Underpainting #1

I'm ridiculously excited about this painting - I've been learning a lot about edges and values from reading an amazing book: Alla Prima: Everything I know about painting, by Richard Schmid. I've been reading it and making notes for the past few weeks - and although there's an intimidatingly large amount of information, I think some of it is finally going in. My friend, and new boss Kim Wyatt (of Bona Fide Books*, a brand new small press in Tahoe) referred to what I'm doing as 'composting' - that is, reading some, and then allowing it to settle in my brain before going on to the next chunk.

I'm enjoying my new mode of working; Without the pressure of chasing shows and sales, I'm finally on the path I wanted to take when I left the UK - which is painting for the love of painting - not trying to second guess what other people might like in order to make a living. My new job is giving me the money to contribute to our income, and buy paints - and is a nice enough job that it doesn't suck all the creativity out of me like a bar job would. When I'm satisfied that I've got a decent enough body of work to show - then I'll start sending out artists packets to galleries.

The other important reason why I'm able to do this right now, is that I was awarded the Jackpot Grant from the Nevada Arts Council for the second year running. This time, the budget is for models - so I can produce a body of figure paintings from life over the summer. This means a huge amount to me, and I'm very grateful to receive a grant in these hard economic times. Thankyou, Nevada Arts Council!



*Website coming soon!

Scarlett

Scarlett
Oil on Panel
22x30"

I was really pleased with this one - but I think I'll be a lot more cautious with the colour of the background cloth in future. The highly saturated red was really difficult to reconcile with the model's flesh tones. The porcelain-skin effect is definitely aesthetically appealing, but treading the fine line between 'china' and 'undead' is challenging. Oh well, art's supposed to be a challenge isn't it?

New Website

www.shelleyhocknell.com

This is why I've been wondering around with a glazed look for the past couple of weeks. I'm happy with the result though, all shiney and new with a proper guestbook, thumbnail portfolios and everything! It's made with an online program called FolioLink, which I really like. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Figure Painting Class

Kirsten (i)
Oil on Panel
30x20"

Here's one of my recent paintings from Phyllis Shafer's Figure Painting class. I didn't get to finish it unfortunately, but I was pleased with most of it - especially the face. Isn't it always the way....the section which took the least amount of time and effort was the bit which worked best.

In my opinion anyway.

It's easy to overwork something, or overuse a trick I've picked up that works. I feel like I'm still very much finding my way with these figure paintings, but the common theme of my practice seems to be: Stay loose, stay back, take breaks. The minute I start 'noodling' or trying to use a small brush when a bigger one could be used to make one clean, precise mark, is when I need to have the discipline to stand back for a few, take a breath or two, and look properly at the entire painting. Then I look at the painting upside down (head rush!), and also refer back to my subject by flicking my eyes back and forth between the painting and the model. This often reveals the mistakes I need to correct (i.e "oh my god the head is tiny!! how did I not see that?!!")

Then back to work.

More Drawings...

Three Pastels

Untitled Nude (i)

Pastel on Rives BFK Paper

22x30"

Untitled Nude (ii)

Pastel on Rives BFK Paper

22x30"

Untitled Nude (iii)

Pastel on Rives BFK Paper

22x30"

These are some of the drawings I did last year whilst on my mission to do thirty drawings before I started painting again. I've never worked with pastels before, so it was a bit of a revelation. This process really helped me to start understanding colour - both in terms of temperature and composition. I found myself 'weaving' the colours together to achieve the hue I wanted in that particular area. I had a lot of fun!

Process

Process
Oil on Panel
24 x 48"

I'm teaching a class at Lake Tahoe Community College called 'Portfolio Development', which is great for me to do because it's forced me to take stock of my portfolio, resume, artists statement, etc. I've deliberately taken a step back from the more 'commercial' aspects of making art for a while to focus on painting for the sake of painting - which is a luxury. However, I felt that in order to teach the students, I had to undertake all the exercises and assigments I'll be giving them myself.

It's been good, it's helped me to verbally crystallise what I've been working through visually. I still felt like a rabbit in the headlights when I had to give them a Powerpoint presentation of my work, as a model for their final. Eww, I hated it, I have to say.

I've given presentations before in all kinds of different environments - usually a tipsy crowd of rock climbers, or other artists. I 'opened' for climber/author Paul Pritchard at the Ape Index lectures many years ago. Niall Grimes had organised this cool series of lectures at a pub in Sheffield, and it was a big honour for me. I was nervous as hell and drank several strong G&Ts before I went up there. It probably showed, which was bad, but it took the edge off. This time I had no such veil, and the experience was startlingly real.