Sophia in Kensington Market

silverpoint on wood panal

Anastasia Pin Up Two

oil on wood panel

It's just a start and there are some proprtion adjustments I have to
make yet. It's quite large, 5 ft in height. My last project in class. I
like working on the wood and may give up on canvas all together.

14 Hours of Sleep

How nutty is that? I came home from school yesterday, I had a lot to do. I decided to lay down for an hour nap and didn't wake up until 7:30 this morning. I have to say I feel great today. I think my body must have needed it. Now feel motivated and pumped to get back to work tonight when I get home. I'm working on a finger painting at home, I'll post a picture of it soon. Right now it's hard to say how it is turning out. I'm optimistic.

Self-Directed Study Proposal

Here is my final proposal for OCAD's self-study program that I will be handing in today. I'm excited to get started. Michele White gave me some names of artists, contemporary Canadian figurative artists to start looking at. Tonight I will write a little about one of them, Dana Holst. I went to see a show she is having in town yesterday after classes.

P.S. Thank you Ian for always checking my grammar.


Self-Directed Study Proposal
As a third year drawing and painting major I would like to participate in self-directed studies during the winter semester 2005. I would use this opportunity to start working on a series of preliminary pastel drawings as well as large scale paintings of drag queens. During the self-directed stage of this project it is my intention to produce 3 to 5 chalk pastel or conte sketches and paint 3 of these paintings on approximately 8 ft x 4 ft canvas , various sizes. The figures themselves would be more than life size.
In the summer 2003 I completed a class with Francis Broun called Art of The Northern Renaissance. Before studying at OCAD I had very little knowledge in art history so this was my first exposure to the art of that period. It was a lecture style course in which slides showing the Renaissance artists work as the backdrop to enhance the learning process. It was during this class that the idea for this project formed. My personal goal in this project is to explore light, colour and ways to create mood with the illusion of depth using the artists of the Renaissance as my inspiration in developing my own unique style.
Over the last 6 months I have already formed connections within the gay community here in Toronto and have found three people willing to pose for this project. I believe that once I have begun, there will be no problems finding other willing sitters willing to be part of this project. I intend to use lush colours and textures to contribute to the overall depth and atmosphere to the work. The idea of using drag queens as my models comes, in part from my attraction to the theatrical flair they embody as well as my interest in different perceptions in terms of the ideals of beauty.
Aside from the research I have already begun, and finding all the models I will need, I will also be improving my knowledge of the techniques used by the old masters such as light, colour depth of field and atmosphere through viewing slides, books and videos concentrating on how they worked and in addition I will also study works at the AGO. Working on this project will help me develop my personal interests in areas that my liberal studies classes to date have only touched upon but am eager to learn about. This project will also enhance my skills within the studio by working in a larger format than before by developing my skills in manipulating the material I work with, oils as well as pastels and conte. It should improve my skills in creating the illusion of depth on a two dimensional surface. Working on this project outside of a classroom situation will give me the experience of creating a body of work with a connecting theme.
It is my hope that this series will develop into my thesis work and if I am given the opportunity, I believe that I will enter my final year well prepared for its inevitable challenges. As a mature student I am very focused on my work and am happy with where it is leading me. Working on my own seems to be a logical step at this point and I feel I am ready for this.

Anastasia Pin Up

Oil on Canvas

A couple more hours and this one will be finished...finally.

Self Portrait

Oil on tinted paper

unfinished pinup

Here is another picture of the pin up that I was working on for class. It's not finished and I have been having problems with the colour in the background. It was handed in at this point. I am going to try some cerulean blue to cool down the colour. The main problem is not wanting the background to be dark and yet being able to have some depth in the work.

Blue

Here is the first completed piece for our first materials and process class assignment. The project was tinting 5 different different papers with different colours, at least two per paper. The drawings don't have to be complicated but all should be varied in medium. This one I did with vine charcoal, white conte and red chalk pastel. The white doesn't show up well in the photo. Again the image is taken from a photo of my niece Sophia that was taken while she was playing in my closet. I'm happy with it. It worked with the colours I used to tint, blue and yellow.