“My work is what it is due to learning traditional art approaches and techniques. Hardware and software are just tools”
Lente Scura is a talented Italian artist based in Rome who combines two main techniques to create fascinating paintings: digital painting and photo-manipulation. The artist statement describes very well the concept of the dreamlike work: “Lente Scura takes the viewer on an emotional journey through visually striking digital compositions filled with dramatic anguish and beauty, giving insight into the complexity of emotions of the subjects of each painting”.
This artist’s academic background includes two bachelor’s degree —one in Literature and another one in Painting and Drawing— and a Master of Fine Art in Digital Art and Media. The roots of great masters’ techniques are present too, Lente Scura combines different styles: Surrealism movements of the early to mid-1900s, American painting of the mid-1800s, the German Expressionism and, of course, the classical painting of Italy.
“Volando di Nuovo Sulla Luna” by Lente Scura, inspired by model Ginger(image shared by artist)
In this Q&A Lente Scura explains how to use Photoshop to create unique paintings, the advantages of digital art, and provides valuable advice to young artists interested in digital art:
How do you start work — do you have any rituals?
I don’t have rituals in the strictest sense. I will, over the course of weeks, have inspirations and concepts mulling around in my head if you will. I tend to think about them and plan and design in this manner instead of spending large amounts of time fleshing out ideas on paper. This means the work is a stream of consciousness in its concept and its design. From there, it is finding the best references via stock images or scheduling time with art models to build the foundational elements. Once all resources are pulled together, I will make a rough and loose composition in Photoshop. That rough composition then becomes the underpainting layer. In traditional approaches, one will create a foundational sketch or underpainting and then create the final painting but building up layers. This is what I do, but I use a photographic based layer of arranged elements.
After the base composition is completed, I will create the final painting by using a painter over approach. This approach will slowly remove the foundation composition with a painted version that tends to be very different. Since I make changes as I work, the painting and the process will take on a stream of consciousness stage where I allow both technical consideration and mood and emotions to influence the final design and concept.
“Bellezza Che e Perduta” by Lente Scura, inspired by model InnaBG (image shared by artist)
How has your style changed over the years?
The amount of work is lessened in terms of volume. I think more about each work and its meaning. The focus on the conceptual meaning of work has forced me to slow down the volume of work.
I discovered Posespace when researching a concept I was developing. I was happy to discover their site and services and their reference material of the human form has helped greatly in the development of paintings and their concepts.
Why digital Art?
I come to prefer for now digital art. Digital art allows for a combination of planning and fluid editing. I have come to like the ability to adjust based on technical considerations and based on my mood and inspiration. One of the frustrating aspects of more traditional approaches is being locked into a composition or taking the pains to go back to the drawing board and start painting over. Digital art allows me to make edits, adjustments, and corrections with minor efforts and with very little lost production time.
“Distaccare” by Lente Scura, inspired by model Ginger (image shared by artist)
Do you have a favorite living artist, whether famous or completely unknown?
Not really. I tend to look to artists of the past, though there are many talented artists I see on social media that I follow. I would say there’s not one living today that I consider a favorite, though their work inspires me. Some of the artists listed below I admire and look up to and consider mentors. Only one is currently living and that is Odd Nerdrum, whose work affects me greatly.
What advice would you give to young artists interested in digital art?
Start with traditional art first. My work is what it is due to learning traditional art approaches and techniques. Hardware and software are just tools. They don’t make your work better and if you don’t have a firm traditional foundation, all the hardware and software will not help you. Having a well rounded traditional art background will allow you to transition to digital art and apply your knowledge easily. Equally, it will help you to push the technology in ways that have not been seen before. The artist is the visionary, technology of any form and making is just the tool.
“Il Falso Sogno” by Lente Scura, inspired by model AnaIv (image shared by artist)
Betsy and David Bangley are talented and experienced figure models located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Betsy studied Drawing at the University of Toledo in Ohio; years later she decided to become one of the models she admired during her studies and began working at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. Soon, she became known as “Pittsburgh’s smiling model”. Later, she trained her husband to model too. Now she is a seasoned figure modeling instructor and mentor.
This married figure model-team work in universities, colleges, galleries and art centers throughout the Pittsburgh area. Recently, they created an interesting project for figure drawing meetups, Pittsburgh Figure Drawing, where they create events and gather models and artists for unique life drawing sessions. Betsy and David also own a farm out in the countryside that grants not only privacy and comfort for outdoor sessions but also great opportunities to recreate scenes in a great variety of locations. They have even used a tractor to pull a trailer full of chairs and drawing boards along!
Figure models Betsy and David Bangley
In this Q&A art models Betsy and David Bangley share with PoseSpace how they became figure models, how they felt the first time they posed nude, interesting and funny anecdotes, as well as valuable advice and tips to anyone who wants to become an art model:
Betsy, you studied drawing at the University of Toledo in Ohio. How has modeling helped you improve your drawing skills?
Betsy: When I model, I listen to the instruction going on in university and community drawing classes. I get the best drawing instruction in the country for free! Beyond instruction, I get inspired. Seeing the participants’ work, feeling their excitement and sensing their struggles challenges me to get out my own pencils and charcoals and draw other models.
I also train other people who want to model by inviting them to join me at the open studio sessions David & I present. I take the first few gesture poses and then offer the new model a turn posing. I draw the other model, and share my work with them. Invariably, they’re excited to see themselves rendered in this ancient art form.
Would you recommend artists to model?
Betsy: I would recommend for artists to model. At the least, it gives you a sense of empathy for the work the model is doing. You understand the physical challenge better, but also, I think many artists are curious about what it must be like to be a model. When you draw, when you follow the contours of a model’s body, you sense to some degree what it feels like to be that other person, to be the model. Your mirror neurons fire as if you were holding the model’s pose even though you’re standing in front of an easel drawing. Actually holding a seated pose —even while clothed—for 25 minutes will tell you volumes about the experience of the model, and after all, isn’t that partly why we draw each other—to be in contact with our shared human experience?
David, Betsy trained you to model, how was this experience? Who had the idea?
David: Betsy had been modeling for a couple of years and found it to be a positive experience. I had been improving my diet and exercise routine. When I felt strong enough to endure a 3 or 4 hour class I asked to get involved. I think it’s important to state that you don’t need to be a bodybuilder to model, but you do need to have strength and endurance to do a good job. I have done 25 minute standing poses where it would have been more comfortable just to run a 5K for that length of time and be in motion.
