Women With Cello and Violin

6x6

Oil on Panel

This is my second paint sketch from my morning of painting at the open rehearsal of Music at Eden's Edge, the chamber music ensemble. There were four members of the group present and I was positioned to get the cello and violin player most directly. 

I have a history of figure drawing, most artists do, and it seems that returning to it is like coming back to the place where you can get renewed, or maybe, made humble again....... You can also get pretty frustrated with figures, because the slightest movement and everything changes. I found that I would try to really see a specific movement, shape, color, light, and put it down, trying to catch the essence of it. If it didn't really go with the next one, because of time and movement of the model, somehow it generally works OK it it is authentically drawn/painted from something clearly seen. I think it may be time to do more of this!

Woman With Cello #1

6x6

oil on panel

I had an opportunity today to paint a chamber music ensemble, Music at Eden's Edge  at the North Shore Art Association in a "really open rehearsal" open for listening and for artists to paint and draw. 

It was an absolute delight and I did two paint sketches. I haven't had time to determine if they are finished so I will not price them at this time, but I wanted to share them. Now, it is a challenge to paint figures, and I haven't done it for some time, and it is even more of a challenge when they are moving, and playing their instruments! I was particularly taken with the cello player in her white dress. I kept remembering a May Sartom poem: 

"Girl With Cello" by May Sarton

There had been no such music here until

A girl came in from falling dark and snow

To bring into this house her glowing cello

As if some silent, magic animal.

She sat, head bent, her long hair all a-spill

Over the breathing wood, and drew the bow.

There had been no such music here until

A girl came in from falling dark and snow.

And she drew out that sound so like a wail,

A rich dark suffering joy, as if to show

All that a wrist holds and fingers know

When they caress a magic animal.

There had been no such music here until

A girl came in from falling dark and snow.