Godine
Publishing Co. in Boston, in 1984, for a memoir by Iris Origo, titled
War in Val d'Orcia. I was very happy when they decided to use it,
of course. Also, I didn't have to deal with any art directors telling me
what to do! It was a free ride!

Thanks for visiting today.

Tomorrow is "P" day - I begin to paint in earnest. I am so excited!!

Pastel and Charcoal Head of Roman Warrior

SOLD
I have to admit that I love this drawing. It is done
in a method that I call "veils of color". It is done on
white bond sketch-weight paper. You do a drawing
with 1/8" round vine charcoal, and then go over that
with Nupastel in whatever color you want. This can
correct and mistakes if you are not done with the drawing,
or if you are, it can begin to suggest a color plan or direction,

Then I further develop the drawing with the vine, and add
more pastel, spraying between layers. I know that is contrary
to what most people think as pastel technique, but this is
just something I developed on my own, and I really like to
draw this way. It is very freeing, and fun. You never really
know what you are going to get. If you use regular fixative,
the paper remains smooth, and you can apply hard and soft
pastels, and charcoal pencils also - actually I prefer carbon
pencils, because they don't smear as much.

If you use Matte medium spray it leave little tiny globules
of spray on the paper, giving it a tiny tooth that is just great
for grabbing onto very soft pastel, in rich saturated colors.

Monotype of a Terracotta Pot at Nero's Villa on Capri

NFS
This is an example of how accidents sometime work
to our advantage in art. This is an oil paint monotype,
which I painted on a small zinc plate (4" x 5"). Actually,
I used this same plate over and over again.

This is the view from the patio of Nero's Villa which is
on the very top of the island of Capri off the coast of Naples.
It is said that he used to throw hapless people off just to amuse
himself.

Anyway, the procedure for this consists of drawing an
image onto the plate with a 6B pencil, and then painting
the image with oil paint diluted with turpentine. For some
reason turpentine works the best, which is a shame, as I
have developed a tendency to develop migraines if I get
anywhere near it. The paint isn't as thin as watercolor,
just "thinned", and it can be manipulated with dry brushes,
and also with brushes that are wet with solvent and then mostly
dried off. Apparently, during this process a bit of turpentine
got away and dribbled down the front of the terracotta pot.
But, what a happy accident! It's really doing a marvelous
imitation of the characteristic surface of these aged pots.

This was from a series called "Italian Geometrics". They were
all 4"' x 5", and they were all oil monotypes. I have two others.
One was used as a book cover once. I felt so lucky.

Essence Sketch of Reclining Model

NFS
Well, I am happy to say that my hand is finally healed,
and I no longer have to wear my hand support (excepting
when I am typing on the computer for long stretches). I
have been gathering ideas for things that I want to paint,
and I am looking forward to the coming week when I will
begin in earnest to become involved in my work again.

I know that after such a long time away from my regular
routine it will be touch and go at first. I have always
thought ( and I tell my students this) of "artistic ability",
whatever it is, as something that we don't really "own" per
se, it comes and hangs around for a while, and graces our
lives with happiness when we have it - but it can just as
easily leave for awhile. I console myself knowing that
Edward Hopper, whose work I truly admire, didn't paint
for five years at one point. Hard to imagine, but true.
Just think how unhappy he must have been!

Well, today I have an essence (check back in former posts
for a definition) drawing on Canson pastel paper. I am very
fond of this one. It is not for sale, because it was already sold.
I'm so glad I have a picture of it. I wish I had the real thing.

Thanks for visiting today.

Gouache Wash Drawing of Male Model in Class

NFS

This was a demo drawing I did in the figure
class that I teach at the Art League School in
Alexandria, Virginia.

I love working in gouache! It is opaque water-
color and can be used either opaquely or trans-
parently. Either way, it is fun to work with,
especially with the figure. It is easy to be loose
and free with gouache. If you love drawing the
figure you should try it!

Thanks for visiting today.

Rocks and Ocean

SOLD
This small painting is an example of using a monochromatic
under painting, in this case a brown one - as a base for adding
color. It is fairly easy to harmonize a painting if you use a tight,
limited palette of colors and such an under painting. The under
painting, or grisaille, from the French for "gray", has to be in a
discernible color, not in black and white. A gray could be used,
but it would work best if it were a gray influenced noticeably by
a color, such as blue, or lavender.

Monotype of the View from Rte.460, Blacksburg, VA

SOLD
This monotype was painted in watersoluble oils on Yupo watercolor paper, which
is really just a piece of white plastic rolled out very thin. It is fun to use this as
a support , because you can really see what your image will look like when printed -
except that it will be backwards of course, if you are using an etching press, which
I always do. -- This image is mostly done from memory. I rode up and down this
highway so many times that I can still see it clearly now, even though I was there
almost thirty years ago.

Thanks for visiting today.