I asked Betsy to prepare me by simulating the classroom environment and drawing my practice sessions. Seeing the drawings was very helpful, since it was the first chance to see how the pose was being interpreted. I had never thought about how my form presented itself to an observer in terms of line, shadow, and balance. These were all new skills I had to learn. It’s just not something ordinary people spend time thinking about.
Betsy was easy to work with, but I was concerned about how slowly the time clock moved, and how strong gravity was. There were lots of poses that I couldn’t hold steady as long as I imagined I could.
Betsy continues to train new models, and has it down to a science now. I’m proud to have been her first trainee.
You’ve been a production manager, a flight instructor, the co-owner of a farm and now a figure model. What valuable lessons has modeling taught you that your previous careers didn’t?
David: I worked in show business, but in technical roles. I didn’t do much performing. Modeling requires me to go into character like an actor. I recognized this slowly, but now getting into character is a key part of my preparation. I realize looking back on life that I was already doing that when I drove to the airport to teach flying. I “became” the flight instructor character to get the focus I needed, a revelation that came years later thanks to becoming a performance artist.
I also use the character of “figure model” to create a relaxed and confident atmosphere around the model stand. Some male models are blind to this and make women uncomfortable by sending a creepy vibe off the stand, even if it is unintentional and due to a lack of training and awareness. It does make it difficult for males to get hired at schools. We are not there to show off or find dates. Professionalism brings the bookings.
How did you feel the first time you posed nude? Can you tell us more about that moment?
Betsy: The first time I posed, I was clothed, and I recall the most difficult part of the experience was opening myself up to truly being seen —not as much in a physical sense, as in being seen as a person, having my eyes studied, my facial expression captured. It felt as if my thoughts were on view. By the time I first posed nude, I had gotten used to being seen and studied, and I was very comfortable with being seen nude. My concerns were more about the nuts and bolts of modeling. I wanted to provide a beautiful pose that I could hold for the four hour session. I was learning about how often I needed to take breaks, so I just sat still for as long as I could —about 45 minutes. I remember I didn’t know what to do with my thoughts, so I mentally calculated the Fibonacci sequence to 10,946 to fill the time. Nowadays, I know so much more about what I can comfortably hold. I know the importance of taking breaks every 25 minutes, and I relish the quiet time to meditate, to solve puzzles mentally and to listen to the class goings on.
David: We are both blessed with body confidence, so being nude around other people is not a challenge. Figure modeling for my first real art class was a big milestone for me. I’d wanted to try it since I learned that artists used models when I was in elementary school. That’s a long held life goal! As a kid I literally wanted to be an astronaut and a figure model. Why not aim for the most interesting jobs in the world?
How does it make you feel to see artwork inspired by you? Is there one in particular that you always remember or that had an impact on you?
Betsy: It’s tremendously gratifying to see artwork inspired by my modeling work. For a time, I was the only female model at an area art center. I delighted in seeing students develop their skills through an 8-week figure drawing course. When they had breakthroughs and were able to capture my form or a likeness of my face, I celebrated right along with them. It felt good to be part of their progress.
When I first began modeling, I thought that I would just be a stand-in for a bowl of fruit or still life. Just something to draw. Now, I realize that when I am expressive, strong and creative in executing my job, the artists pick up on my joy in my work, and they are inspired. My work animates their work. I love seeing artists in a flow state, enjoying what they are doing. I love hearing charcoal scratching paper furiously. I love the collaborative nature of modeling!
Artists have given me drawings and paintings of myself, and I feel tremendously privileged to receive a beautiful portrait of myself. Seeing yourself through the lens of another human’s perception gives you a new perspective on yourself. You see yourself redefined in fresh light. It feels like a very slowly rendered compliment.
David: I’m fascinated by the artist’s ability to interpret me into something new. A camera takes a picture of me, while I’m just an inspiration to the artist. How do you draw confidence? How do you draw life experience? I’ve been portrayed as younger, bolder, stronger than I really am. This means that the performative aspect of my work is being picked up by the artist.
My favorite painting was made during a Saturday afternoon class where Betsy stopped by to visit. The idea was to create a montage of figures, and Betsy modeled as a meditating character while my figure is seen in busy body gestures all around her. The poses were all done solo, with the artists combining them as they painted. The students, instructor, and models collaborated so well during that project – it was a magic few hours.
Airport meditation by Ryan McCormick inspired by art models Betsy and David Bangley.
Do you ever get bored while modeling? What do you think of while you hold your poses?
Betsy: I never get bored. There are times when my foot has gone to sleep, or a muscle is threatening to cramp, that I am anxious for the timer to sound, but I am never bored. I fill my time meditating, planning my week’s activities, or just listening to the drama around me. Sometimes I sense an artist’s struggle, sometimes I listen for wise instruction from a professor, sometimes I sense the class going along in a state of flow. It’s all interesting. When I got started as a model, David and I were running a small produce farm, and I would spend my modeling time rotating crops in my mind. Having time to be still is a boon whether I use it as spiritual time, listening & learning time, or problem-solving time.
David: I’ve never been bored. In a short pose I’m working ahead in my mind to the flow to the next pose in sequence. This is rapidly changing as arms and legs get tired and need to be rested as the poses change. Right leg at its limit? The next pose better utilize the left leg. But I also have to rotate on the stand and provide a visual flow. Some classes have sequences of 30-40 gesture poses in a row, a challenge I enjoy.
In long poses it’s an endurance contest. I am the general manager of an entire body. During the 25 minutes I’m motionless between breaks I monitor the locations of limbs I can’t see, down to individual fingers that need to stay put. Some parts may want to cramp, which can be avoided if I carefully change pressure distribution or flex just a little differently. I make slow, careful changes. Some limbs will fall asleep or hurt, and I am in charge of making a safety determination about breaking the pose early or not. I must actively monitor my facial expression so I don’t “zone out.” I monitor blood pressure so I don’t “black out.” There’s a lot of executive activity going on. Over the last few years I’ve developed an amazing sense of time, often knowing within 20 seconds out of 25 minutes when the timer is going to sound. I get this intuition that a minute is left, and count down from 60 seconds.
How did you come up with the idea of the Figure Drawing meetups? Can you tell us more about this project?
David: We don’t have a permanent studio in the city, and were seeking a “portable” studio so that artists can find us where we are working around town. The email list was getting cumbersome and was not interactive. The meetup has provided a mechanism to sign up for an event where we have limited space, and makes it easy to give directions to the venue. We also learned that some artists don’t feel confident walking in to the established galleries where the really experienced artists are doing commercial grade work. We wanted to provide a low key alternative for the beginners around the area. We are teachers at heart, and want the emphasis to be on providing an opportunity to experiment and learn.
