Some Recent Paintings

Oil on linen, 34 by 26 inches

Maris is a beautiful young lady who will soon graduate from high school and be on her way to the University of North Carolina. I want to commend her for being a great sitter through five sessions of about three hours each time. No, she did not sit continuously for three hours, but I had to make her take a rest periodically. "Maris, it has been forty-five minutes, do you need to rest?" I asked. "No, I'm fine," would be her reply.




My aunt sat for what I call a sketch, which I try to do in one sitting. This sitting lasted for five hours. She told me stories and I did not have her hold still the whole time. In fact, I never make a sitting hold perfectly still at any time. It is impossible. I will have them turn this way or that. After a time, their image is bruned into my memory and as will all painters, that is what you paint, even with the sitter in front of you.


Oil on linen, 26 by 22



There is an old dairy farm near where I live. It us nestled in the rolling landscape of western Stanly county, some of the most beautiful countryside you will ever see. I have spent hours exploring this farm at different times of the day and in changing weather. Below you will see three pieces. The first two are 5 by 7 sketches on masonite made at high noon in February. The lower painting was made on a rainy day in November. In fact, I think there were a few flakes of snow in the drizzle.






oil on linen 14 by 18

Please check in soon for more paintings and thank you for visiting my site. You may reach me at

mark@wornbristles.com

I would like to share these paintings with you. The first is a portrait of Betty Robertson, painted in the late fall of 2006.



Betty Robertson, oil on linen, 42x36, 2006.


Wesley is a smart young man who loves computers and math.


"Wesley", oil on linen, 34x26, 2006


This is a detail from a life-size, three-quarter portrait of Clyde Robertson I painted in 2000.

I would like to share with you my most recent portrait. It is of my sister, Ellen. I worked on this over the course of two weeks. The apple she is holding did not last that long.



The her image is life size, and the dimensions of the painting are 44 inches high by 38 inches wide. Oil on linen. This image shows only a portion of the overall painting. I will post a photo of the entire painting soon.

Figure Studies and Larger Pieces

Over the course of four days in February and March 2004, I made this copy of "Juan de Pareja" by Diego Velazquez at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The overall size is a few inches smaller in each dimension than the original. Copyists at the MET are not allowed to exceed 30 inches in any dimension. 30x25 oil on linen.



Here I am caught in the act of painting Juan de Pareja at the Met. I wore earplaugs to discourage would-be commentators and to just block out the general comings and going of people so I could concentrate. The progress of the painting makes me think this was taken on the third day of painting.



This painting is another I copied by Velazquez. It is entitled "El Primo". Mine is only two inches shorter than the original. 38x26 (if I recall correctly) Oil on linen. 2004



This next painting is a classic, academic painting of a model at the Art Students League in NYC. It is three-quarters life size. 52x28 oil on canvas July 2006



The next are two quick (one hour max.) sketches of a male model named Louis. Each 20x16. Oil on canvas. 2006






The next is of another model at the Art Student's League. Her name is Morgan. Oil on linen. 38x26 2006



These next two were painted in 1999 in my "Monet Period" (Said with tongue enbedded in cheek.) The crabapple trees are 40x30. The Spanish bluebells are 26x40 (or there abouts).





This last painting won a recognition award at the Art Students League in April 2004. It shows five yellow onions and one red onion. Oil on linen. 14x18




There will be more to come.

Thank you for looking in.

Mark

Recent Paintings

Here are a few paintings.

"Teresa" 50 inches by 38 inches. Oil on linen. Painted June 2006



The next painting is a copy of a painting by Peter Paul Rubens I made at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in July 2004. 30x24




The next painting is of a model at the Art Students League in NYC. The painting is 38x26. oil on linen



The next painting is entitled "In the Afternoon" (for lack of a better title). It is roughly 30x50. Oil on linen 2004



Julia, 20x16. Oil on canvas. Painted over two evenings in July 2006



The next is a 90-minute sketch of a model named Alan. November 2005 20x16, oil on canvas.



A 90-minute sketch of a model named Pedro. January 2006 24x18. Oil on masonite



A quick painting of roses in my parents' yard (May 2006) Oil on canvas, 18x24




The next is an unfinished work of a model that was fired for complaining about everything. You see the results of two morning's work, a total of about six hours. I was very disappointed to have it end because this was a very good start. Oil on linen. 38x26 (give or take). May 2006



This last one is a sketch I made of myself in December 2004. Oil on linen. 18x14



More will be coming.

Thank you for looking in.

Mark

Recent Paintings -

This blog page is under construction.

I will be posting images of my paintings here until I can set up a permanent website.

Regards to one and all,

Mark Stephenson