New Work

Here is the first painting of a possible series or Triptych. Overall I'm pleased with how it's turned out. I'm encouraged by the potential of this series, both aesthetically and conceptually. I'm looking forward to its continuation. As of late I've been working on portrait commissions for the holidays. So it's been taking some precedence over my other work. I'll be posting some of the portraits soon.

Desktop on Minimal Mac

Quick side note, my desktop was featured at minimalmac.com and was re-posted to a few other blogs as well. I know this doesn't have much to do with painting, but the nerd in me is a little excited. It's featured primarily due to the desktop image, I created with an old photo of Bella Lugosi. I've got a fairly good response so far. I'm considering posting some homemade desktops for free download in the future.
As for painting, I've got a few commissions I'm working on for the holiday season as well as a new series. I should have a new painting posted sometime this week.
Till then, Happy Halloween!

Ayla

This is a portrait of Ayla, the daughter of my friend Colleen. In many ways this portrait was like many others before it, in that I spent way too much time on it and probably repainted it five times, but it was also very different. This is the first portrait I've ever done of a child, first flower printed sweatshirt I ever painted (so close to painting it black), and one of the few portraits I have done in which I have never met the subject. But what interested me was the conversation I was having with myself throughout the process of the painting.
I often think about why I choose to paint what I paint. What is it about painting a simple portrait that's so gratifying. I believe it's due to the illusion of connection mixed with the act of creation. While I paint a portrait I tend to project my thoughts, emotions and memories on to the subject to build a connection while simultaneously being neutral towards what the painting needs. I couldn't help but think about the life Ayla will lead, the subtlety of her personality and the person she will become, yet I have never met her. I guess that could be a drawback or an intellectual asset when working from photographs. It's my job as the painter to fill in that blank in order for the viewer to have a connection with the painting. I try to find my place between the logical and the illogical, a harmony and dissonance between the eye, the mind and the hand.
Numbers of thoughts, fears, hope and frustration can be found within the markings of a painting. These marks accumulate to a sum, with any luck greater than the sum of it's parts. Even if the painting fails, the struggle is never lost. With in that struggle lies experience and growth that stay with you to aid you in your next work.
From what I know of the "Art World" it is often frowned upon to omit sentimentality in your work depending on your school of thought. While I can agree too much sentimentality can often seem trite and cliche. I guess I discovered that I am a hopeless, unapologetic romantic in my attitude towards painting and life in general, and will continue to be...Until the Dinosaurs come back to rule us all. (I was getting too serious.) This painting further illuminated to me that it is ok to just like to paint and create that illusion of connection between me the subject and the viewer. I hope this all makes sense.
I would also like to thank Colleen for giving me the privilege of painting Ayla. I hope you enjoy the painting as much as I enjoyed painting it.
Thanks.
Todd

New Series

Here’s a quick study of a potential new series I’m working on. I was hoping to start preparing the surfaces this weekend but my bank account had other plans. I’ve also started preliminary work on some new portraits. An overall feeling of productivity this week.

Frank

This is the finished painting of Frank.

Long Winter

It’s been a long, long winter. I’ve mostly been concentrating on portrait painting. I’ve missed painting portraits; working on these paintings have been both fun and challenging. The two that I have been working on in this time have been a portrait of my friend Frank and one of my Father. These portraits serve more as a means of getting my feet back in the painting water so to speak. Though it may seem like I’ve been slacking by only producing two portraits this entire winter that is not the case. These paintings have gone under numerous revisions; so many that if I had stopped every time I thought I had finished I would most likely have around 10 to 15 paintings.
While working on these paintings I struggled with a variety of challenges: 1) Drawing. I was so eager to “paint” that many times I wouldn’t slowdown and check to see if the structure was right which would often result in me re-painting the entire thing. 2) Color. I usually limit my pallet as much as I can and get the most out of the colors I have. On this go around I decided to work out of my comfort zone and add a little more to the palette. The result wasn’t what one would call desirable unless you like the color of mud in which case game on. A return to the minimal palette was in order. I also was attempting to mix my own black; something I use to do really well, but now not so much, I started to get the hang of it when near the end of the (father) painting. 3) Approach. I keep teetering between a more representational Neo Baroque style of painting and a looser expressionist style, which I have yet to fully resolve. 4) Reference. I largely work from photograph due mainly to the fact that most people nowadays will not sit for the lengths of time that I need them to sit for and I live to far away. This makes the photograph my only choice. I don’t mind working from the photograph, but it does present it’s own set of challenges. You can get too caught up in the details. The photo never changes, which can be good and bad. Since the photo never changes it’s hard to catch the spontaneity of the moment in time between you (the painter) and the subject, but on the other hand by the photo never changing you have a reliable source to cross-reference your work with. Some painters (most of which I admire) speak of working from photograph like it’s a sin. I don’t believe this to be so as long as the information is being processed from you the Human (or Elephant in some cases) to the substrate all is well. In my case I just need to calibrate between myself the subject and the medium, right now I’m just trying to find the correct balance.
Over all I’m fairly pleased with how the paintings turned out. I don’t really feel like their done, but I do feel the need to work on something else. I have a lot of new Ideas in the works that I’m looking forward to, so I better get to it.

Working out the kinks

I’ve started my return to figurative painting sense my last post. I’m starting out with just basic head portraits the first of which is of a friend of mine, Frank Bitetto. I found my venture back in to the figurative realm a challenging but immensely rewarding one. It almost feels like I’m starting from scratch, like all my previous painting experience has withered away to almost nothing. I find my self tensing up and focusing too much on detail and not the work as a whole. On the other end there are times I start to lose myself just enough to bring me back to that place when painting was really exciting and fun. That helps soothe the more discouraging aspects.
I’m drawing some of my inspiration from Odd Nerdrum as well as Lucian Freud and the old masters such as Rembrandt and Velasquez. I’m trying to capture the looseness of Freud’s work while keeping the luminosity and temperament of Nerdeum as well as that of Rembrandt and Velasquez. There is a psychological aspect of Nerdrums work that I’m also trying to draw from. I think I’m putting a little to much pressure on my self to get it right the first time with this current portrait so I’m about to start a few more to work on simultaneously. If anyone doesn’t mind posing for a portrait just let me know.
Aside from my figurative work I’m still working on some new landscapes that I’m really excited about. I’m about to start a series of eight paintings inspired by our solar system. At The present time I’m trying to decide if I want to make my own surfaces or buy them pre-maid. I would usually make my own, but I find that I lack the space and materials at the present time.
Thanks for reading, if anyone has any questions, suggestions or whatever feel free to contact me @ todd.kramer@gmail.com
Thanks,
Todd R Kramer