Do you have any interesting/funny/scary anecdotes you could share with us?
Betsy: I have never felt scared while modeling. I quickly realized when I began modeling that the naked woman in the room holds all the power. The artists were tremendously considerate of me, asking if I was warm enough, if I had enough padding to cushion me, if I needed a break, and would I like a cookie!
As to funny and interesting anecdotes, I once was modeling nude on the stand for a figure drawing class, holding a 2-minute gesture pose, listening to charcoal sticks hurriedly scratching against newsprint when the door to the studio burst open and a police officer walked in. I held my pose until the instructor asked me to put my robe on and take a break. Apparently, a silent alarm in the old building had been inadvertently tripped, bringing one of our boys in blue to the rescue!
I have had air conditioner repairmen, prospective students on tours, and even wayward party-goers bust into the studio where I was modeling nude. I was happy to hold my pose as still as a statue while the instructor took care of the interruption. The party-goers were perhaps the funniest, as they were coming from an outdoor wedding at the park next door, and were looking for a restroom. A nude woman and a room full of artists was not at all what they expected!
David: We have to be careful with space heaters in the winter, and every model is at risk of fainting, but I wouldn’t describe those risks as scary. It does get interesting and funny at times. Because of our culture’s general unease about human bodies first year students often fumble their drawing boards to the floor making a tremendous clatter in an otherwise quiet studio. Sometimes you’ll hear two or three of these crashes in the same class. Betsy and I just take it as a compliment.
Has your perception of the human body or your own body changed after modeling for artists?
Betsy: When I started modeling, I felt confident about being seen nude, though I still had parts of my body I didn’t love. Watching artists draw and paint all of me, representing me as thinner or younger or realistically, and studying my own reactions to their work was instructive to me. I recall seeing a drawing that I felt made my tummy look fat. Then I studied it again, and realized the artist had represented me realistically, and that the womanly curves in my abdomen were acceptable, beautiful even. Seeing the beauty of the drawing as a whole allowed my perception of my body to shift.
I saw the graceful curves of my hips and butt in a drawing by another artist, and realized that I had aspects of beauty. More recently, I was surprised to hear some women artists express delight as they painted my midsection, “Betsy’s got such good abs!”
I came to accept myself, even if there are parts of me I want to change, I accept that all of me is good and worthy.
David: The takeaway for me is that both female and male bodies are beautiful subjects. Our current culture is biased towards the female body as a standard of beauty, but if you’ve ever been to a dance performance you’d know that we’re missing something. I’ve learned that bodies are universally beautiful things and I don’t need mass media to interpret that for me.
Betsy: I appreciate the work of the photographers and models whose photos are up on your site. I went right to your site when I began modeling to find elegant and artful poses, and I return to gain fresh inspiration. I also recommend your site to beginning models who are looking for pose ideas.
David: The Art Institute of Pittsburgh had all the Live Model Books in the library, and I would have been an idiot not to study the poses. So I did! I also followed the website, with particular interest in the couple poses when Betsy and I started working together. We needed some sort of baseline to figure out how we could model together and not make it too erotic for a classroom. Posespace got there first and was a valuable study tool for us. It’s common to hear our instructors telling the students about posespace.com. It’s a well known resource.
How do you view the current state of art modeling?
Betsy: I am concerned that new models miss the benefit of learning from experienced models. I had a friend who shared important advice and instruction with me when I began modeling. Without her I would have been lost. However, I still had to figure out a lot of details like where to find pose ideas, how long to hold poses, the importance of holding an eye-point to keep from bobbing my head, and how to find poses that wouldn’t pinch nerves or over stress muscles. And, I discovered the importance of walking to stay fit and doing yoga to stay flexible. I share all of these things with my modeling students, and am glad to be able to share the benefit of my experience with them.
David: We are both proponents of training instead of “diving into the deep end” which has been the standard for new models. A little bit of training makes a class run better for all stakeholders. We have developed a process that starts with classroom simulation, followed by a first real assignment working with a mentor model. The mentor does the first short poses, followed by the trainee. Then the mentor does the first long pose, again followed by the trainee. This makes the first solo assignment easy.
At PoseSpace we frequently receive messages from people who want to become art models but are scared or don’t know how to start this career. What would you recommend to them?
Betsy: The first thing I recommend is for a potential model to go to an open studio session in person and watch a model work with an eye to doing it themselves. They may be able to talk with the model during breaks to get their insights. There is nothing better than talking with a working art model.
Here are the basics I tell all my modeling students: First, be safe. Take breaks every 25 minutes for at least 5 minutes. If you ever feel the least bit faint, sit down quickly and safely. Don’t worry about alerting the artists or instructor before breaking your pose, just land safely, and put your head down to return blood supply to your brain. Even fit, young art models faint due to low blood pressure, and the artists will thank you for preventing an injury by breaking your pose.
As to choosing poses, models hold two types of poses: short gestures of from 1 to 5 minutes or so, and longer poses of up to several hours. The gesture poses are meant to present stilled motion —dancing, playing a sport, or having an argument. The longer poses are meant to be something you can hold and get back into. In both cases, you are always searching for the most dynamic and expressive pose you can hold for the prescribed period of time. You find out what you can hold through experience!
It always helps to put a twist in your pose. Twisting adds complexity and creates beautiful lines. You might want to try some poses out yourself, and have a friend or partner take a photo with your phone so you can see what the pose looks like.
Probably the most important thing in modeling is to show up for every booking. If you accept a modelling job and then find you can’t work that date — you change your mind, you get sick, or your car breaks down — it’s critical that you alert the person who hired you. When the model doesn’t show up for the session, the artists who have prepared, gotten excited about getting to draw, and taken the time to show up and pay for the session, are left with nothing. It’s a terrible feeling. You are like a surgeon. Without you, nothing happens.
David: Best advice is to go talk to a figure model about it. Failing in that, talk to the coordinator of an open studio session. Don’t expect to model right away, ask to observe a drawing session and demonstrate that you are reliable and willing to learn. Many of the men who contact me want to jump right in and get naked, but won’t show up for training. That’s an instant way to disqualify yourself.
Do you see yourself as an art model for the rest of your life?
Betsy: I plan to model for as long as I can comfortably work. I have met an 80 year old model and admired his work, but I also know that due to the physical nature of the job, I will probably bow out before I reach that milestone.