Watercolor Monotype of a Versailles Statue

NFS
This image was created by painting with Prang
watercolors, and drawing with Caran d'Ache
Neocolor Water-soluble crayons on frosted Mylar.
Then, after soaking a piece of Magnani white
printmaking paper, and blotting off all of the
standing water, I ran the two together through
an etching press. A plastic plate of roughly the
same dimensions as the print was used to shore
up the image and create more pressure and
create a platemark around it, which is clearly
visible in this picture.

This is a really fun technique. If you cover your
Mylar with gum arabic, Watercolor Medium (gum
arabic with acetic acid in it to preserve it), or even
dishwashing liquid, and allow that to dry, you can
then create an image and print it by hand - but you
must be sure that your paper is damp enough for
the image to transfer. The watersoluble coating
underneath your drawing is dissolved by the damp
paper and lifts up with the drawing on top of it,
and the whole thing transfers to your printmaking
paper.

Obviously, using a press is easier!

Lesli's Back

SOLD
This is a painting of a young woman who used to model for me
before she moved to New York to seek her fortune in music and
the theatre. Not only was she blessed with physical beauty, but
with a lustrous operatic voice, and acting talent! She has already
performed with Shakespeare in the Park. I am so proud of her.
She certainly made an inspiring model though. We all miss her.

Thanks for visiting.

Drypoint Etching of Bassoonists

NFS
I did this drypoint as a commission for a man who collected musical instruments.

Because in drypoint you are drawing with a diamond point, the only way to create

tone is to build up layers of lines. It took me eight hours just to draw the large

bassoon in the front of the image.

Some people have asked me if I copied this from Degas, because it is reminiscent

of some of his concert paintings. I did not. I used various photo references of

musicians and made the rest up.

The man who commissioned it asked for an edition of twenty prints. I printed all

of them, which isn't easy with a zinc drypoint plate - the burr that creates the

image tends to wear down.

The man didn't buy a single copy. That's the life of an artist for you. But, I don't

care, because after all this time, this is still one of my favorite pieces.

Thanks for visiting today.

Drypoint Etching of "L'Artiste"

NFS
This image was drawn, like my last post, on a piece of zinc, with
a diamond point. It was drawn from a book about the history of the
circus, and I know I should have more information than that,
but there was no photographic credit for this photo, and I was so
captivated by it , particularly the face, that I just went ahead and
drew it. As a matter of fact, I drew the face three times on three
separate plates! It is just a tiny collection of marks.

One wouldn't think it would cause such a problem - but I wanted
it to be perfect -- and finally, I felt it was. I just love the line
variation in dry point etching - for instance, in the side of
the ball, or the curve of her raised leg. It is not like anything
else. Sadly, I have never printed an edition of this

Thanks for visiting today.

Drypoint Etching of Colette after a photo by Cecil Beaton

NFS
I did this drypoint many years ago, back when I had first learned
how to use it. It was drawn on a zinc plate with a diamond point.
I did a pencil drawing first that was really loose and wild.

I remember that I sat down to work at about 5:00 pm, and didn't get
up again until it was finished at 2:00 in the morning (oh- to be able
to do that now......!). This is truly one of my favorite dry points I have
every done, because it shows all the variation of line of which the
dry point line is capable. It is so seductive. I rarely do these anymore.

My press is in storage because of lack of space. Perhaps that will change
soon. I certainly hope so. Printmaking was my fist experience of having
a "style" in my work - something which was talked about by my less-
enlightened teachers in graduate school as though it were something
you could go downtown and pick up at the variety store. It's something
that has to evolve on its own. And, I know now, having been a teacher
for 33 years, that it often is the result of an epiphany brought about
by an encounter with an inspiring medium. That is how it happened
for me.

Oil on Vellum Sketch of Nude Male

NFS
Although this looks like a life study, it was actually

painted from Eadward Muybridge's collection of

photographs The Human Figure in Motion. This

interesting study of men, women and children

in motion, using stop -action photography against

gridded backgrounds was done in the early 20th

Century, but has been reprinted and is available

today.

It is a fabulous reference source for anyone who

wants to practice figure drawing and doesn't have

a live model. The only drawback is that the pictures

are about 1.5" x 3". One can blow them up on a xerox

machine however. Some of them are very inspiring.

He was obviously much more interested in the mails

who, in general are in lively poses, including sports,

running, even wrestling. While he has his women

walking prettily up the stairs waving scarves, sweeping

and standing nicely by tables with pitchers.

The book is published by Dover Publications, in case

you are interested.

Thanks for visiting today.

Blue & Gold Lesli Triptych

NFS
This is an oil painting on board that I did several years ago. I
know that the pose is a bit strange, but I love the "arabesque"
created by her holding her arms up in the air like this. I was
happy with the iridescent quality of the turquoise fabric and
leaves in the side panels. There were supposed to be gold-leafed
spacers between the three panels, but the gallery owner who sold
the piece never got around to framing it that way, unfortunately.

Thanks for visiting today. My arm is healing, and I hope to be able
to begin doing some painting by the end of next week. Thanks to
all of you who have written in with comments of concern. I truly
appreciate that.