Late Spring Post

I have been home in my studio for a couple of months working on my next online class, Fractured Portraits and creating new art that is digging deeper and more personal. This is kind of personal but what the heck, I have a mind that is out to get me if I am not spiritually fit. I do battle constantly and my art, truly is a gift from God but it is also part of my addiction. I get caught up in having to produce something "great" everyday. I can be a bit melancholy and then I create something I love and all of a sudden I am soaring and on top of the world! What power this thing has over me....but....it can go in the opposite direction...not so good.
So this deep socket work is much more personal. I do alot of scratching and scraping. It is not genteel painting;this way of painting really reflects more of who I am. I am an anxious person, scratching, itching constantly. I do yearn for more grace and refinement but for now I bounce between the two and it shows in my work where I am at that moment. Drawing really tends to calm me down so I would have to say that is my therapy! Here is a couple of the deep socket paintings....oh, it is going to get darker and gritty. This is just the start of this experiment.

So here are some examples of my new online portrait class coming up.

Here is the link to get more information on this class.

http://www.fracturedangelics.com/product/fractured-portraits

I am also teaching in Orvieta, Italy Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2016

In researching for this class, I am studying the work of the artist, Signorelli. He painted the fresco work at the beautiful cathedral in Orvieto, Duomo di Orvieto. I am also studying the works of other fresco painters as well. Here are a few sketches and ideas so far for the class, but I have many many more hours of prep and painting ahead of me in creating this exciting retreat

To learn more about this retreat go here:

http://www.adventuresinitaly.net/f16thompson.html