David: Nope! It requires strength and endurance that I won’t have forever. I’m lucky everyday that I wake up healthy enough to do this.
“During my forties I joined a few artist’s workshops and discovered that I could draw with pastels”
French artist Jean-Pierre Leclercq defines himself as a traditional painter. He enjoys working with pencils, pastels and oil paint. His work involves romantic symbolism and exalts the female silhouette. Jean-Pierre’s paintings are realistic, delicate and beautiful.
This talented artist started his career in 2003, after turning 40 years old. Leclercq’s hard work and effort, along with the study of the great academic artists allowed him to succeed in his artistic career. In 2012 he was one of the finalists of the 11th International ARC competition and has showcased his work in many galleries and exhibitions in France.
“Conque”, painting by Jean-Pierre Leclercq
In this Q&A French artist Jean-Pierre Leclercq shares with PoseSpace an interesting story of how he got into art, which artists have influenced his work and how the Art Renewal Center inspired his artistic career:
When did you first know you wanted to become an artist?
I never really wanted to become an artist. I love art, all kinds of art. I also play music but for me drawing comes naturally. It has always been there; paper and colored pencils were part of my childhood. I didn’t choose an artistic career because mathematics was safer and, since I am colorblind, painting usually ruined my drawings. It was during my forties that I joined artist’s workshops and where I discovered that I could draw with pastels, at first because the colors were written on the sticks, and later I got into painting by selecting the colors I needed carefully and by frequently asking people around me for feedback.
How did you get started with New Realism Art?
My interest in academic painters allowed me to discover the ARC and all this movement of renewal of this painting style. I had the chance to live in Versailles for a long time and I was able to visit the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay regularly.
Which painters have influenced you? Any contemporary artist?
First the 19th-century painters, French artists like Gérôme, Bouguereau, Lefevre, Cabanel, and others like Waterhouse ou Alma-Tadema. I was also very impressed by an exhibition at the Petit Palais on Sargent and Sorolla. Among contemporary painters, I particularly enjoy Zhaoming Wu and Jeremy Lipking for their lights. I am fascinated by Roberto Ferri’s flesh and I had the pleasure of doing a one-week internship with Shane Wolf who is a great painter and a great teacher.
“Olivia 1” by Jean-Pierre Leclercq inspired by oliviap051
Do you have a favorite PoseSpace.com model?
I love Olivia Preston and I am working on a long project with Thea.
Tell us one thing you thought you knew, that it later turned out you were wrong about.
About the sketch I learned the hard way that you always have to fix the graphite pencil before painting. Besides, I only use charcoal for my preparatory sketches.
When did you first know you wanted to become an artist?
Je n’ai jamais vraiment voulu être un artiste. J’aime les arts, tous les arts. Je fais aussi de la musique mais pour moi le dessin est juste naturel. Il a toujours été là, feuilles et crayons ont accompagné mon enfance. Je n’ai pas choisi une carrière artistique car les mathématiques étaient plus sûrs et comme je suis daltonien la peinture venait souvent gâcher mes dessins. C’est vers la quarantaine que j’ai intégré des ateliers d’artistes et où j’ai découvert que je pouvais dessiner aux pastels tout d’abord parce que la couleur était inscrite sur les bâtons puis je me suis mis à la peinture en sélectionnant bien les couleurs à utiliser et en demandant régulièrement un retour de la part de mon entourage.
How did you get started with New Realism Art?
Mon intérêt pour les peintres “académiques” m’ont permis de découvrir l’ARC et tout ce mouvement de renouveau de ce style de peinture. J’ai eu la chance de vivre longtemps à Versailles et de pouvoir assez facilement et donc très régulièrement me rendre au Louvre et au musée d’Orsay.
Which painters have influenced you? Any contemporary artist?
Tout d’abord les peintres du XIX, les français comme Gérôme, Bouguereau, Lefevre, Cabanel et d’autre comme Waterhouse ou Alma-Tadema. J’ai aussi été très marqué par une exposition au Petit Palais sur Sargent et Sorrola. Parmi les peintres contemporains, j’apprécie particulièrement Zaoming Wu et Jeremy Lipking pour la lumière. Je suis fasciné par les chairs chez Roberto Ferri et j’ai eu le plaisir de suivre un stage d’une semaine avec Shane Wolf qui est un grand peintre et un grand professeur.
Do you have a favorite PoseSpace.com model?
J’adore Olivia Preston et je travaille sur un long projet avec Thea.
Tell us one thing you thought you knew, that it later turned out you were wrong about.
A propos de l’esquisse j’ai appris à mes dépens qu’il faut toujours fixer le crayon graphite avant de peindre. D’ailleurs je n’utilise plus que du fusain pour mon dessin préparatoire.
“The world will not (and should not) settle for warmed-over mediocrity. Artists were made to be extraordinary”
Lewis Braswell defines himself as a Christian artist who seeks “to remind the viewer of his or her relationship in the divine dialogue among God and people”. His work —inspired by the Renaissance masters— explores the human male figure as well as the meaning of manhood, expressed primarily with charcoal and washes on surfaces.
This talented artist has always been fascinated by the way the human body can tell a story and this became his passion. Braswell was born in North Carolina, got a bachelor degree in Science in Religion at the University of Mount Olive and recently earned his bachelor of Fine Art at the University of Central Florida. He has participated in several exhibitions and has worked as Art Gallery Assistant and Art Teacher and Instructor.
“The Spirit of God” by Lewis Braswell (image shared by artist)
In this Q&A artist Lewis Braswell shares with PoseSpace how he combines art and religion, the challenges he faces with the nude figure and how he learned to appreciate cinema and video games:
What are your goals or aspirations as an artist?
As an artist with a basis in faith, I seek to mimic the Creator by acting creatively. I try to choose subject matter that gives the most effective means of doing this and in this way I worship the Creator. Ultimately, the art must reflect my heart and be clearly evident to the viewer. If this does not happen, the art is a failure.
Do you have a favorite living artist, whether famous or completely unknown?
Undoubtedly, my favorite artist is Michelangelo. His work is completely descriptive of what is necessary for any artist to expect of him or herself. Michelangelo saw the best of what was around him and made it better in his own work. That is what today’s artists have to keep in mind. The world will not (and should not) settle for warmed-over mediocrity. Artists were made to be extraordinary.
What challenges do you face working with the nude figure?
