portrait painting

An Artfelt Wish for a Happy New Year

ImageToday was my last day as an artist with an open studio at the Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre, Glen Williams, Ontario.  I have had a great three creative years there, including my time as the Mill Artist Group Chair. But a new year and a desire for more time to paint, blog, tweet and more, has me taking new steps. To all the hundreds of people that have visited my studio, and I hope you are one, I wish to thank you for your patronage, and wish you all a happy, healthy and creative 2013!

 

New Portrait Oil Painting: Polar Bear 6

 Polar Bear 6 oil painting portrait. Copyright Christine Montague

The sixth in the series of little polar bear portrait oil paintings now dries on my easel. The Toronto Zoo's male polar bear "Inukshuk" is once again the model, and as in the fifth portrait, he is lit by the moonlight. Two more of these little portraits are blocked in and waiting completion. Yup. Those big blank canvases are calling for attention now.

New Portrait Painting: Polar Bear 5

This is the fifth 8" x 8" polar bear portrait oil painting in my "Polar Bear Dreams" Series. Inukshuk, the male polar bear at the Toronto Zoo is my model.

The first four little portraits (here) in these series have aqua blue backgrounds that suggest ice. However, as the larger works in the series will feature polar bear in the night sky, I switched to the dark blue background. As much as I love the first four portraits, I am quite satisfied with the result.

Don't you feel you are there, with Inukshuk, in the moonlight?

More Little Portrait Paintings

For those of you who don't know I am gradually filling one of my studio walls with my 100 Little Portrait Project a series of 6" x 6" portrait oil paintings on canvas portraits. Here are a few of the portraits commissioned before Christmas.  I work from photos e-mailed to me, or from photos I take, if the subject comes to my studio on my "open to the public" days.

But so far, to my surprise,  almost every painting commissioned  is as a surprise gift for a loved one. Do you know that goes for my large portraits, too? They are almost always a gift!

Now what? No. 9 of 100 Little Portraits Project

Just finished this new 6" x 6" portrait oil painting on canvas of a teen, "What Now." (said as a statement not a question) just long ago today for me to snap an iPhone photo of it and post it! Here it is http://wp.me/s1rNWY-68

Just a friendly note, the  link above simply takes you to my other Wordpress art blog 100 Little Portraits Project http://100littleportraits.wordpress.com

 

Eye-to-Eye With a Salmon

Since I am an artist who usually works 2D, I found myself hesitating for a second when I picked up the brush to paint the salmon cast. But I quickly realized I should use the same approach to this sculptural fish as I use with any portrait painting on canvas. Start with the eyes! The ol' the "eyes are the mirror of the soul thing".  As soon as I did this, I found my "connection" to this pre-made form. I only had salmon photos off the internet to use as reference. Thus I realize, for any salmon aficionados out there,  the salmon is probably not exactly like the Coho. Apparently,  the cast itself is not quite correct, the fins are too small, etc. But that's not really the point. To create what I proposed, all I need to start with is a shape that is easily recognizable as a healthy salmon, no matter the breed or  how exact its representation is.

My poor salmon. He only stayed "healthy" for one day. Stay tuned.

Last Painting of 2010 - Looking Forward to 2011

I finished this 30" x 40" oil painting December 2010 - the last painting of my design before I began my commissions due for Christmas.  This figurative painting is of the model, daughter,  visiting my studio at the Williams Mill. This painting symbolizes many changes. It features my new studio, one of the few times I've painted an interior. My daughter, my model, is usually painted in casual summer get up.

Happy New Year!