Sunday, December 5, 2010

My Christmas Wish to BAMF Art Blog


Here is my Christmas Card to all my BAMF Art friends. George and I wish all of you the happiest, and most joyous Christmas ever; and may your New Year be the best yet of your life.
I chose this painting I did of the "Cowper Madonna" by Raphael. I started this oil painting many years ago. I wanted to delve into oils so I tried to master the "Old World Masters" style of oil painting. My favorite was of course VeMeer. So I studied and analyzed his methods. This is just the underpainting, it was my first and last oil...lol lol :) It was painfully complicated, but you know? I love the results of just leaving it unfinished. I was so amazed at the results with just doing the methods they used to underpaint. I realized that they started out "Painfully Brilliant", so therefore how could not each consecutive layer of glazing with oils, one thin layer upon another not look spectacular when finished. It took me so long just to get this far on the underpainting. I know now why they are Masters, and why they would spend many years completing their works. Absolute Genius, they were. They whole painting would not fit on my scanner so you only get a portion of the work..lol lol :) OMG just the mapping of the perspective took me weeks, upon weeks, lol lol :) It was actually painful. So there you have it, unfinished, but it is truly my most treasured and favorite works. So "Merry Christmas" everyone, especially VerMeer....lol :) I now can appreciate Fine Art thanks to the Masters. My sister Kathy says, "It looks like a Michelagelo to her"....lol lol :) I could only wish! Oh and thanks to Raphael, you have no idea how complicated his works are until you try to reproduce the folds in his fabric, and the soft, supple, skin of the Madonna...What a genius of a Man! Oh gosh, Artists are the greatest! No one can appreciate the hard work we do for the passion of the gifts given us!

2 comments:

Gary's third pottery blog said...

HOLY CATS Maureen, you did this? Oh gosh, you are simply so talented, shoot! I am absolutely lost in her face, with her sweet eyes and expression!

Reverend Awesome said...

So beautiful, Maureen. I love her eyes.
I have never even attempted oil paint. Wow. This is amazing.