The nude figure provides for me the most timeless and expressive way in which to engage a viewer. The challenge, given the complexity of the figure, is in moving the viewer beyond what may be understood as familiar and requiring that they ask the tough questions that he or she may be avoiding. Because the human body can be used to represent something literal as well as something ideal or symbolic, there often arises difficulty in an interpretation. My preference is that the art will speak beyond any hesitancy in comprehension and meet the viewer at exactly that point of resonance.
Drawings by Lewis Baswell inspired by PoseSpace models Jesse, JohnV (image shared by artist)
How do you use PoseSpace.com’s photos?
I have tried to learn how to represent the figure through several means and the photos have been key in my initial understanding of anatomy and movement. In referencing these photos, I have repeatedly found that my later drawings from imagination have a much higher level of information to provide. PoseSpace and the Art Model Books are really providing some of the absolute best resource material for artists of the figure. I tell drawing students about them all the time.
How do you start drawing — do you have any rituals?
Beginning a drawing is very special and may be different each time. The surface material upon which I work usually initiates a direction and gives information on my choice of medium. It is significant to me how I find this material. I often look for suitable drawing surface material in the trash and the discovery of a something useful is, to me, priceless. The size of the surface material is also very important and a formulation of possible compositions may develop just from understanding the dimensions. All of this takes place both physically and mentally before any kind of mark is made on the surface material, but I see it as beautiful and necessary. Basically, I try to let the surface have the first say in what develops.
“Study for Life” by Lewis Braswell (image shared by artist)
Tell us one thing you thought you knew, that it later turned out you were wrong about
Lately, I have been forced to recognize the artistic elements of cinema and video games. I am such a traditionalist that for a long time it was inconceivable for me to acknowledge these contemporary methods of visual artmaking. However, in learning the level of dedication and persistence of the workers in these fields and in experiencing some quality pieces for myself, I must say that I am sometimes very impressed.
“I clearly and seriously believe the human form is the highest and most meaningful subject matter to consider for art”
Les Satinover is an American figurative artist whose primary concern is “to capture the figure, primarily male, through this prism, evoking strong emotions for the viewer in the encounter of Flesh and Form”. Even though idealized male figures stand out in most of his paintings, also landscapes have an important presence. He moved to Austin, Texas, a few years ago —from North Scottsdale, Arizona—, and this change of environment had an impact in his creative process.
His work is colorful, realistic, honest and beautiful. Satinover’s techniques show a background in art studies: in the 70s he got an MFA and a BFA degree in Painting and Drawing, and since then he has participated in several art shows and earned many recognitions. However, he worked for 36 years in a successful parallel career in corporate retail design. It wasn’t until 2012 that he retired and decided to work full-time on his own art.
Painting by Les Satinover (image shared by artist)
In this interview, Les Satinover shares with PoseSpace how he got into art, which artists have inspired him, how Austin’s landscape has influenced his work and his thoughts regarding the male body in art:
When did you first know you wanted to become an artist?
My earliest inclination as a teen was exclusively creative leaning and I began drawing in pencil and pastel, graduating into watercolor (I received a junior high school summer watercolor scholarship to Cal Sate Northridge, CA). Before I could drive, I took my bicycle to the local library after school, poured over every artist monograph and art history tome, checked those out that met my interests in representational subject matter, and would go home and make studious copies. I intuitively selected great master work such as the still-lifes of Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin, and the domestic interior scenes of Johannes Vermeer, that captured all the jeweled light and interior spatial evocations that stir me to this day. I simply remember that I ALWAYS felt that I would be an artist, so there were never any inner conflicts as a young man or frustrations in trying to settle on a purpose in and meaning for my life.
Painting by Les Satinover (image shared by artist)
A few years ago you moved to Austin, has this new location influenced your work? If so, how?
This is a perfect question in light of my recent work and one that I submitted to you – wherein I incorporated my own self imagery and two models from your catalogue. The Austin Hill Country is simply resplendent with verdant landscape, rolling hills and oak and cedar trees, that are expressive and abundant. I painted my self portrait as a take on an artist with models in the natural setting of the beautiful Lake Travis area. The area’s sunlight, water and rocks is quite breathtaking and parallels my imaginative panoramic expressions of western landscape coupled with pairing forms in deep space. And Austin is also a hub of creativity, artistic expression and a certain degree of open-mindedness.
In an interview for LandEscape you mentioned that you want to “push for the acceptance of the nude form”. What challenges have you faced working with the nude figure?
I clearly and seriously believe the human form is the highest and most meaningful subject matter to consider for art. Throughout many centuries preceding the 20/21 century, in western art, male nudes as a classical subject was de rigueur and a large part of the canon and studio/atelier practice. I want to strategically bring back an acceptance of the male form particularly along with the appreciation of its beauty and majesty. That being said, there is still a social inhibition that attaches shame to representations of men without clothes. So, my work is honest, but not prurient!
Do you have a favorite PoseSpace.com model or book?
I can’t say that I do, however I think your service and quality in the provision of source material is invaluable.
Do you have any shows or activities on the horizon that you’d like to tell our readers about?
How do you view the state of figure art in the current art culture?
I think figurative art today is expansive, rich, sometimes steeped in a classical pedigree, inventive, infinite in possibilities and exciting!
What advice do you have for amateur figurative artists who have a special interest in the male figure?
The subject matter is still a pretty tough sell to commercial art galleries, but I am fortunate in that selling it is not a dictate for the work I love and do.
I retired from a 36 year career in corporate retail design and went into my full time studio practice in 2012. I work entirely in service of my own vision without the financial requirement to make sales. Validation is an extra. What comes after that is fate.
Painting by Les Satinover (image shared by artist)
“My work is exclusively focused on the human figure and consequently I have been a longtime fan of PoseSpace”
Brian Smith is a professional artist, award-winning graphic designer, and art professor from Canada. He started his artistic career as a designer in 1969 and created his own business in 1979. Smith and his team earned several design awards and in 2004 he decided to become a full-time artist and focus on his fine art pieces —something he had been already doing on the side for many years.
Soon after leaving his company, Smith gained more recognition as a professional artist. In 2005 he was awarded the title of Honorary Drawing Master by the Drawing Society of Canada, in November 2008 he was named Artist of the Month by American Artist magazine and even got featured on TV on the show “Star Portraits” in 2009. Brian has also been teaching life drawing, portraiture and figurative abstraction for over 30 years in colleges and universities in Canada —such as the Ontario College of Art and Design University and the Haliburton School of The Arts—, as well as at his own studio.
