Grrrr....

I'm smarting a bit over this painting critique this afternoon that didn't exactly go MY WAY. The culture/mix of personalities in this class with this new instructor is one that I'm having trouble adapting to. I'm not going to vent all over the internets about it. Anyway, here are some paintings, and a photo of me as a very young art student (taken by myself in the mirror; I've always been a navel-gazer, of course!) that was the inspiration for them.

I like them. So There! I am supposed to learn from the criticism. It's funny, because in previous classes I've been less than thrilled with some of the amateur feedback. I guess I got what I was asking for...

The painting on the left was the first try, a three session painting, and the one on the right was a quicker one done in one session. The assignment was to do a single-panel Expressionist painting, meaning a painting that evokes a strong emotion in the viewer.

To be honest, I just painted what I wanted to paint and didn't care that much if it evoked a strong emotion in anyone else or not.

A Clownz Painting

From the Fort Mason exhibit: this *still-life* was done last semester as I began experimenting with very loose, somewhat abstract compositions and color schemes. If I remember correctly, my instructor made one of his oft-repeated comments about space aliens perhaps having visited me in the night as he looked at it.

I guess this was a compliment???

Sad Abstract Expressionist Clown: Revisited

A detail of the painting, using my new Canon PowerShot SD1000... (too bad I'm not being paid for product placement!) I can finally show my brushstrokes and gradations of color as they're meant to be seen.

Our painting class is going to have a group show in the cafe/exhibit area down at Fort Mason, Building B. My instructor told me this morning that he will give me an entire case to myself to display several paintings! I am really excited. This glamorous exhibit space is further enhanced by the morning smell of frying bacon from the nearby takeout concessions area. It's the hip and happening place to spot *Emerging Artists* -- that is, artists emerging out of a vaporous cloud of overcooked bacon...