“Smoker” and “Girl with Yellow Finch”

I have just released the first paintings for 2014 at the Meyer East Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. They are also the first of the works to be included for my upcoming solo show at the gallery in June. Two of the four have sold immediately before I can post this but “Girl with Yellow Finch” and “Smoker” are still available.

Girl with Yellow Finch
“Girl with Yellow Finch” 12×9 inches, oil on panel SOLD
Smoker
“Smoker” 12×9 inches, oil on panel @ Meyer East, Santa Fe SOLD
Bound with Red Lace Mask ●
Bound with Red Lace Mask
Tesoro Mio ●
Tesoro Mio

Here is a recent studio photo with “Tesoro Mio” in progress on the easel…

fatimastudio

 

 

 

 

“The Dreamer” Watercolor and Acrylic Process

New painting available at Wally Workman Gallery solo exhibit

DEVOTION
October 8 – October 29, 2011
Collectors’ Preview 6-8pm First Thursday, October 6th
Opening Reception on Saturday, October 8 from 6 to 8pm

“The Dreamer” 40×30 inches, acrylic and watercolor on panel SOLD

I’d like to share my process for these new works. It has been a lot of fun experimenting in the studio. I’m never going to give up painting in oils but this foray into different media has been a nice little shakeup.

“The Runaways”

“The Runaways” 40×30 inches, acrylic and watercolor on panel SOLD

The genesis for these came from some watercolor and gouache sketches (experiments rather) that I’ve been playing with for the last couple of years.  See the drawing and in progress photos I took along the way… 

“The Runaways” graphite on paper, 17×14 inches

in progress photos:

Pictured above is a watercolor box from Kremer Pigmente. I’d like to try out their pan watercolors in the future. Brushes are Escoda Perla and Trekell golden taklon. Paints are various brands including Winsor and Newton, Holbein Irodori Antique, Rublev Natural Pigments and Daniel Smith. Support is Ampersand 2-inch cradled aquabord. Acrylics are Golden Fluid Matte and varnish are Krylon UV Clear Acrylic Coating and Gamblin GamVar.

Eye Miniatures

"Hand with Lover's Eye" 7x5 inches, oil on panel SOLD

I came upon eye miniatures on the Ornamentalist blog a few years ago quite by accident. I’ve always been interested in miniature portraits and mementos so the imagery stuck. The miniature portrait started showing up in my works in 2008 with “The Miniature” and an actual lover’s eye last year with “Soldier with Lover’s Eye.”

The surreal aspect of an isolated eye attracts me tremendously—the idea of physical dismemberment which is symbolic of a removal or estrangement of a loved one. For anyone who’s ever been in love or had a crush on someone, the photograph of the beloved is treasured. So these are portable remembrances before the camera so to speak. It also reminds me of the mexican ‘milagros’ – little charms of different body parts used to aid in praying for the healing of broken arms or hearts, or even eyes.

"The Wounded" 10x8 inches, oil on panel SOLD

Compositionally speaking, the framed ornamental eye gives context and a reason for a floating third or fourth eye in a painting. It’s a device of conceit: a portrait within a portrait. For me, it’s an iconic symbol about the figure represented not unlike the reliquaries of saints in old devotional images.  In this new series of works, the lover’s eyes are held by uniformed or exotically dressed figures that may have been away at war or estranged in some foreign land. Romance runs the gamut of emotions which can be symbolized by the language of flowers and even physically visible wounds.

"Wounded Hand with Lover's Eye" 7x5 inches, oil on panel SOLD


“A Long List of Offenses”

A Long List of Offenses

“A Long List of Offenses”
10×8 inches, oil on panel
SOLD
 

Rubens closely guarded his drawings as studio secrets and never showed them to the public. He thought they revealed too much of his labor. My own drawings often show a multitude of offenses and corrections… all of which are a visual record of how I think and compose. Drawings expose the evolution of one’s thoughts. Here is the compositional drawing for “A Long List of Offenses”