In this Q&A Canadian artist Brian Smith shares with PoseSpace how he got into art, what artists influenced his work, how he discovered figurative abstraction and what he always says to his art students:
Can you tell us about your background and how you got into art?
I am very fortunate to be the son of a full-time artist. My mother was a fashion illustrator and spent her working days as well as her time off, drawing people. So it was natural for me to become enamored with the idea of figurative work. At the age of 21, I was accepted directly into 2nd year on full scholarship at the Ontario College of Art and Design, graduating in 1969. Over the next 37 years I was a professional graphic designer including running my own business from 1979-2004, and my staff won over 90 international design awards over that period. In 2004 my two senior employees bought the company and I was then able to focus more on my fine art work that I had been doing all along in the background. From 1985 to the present I have been teaching drawing and painting the figure at several post-secondary colleges and universities as well as conducting workshops across Canada and a Master Class in my own studio.
You’ve earned several awards. From your personal view, what’s been your greatest artistic success?
In January 2005, I was awarded the title of Honorary Drawing Master by the Drawing Society of Canada. Gerrit Verstraete, co-founder of the Drawing Society, noted that to receive this honour, an artist must “demonstrate a substantial commitment to drawing as well as mastery of drawing techniques. They have developed a body of work that positions drawings as complete works in themselves and not just preparatory work or ‘studies’ for paintings. A Canadian drawing master is an artist who loves to draw, who draws well, who is comfortable in one or any number of styles and who has spent many years creating drawings that in turn have become valuable contributions to Canada’s overall artistic heritage.” Previous inductees have included Robert Bateman, Peter Mah, Eric Freifeld and Ken Danby. Pretty good company.
What do you think of PoseSpace? Do you prefer books or individual poses?
My work is exclusively focused on the human figure and consequently I have been a longtime fan of PoseSpace. I am fortunate to live in a large metropolitan area and have fairly easy access to many excellent models. However, PoseSpace offers me the opportunity to choose different model “looks” and poses at a price that is very reasonable. One of the features I most like is the ability to see the pose from 16 angles and choose my pose from the various nuanced angles. Most of my PoseSpace purchases have been books/DVDs which give me an even further discounted price as well as so many more poses and angles.
Tell us one thing you thought you knew, that it later turned out you were wrong about
For the first 40 years of my fine art career I focussed on classical red chalk drawing of the figure much like da Vinci and Michelangelo. And, as I improved my skills over those years, I thought I had reached a pinnacle in my art. In 2002 I discovered figurative abstraction thinking: “How hard can abstraction be?” However, after 40 years of accurate, proportional, well-rendered figures, I discovered I knew nothing about abstraction and that it was immensely more difficult, more challenging, and therefore, more rewarding than lifelike, classical drawing. So, here I am at 74, deeply in love with being an artist and challenged every day I go to my studio to create work that is meaningful and maybe just a little bit better than the art I did yesterday.
How has your style changed over the years?
As I mentioned, I was classically trained in the typical red chalk drawing style of da Vinci and Michelangelo from the time I was 18 years of age. My goal for the next 40 years was to develop that specific skill in order to capture the essence of the model in a classical drawing. I still do classical drawing every week and I do regard it as the foundation of all my art. However, when I was invited to be a member of a 3-person exhibition at a major Toronto gallery, we decided (out of the blue) to spend the year leading up to the opening date, being more abstract in our work. The other two artists seemed to understand what “more abstract” meant and showed some very exciting and strong work. I, however, clearly had no idea how difficult abstraction would be and consequently, my work paled beside the other two artists. And the challenge for me began. Over the past nearly 20 years, I have explored figurative abstraction, bumped soundly into dead ends, thrown away a serious amount of canvas and paper, and have
also had some very exciting results. And I continue to grope my way into a style that I enjoy and that gives me satisfaction without becoming formulaic. Life is good!
What advice would you give to young artists just starting their careers?
I tell my students all the time to “Show up for work!” The great thing about being an artist is that, if you want to be a better artist, you simply do more art. So, show up for work as often as you can —even if you are not working on “the big project”—, just show up and work/play at your art.
“My interest in the human figure as a subject is at the absolute foundation of what I enjoy doing as an artist”
Roy Stanton is a talented American artist based in Florida. Even though he has been interested in art ever since he was a little boy, he also studied Zoology in the University of Florida and worked as an animal trainer at the Busch Gardens Zoo for a few years. Later, Stanton took a different path in his professional career and started painting and sculpting, followed by studies of Digital Art and Computer Animation at the University of Washington.
Stanton is also an actor with a solid background in stage and film. He played Major Joe Williams on SyFy original series “Z Nation”. His interest in horror, science fiction, and fantasy is also present in his sculptures, paintings and graphics. This artist’s most recent solo show at the West of Lenin gallery in Fremont was called “Heroes, Villains and Monsters”.
Frankenstein by Roy Stanton (image shared by artist)
In this Q&A artist Roy Stanton shares with PoseSpace how he got into art, what he has learned on open studio sessions, who are his favorite living artists and why Vaunt is his preferred model:
Can you tell us about your background and how you got into art?
Having a father who was a frustrated graphic artist (his family never encouraged him to follow through on the goal) meant I was exposed to drawing at a very early age through the pieces he would create at home, and I think being a fairly shy child meant I would spend more time on my own drawing than playing outside with other kids. Even so, I think a book my older sister gave me, “The Great Comic Book Heroes”, was the catalyst that really set up artwork as a permanent part of who I am. In fact, my earliest career aspiration was to be a comic book artist. That changed when I discovered and started paying attention to fine art and pop art, realizing the potential of telling stories and communicating ideas through a single image. My interest in sculpture came later and for a time dominated my artistic endeavors, but, eventually, I found that the enjoyment I get from simply putting pencil to paper and drawing is, for me, really unmatched by any other artistic pursuit.
As for making a living from it, ultimately I’d say that I’m a semi-professional artist, in that I’ve never solely made my living by it, but at times it has contributed a great portion of my income.
You’ve been attending an open studio on weekends, what have you learned throughout this experience?
I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is the extremely valuable use of a model in creating imagery. For many years, after completing my formal instruction, I was doing work without using a model of any kind. In some cases I just didn’t have access to one, but other times I simply was so taken with an idea I would dive in and ignore the step of working out a pose with a model. I wouldn’t say that was detrimental, but going back to an open studio I was reminded of all that I had forgotten from not looking at a model. By the same token, when I discovered the PoseSpace website and started using the photos as reference, it was a similar revelation: it told me what I didn’t know, and helped me to polish my skills in composition and basic figure drawing.
