Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh my!

I was inspired to do this piece based on the concept of animal totems. I have alway been attracted to large cats. I often illustrate tigers in my work, but I have never painted one so large! The tiger symbol is often associated with power, ferocity and sensuality. In this image the woman comfortably stands next to the royal beast. 

The image to the right is the second stage of the painting. After I completed the sketch on the primed canvas (image below), I painted over the image with a raw umber. From there I used a soft cloth to carve out the figures and forms. The next step is to paint the entire image with a monochrome palette. 

Diana

Diana is complete!

The Tortoise and the Hare...

The other week I began adding color. I painted the two faces for two hours before I decided to wipe them off and start over. I tried to rush the process and it ended up taking longer with unsatisfactory results.
 The following day I returned to the studio and gave myself an hour to work. Limiting my time, forcing myself to slow down and focusing on a small area, made the process feel more manageable. This strategy is helpful because I often get excited about completing an image and forget how much time and patience it takes to make something of quality. I still have about fifteen more hours of painting before I can start thinking of the completed picture.
In the mean time I will reread the famous Aesop's Fable about the tortoise and the hare!

Persephone - A Change of Season

'A Change of Season' was inspired by the mythological story of Persephone. I am intrigued how the human figure can be used to illustrate the phenomenon of season change, when put into the context of a story. This image illustrates the moment Hades pulls Persephone to the underworld and marks the beginning of the winter season.
    I finished this oil painting two months ago. It is the first oil painting I completed after moving away from this medium eight years ago. After living with this piece in my house for a few months, it has reminded me of the love I have for oil painting. The oil medium produces a richness in color that compares with no other paint medium I have worked with.