Do you have a favorite PoseSpace.com model or book?
As a matter of fact, I do; I love using Vaunt for a lot of my prelim sketchwork. She does some terrific pose work and has a body and face type that I like using in my painting and sculpture. I often get a “femme fatale” vibe from her, and those tend to be the females I like to depict: ones that have an edge and some complexity to them.
Drawing of model Vaunt by Roy Stanton (image shared by artist)
What are your goals or aspirations as an artist?
I think at this stage of my artistic life I’m more open to exploration than ever before, and am trying out new media as well as technique. I still have a strong interest in portrait work, but I’d like to get back to a little more symbolism in my paintings and re-acquaint myself with oil in creating those images. I have been greatly inspired by my new home in south Florida as well; we’re surrounded by amazing wildlife, birds in particular. I think I’d like to capture many of the birds as the subjects of my new portraits. That doesn’t mean I won’t be using people in my art as well, I think my interest in the human figure as a subject is at the absolute foundation of what I enjoy doing as an artist, so I can guarantee that I’ll be continuing to utilize open studio and PoseSpace as resources for future work.
Do you have a favorite living artist, whether famous or completely unknown?
I have three that stand out in particular: Kehinde Wiley, because his paintings are monumental, yet retain an unmistakable sense of life; and in the less “fine art” realm, Adam Hughes and Alex Ross. Hughes is a master of form and pose, while Ross brings a realism and humanity to his watercolor work that is unmatched.
Where do you get your imagery from?
Predominantly from the twisted avenues of my own mind. It’s a pretty wild time in there, I gotta tell you.
Tell us one thing you thought you knew, that it later turned out you were wrong about.
I think that would have to be the notion that there was an endpoint in growing as an artist; that the education would, at some point, be over. Completely wrong. To be honest, I find that each image, at its beginning, holds the same excitement as the first, and the same challenges. Will it work? Can I accomplish what I want? Granted, I have the benefit of experience to bolster me up when those concerns pay me a visit, but I have to say that getting that little bit of uncertainty definitely keeps boredom from setting in. Give me a new problem to wrestle with, a new challenge to solve, and I’m a very happy artist.
“I really enjoy being a freelance artist, spending my time working on the things I love”
Carol Heyer is an American full-time illustrator and writer who usually combines fantasy, sci-fi and realism in her work. She has created 30 children’s picture books—among them Humphrey’s First Christmas and Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude— and has earned several state awards. She has also worked for prestigious companies such as Disney and Scholastic, and even wrote Thunder Run, a film released by Cannon Films.
Her rescued dogs, Peanut and Cashew Nut, are her studio companions and coworkers. This talented freelance artist is constantly working on new projects. A few months ago, Heyer’s painting for a fantasy series, “The Root Doctor”, won a Finalist Award in the CFA, The Circle Foundation For the Arts contest.
“Rootdoctor”. Fantasy Art 30 inches by 40 acrylic /Circle Foundation of the Arts Finalist (image shared by artist)
In this Q&A artist Carol Heyer shares with PoseSpace how she got into illustration, who are her favorite artists, how PoseSpace helps her develop her art and what life experiences influenced her work:
Can you tell us about your background and how you got into illustration?
My mother was a great artist and she taught me how to draw when I was a young child. She instilled a love of art that never left me. My father was artistic too. He made gold rings cast from wax forms. Eventually he started making contemporary sterling silver jewelry. I learned jewelry making from him and made jewelry for a few years.
I took art in high school and then when I went to college, they asked me what my major was, I said art and I’ve never stopped painting and drawing. I work mainly with acrylic paint on portrait canvas and prefer working larger, at least 30” X 40”.
Which artist or painter has influenced you?
There are so many, but I think my all-time favorite is still Maxfield Parrish. I love his colors, the contrast between cool and warm. I also like N.C. Wyeth and Andrew Wyeth.
Have PoseSpace photos and books helped you in your artistic career?
Definitely! For years now, I’ve bought all of the books offered and many, many of the individual poses and sessions for various freelance assignments I’ve worked on.
How?
Well I’m a full time illustrator with little time to hire models. So I take full advantage of PoseSpace and all of the amazing photos. I’ve painted angels, and wizards, book covers, educational art et al. I always say I’ve painted everything from bookmarks to book covers! I prefer to work realistically and having great reference is essential for me to get the results I’m after. I often take several PoseSpace images and meld them together to fit my composition.
Angel drawing by Carol Heyer based on michael 022—01 (image shared by artist)
What is the importance of gesture drawing for you?
Figure drawing is really important in all my work. Gesture drawing brings a spark of movement and energy to all of my illustrations, from humor to realism.
Do you have any shows or activities on the horizon that you’d like to tell our readers about?
I was invited to show my art at in the TRAC 2019 Invitational Show, (The Representational Art Conference). I currently have three paintings on display. The name of the show is Imagine and the art leans toward fantasy, which is my specialty. Among the artists showing are Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell and Roger Dean, etc. all artists at the top of their field.
I’m also working on a new children’s Halloween picture book and I’m having so much fun creating the characters and writing the text.
I like to have at least three easels going at the same time. I.E., one with fantasy art, another with children’s illustration and of course one with my current assignment. If I find I get bogged down on one painting, I switch to another and work on it for a while. Then I can go back to my original work with a fresh eye.
What life experiences have influenced your work?
I worked for several companies in their art departments, including a movie production company. There I worked on story boards and production art, as well as writing. One of my scripts Thunder Run was produced and released in theatres. Another was produced and released to video. I worked there for some years before going out on my own to become a freelancer, illustrating and writing children’s picture books et al.
I really enjoy being a freelance artist, spending my time working on the things I love.
Tiziano Gilardoni was born in Italy in 1974 and is currently living in a small town near Milan. He is a self-taught artist who creates beautiful sculptures using modeling clay and plaster. Even though his favorite expressive medium is sculpture, he is also a talented photographer and painter.
After studying Gilardoni’s work, anyone can understand the value that this artist gives to lines, light, textures and emotions. He can capture images of the Uriezzo Gorges and make viewers admire nature’s composition or draw a nude female model and encourage people to praise her or sculpt a mermaid and arouse powerful feelings in the audience.
“The Mermaid”, sculpture by Tiziano Gilardoni (image shared by artist)
In this Q&A artist Tiziano Gilardoni shares with PoseSpace how he discovered sculpting, how Rodin influenced his work, who is his Art Model muse and how he explores different styles:
When did you first know you wanted to become an artist?
If I look back to my childhood I remember I took in my hand a brush earlier than a pencil. There is no precise time in my life when I decided that. When I grew up I attended technical studies but I never stop drawing and painting during my free time. Then there have been times in which I worked nonstop on many projects in parallel and times when I created very few works.
I’m not sure I’m an artist… of course, I produce something that could be addressed as pieces of arts in the common sense, but I think that this definition should have deeper implication in the social impact of the works, time will tell.
You draw, paint, sculpt and even do photography… how did you develop all of these artistic skills?
I used to be a self-taught painter and an amateur photographer until I decided to attend a part-time 2 year course at the Italian Institute of Photography in Milan (IIF). This gave me the motivation and the critical view to seek harder for the topics and the fields of expressions I really felt belonging to me. Then in the following three years I attended some courses in the local art academy to improve my technique in life drawing. And in the meanwhile I discovered sculpting, that has been literally a revelation: I’ve never considered that could fit my way of expression until the first time I modeled a piece of clay, and from then on I realized it was the most natural and comfortable way for me. It has been the real driver to study human anatomy.
I’m convinced that art is a continuous flow: after a while that I deal with the same subject or the same technique I feel that I’m becoming self-referential, therefore I try to focus on a different topic, to experience something new or I even jump from sculpting into photography or drawing. And each project has its proper language that best fit to it: one shall be expressed by drawing, another could only be represented by a statue, and a third can only be a black and white photo. In the end, I started developing some skills to find my way, now I try to learn new skills that could fit the ideas I have in mind.
Which artists have influenced you?
I saw the marble of The Kiss at an exhibition in Milan, I started turning around it and I would never stop… in that time I understood that Rodin would have been my reference for sculpting. Sculptors can be divided in two groups: those who create a statue with a main view, and those who think that all the point of views are equally important. Rodin belongs to the second, and me too. When I work on a figure I want it to communicate something from each point of view: as long as the observer turns around it he/she should find new details, a foreshortening that provide an impression never felt before, or an unfamiliar point of view that compel him/her to stop and look again, literally a physical journey around it.
And then I like the color and the technique of Redon, the “flat” fields of color of Gauguin, the portraits of Helmut Newton, the atmospheres of Jeff Wall and the high contrasts of Salgado.
Do you have a favorite PoseSpace model or product?
The one I used most is the pose set of Vaunt. I liked this shooting very much because the poses fit pretty well with the ideas I had in mind, both for sculpting and drawing. But I also have some paper book as reference, I usually go through them when I have some new project in mind and I want to figure out the right posture and details.
“A World Apart” sculpture by Tiziano Gilardoni (image shared by artist)
Do you have a favorite source of materials?
I like to go to exhibitions and look at the work of other artists, and I also look at art sites on the web. All these provide me suggestions and techniques for future experiments. But the ideas for my projects usually come from everyday life and go through a long process of sedimentation and rethinking, only when I have clear in mind what I want I finally start working.
How has your style changed over the years?
I like figurative art and even if sometimes I explore new combinations, I think I will remain linked to figurative topics. And I’m moving towards simplification, both in subjects and shapes. Looking back to the last years I know that I usually oscillate between “color” and “monochrome” times: I really like powerful colors, when I decide to work with then I privilege saturation and vividness, they really become the key point of the composition; then after a while I come back to the monochrome, especially when I use photography, it is a kind of catharsis to clean the mind from the resonance of colors and prepare myself for the next step.
“I believe in the power of art to provoke and expand society’s re-imagination”
Joseph Pearson is an American artist based in Asheville. He paints people and figures using pastel pencil, charcoal and oil. His art embraces the social realism concept: he enjoys drawing scenes from the street and mirroring a reality. In this artist’s paintings, you can find a woman in a coffee shop scrolling through her smartphone or a young boy getting a haircut in the barbershop.
Pearson recently held an exhibition in a private high-school called “Thoughts on the Times: Reflections on Today’s Current of Racial Injustice and Violence in America” and he was pleased when he realized that the young students understood his work. He believes that art can heal and open minds.
Gesture drawing of Anarebecca by Joseph Pearson (image shared by artist)
In this Q&A artist Joseph Pearson shares with PoseSpace how art helped him to express himself, what artists influenced his work, details about the art-making process and his greatest achievements:
Can you tell us about your background and how you got into art?
My background in art started when I was about 4-5 years old. I copied the illustrations in an old Sears and Roebuck catalog. I loved the idea of being able to make a figure from lines and shade. As a child and into adulthood I was an extremely shy person. Drawing allowed me to express myself in ways I couldn’t say in words and still does. The nude human figure has been a staple of artist training for hundreds of years. It is the most challenging and to me the most interesting subject. I especially love the female form for its grace, curves and sensuality and natural beauty. In addition, the figure allows me to connect with other humans in the expressing of my ideas because of our common humanity.
What are your goals or aspirations and which artists have influenced your work?
I believe in the power of art to provoke and expand society’s re-imagination. Throughout history, the arts have played a pivotal role in the expression of viewpoints and in influencing a change of perceptions and ideas about a given subject. That’s my goal as an artist. My major influences are the social realist artists, especially those of the old WPA (Works Project Administration) under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
I discovered www.posespace.com searching for figure drawing resources.
Charcoal drawing of model MikaM by Joseph Pearson (image shared by artist)
Can you tell us about the process of making your work?
My art making process starts with an idea I want to express, this may be something I read, hear in the news or just an idea that comes to mind. Then I gather source material to develop the idea. If the final product is to be a drawing I may keep it gestural or I may develop it further depending on the idea I want to convey. It all starts with gesture, gesture is everything! That’s what I practice most from posespace.com.
I paint people as portraits and figures. I work in oil, charcoal and pastel pencil. I am a muralist and printmaker.
What has been your greatest artistic success?
My greatest artistic success(s)… there have been many. Most recent is having had an exhibition at a private high school where I addressed social injustice and the kids got it! That’s the power of art! Prior to that I had the honor of painting a mural and doing four charcoal portrait drawings for a very popular downtown restaurant here in the city. 1971 as an art student at the Art Students of New York I was awarded a full scholarship to attend this venerable institution! In 1998 I was awarded the prestigious Pollock-Krasner Foundation of NY grant. In 1999 I Commissioned by the White House Historical Association to represent the state of MS in celebrating the 300th anniversary of the White House (2001 calendar). There are many other activities I count as major success that can be found on my website.
