Progress On Study After Fragonard

I thought some of you might like to see how I progress with a portrait. This one is a little different since I am painting it after a master painting by Fragonard that has already been done (see earlier posting). I'm very happy with the first layer of color, but there is still a long way to go. I'm not sure why Fragonard decided to do such a "cartoon-y" looking hand holding the book(at least from my point of view). I'm not sure if I will leave it or paint it in my own style. The other issue I'm debating about is whether I will settle for it being a representation of J. with her as the model for the girl or whether I will go ahead and try to make it look like her (it really doesn't yet). If I decide on the latter, it will likely mean 6-7 more layers in trying to achieve that likeness. Next time you see it, it will be done!

Study for My Study

I have a spot in my study that was really begging for a painting so I pulled out my "Sister Wendy's 1,000 Masterpieces" in search of inspiration. When an artist paints a copy of an old master, it's called "a study." Fragonard's "A Young Girl Reading," c. 1776, caught my eye (perfect for a study!), but I wasn't satisfied with simply duplicating the original. I persuaded my teenage daughter to pose for me and I used my computer skills to stick her head on top of the original. Here you can see (l to r) the original, the computer revised version, and my first go around with paint as a value study

"J" and I discussed why the artist chose to put a small head and hands on a stocky body (probably hard to see here - I think if you click on the image above, you will be able to see it even closer). and she came to the conclusion that it was most likely a sign of wealth to be on the stocky side back then. "I bet you're right!" I said. Close examination reveals a very strangely large body compared to the size of her hands and head. I also moved the composition over a bit - I didn't care for the way the book went right up against the left edge (sorry Mr. Fragonard) and I had to imagine what the rest of the chair would look like. "J" says the middle one with her head on it is "terrifying" but she likes the value study and so do I. Let's hope that the results will be as satisfying when I start laying in the colors. I'll post it when I'm done.

This could be a lot of fun. The boys now want me to paint their heads on body builders - I don't think so! I offered Gainsborough's "The Boy Blue" (times two!) but they said, "That doesn't sound cool." (I've seen it at the Huntington, and it is cool, but I don't think they'd let me hang it in our house).

John 14:27 - Peace

Calla lilies are another one of my special favorites when it comes to flowers. I snapped a photo of this one in my sister's garden on my last trip to California. As a youth, we had six or seven very large calla lily plants and it was not unusual to cut a bouquet of 20-30 to place in a vase for the house. I was always impressed by their fragile beauty.

As I painted this calla, I ended up with an empty space in the lower right hand corner of the composition and wasn't sure what to do about it. Happily, I thought this might finally be my opportunity to incorporate scripture into my artwork. I thought about the graceful, fragile calla lily and what scripture would be a suitable companion for it. "Peace" was the word that came into my mind and John 14:27 was the match. I think that it's important to remember that the kind of peace the world offers may be a fragile kind of peace whereas the peace that Christ offers is strong and lasting, as noted by the continuation of verse 27: "I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."

"California Calla," 36"x36" oil on gallery-wrapped canvas, now available on www.artbymj.com

Postcard From Santa Fe

No, I'm not actually in Santa Fe, but I feel like I've been on an extended vacation as far as painting is concerned. A bad cold after the holidays left me without much energy for creativity. I have several things in the works right now, but nothing ready to show so I decided to share this with you. I painted it for Mother from a postcard or card (can't quite recall) when I was SIXTEEN years old. I can only imagine what my paintings would look like now if I had stuck with painting instead of giving it up. Alas, no point in looking back...I'm glad for all I've learned in just the last year. I had a wonderful discussion with a lady this week who has taught art for 25 years and told me she didn't start until she was 49! Isn't that great?? We are NEVER too old to learn something new. What is it that YOU may have always wished you'd learned but haven't done yet? It's not too late!!

"Postcard From Santa Fe," 5"x7" oil on canvas, private collection.

Painted Ladies

These two lovely paints were painted as an anniversary gift from a husband to his wife. I was fortunate enough to be able to visit them in person and take a series of photos before deciding on the composition with my client. It was a tremendous help when it came to sitting down at the canvas and trying to capture their personalities. I also had the privilege of being there when he presented it to her and that made my heart sing to see the happiness in her eyes when she unwrapped it. It feels good to know you've created something that will be a treasured keepsake.
11"x14" oil on canvas, private collection

Something Different

I stared at the leftover paint on my palette Saturday afternoon and decided to paint from my imagination. To play!! That's a big stretch from me who likes the comfort of a well-planned out piece of artwork, start to finish.

Letting my imagination guide me, I ended up with something very different from usual...and I had a blast doing it. At first glance, this little 8"x10" looks dark and moody (I was wishing for my photographer friend's help with capturing it adequately!) but with closer inspection, you are invited in to one of my favorite hours of the day - that moment of dusk where the remaining glow of the day is barely hanging on and lights are coming on inside homes. For me, it's a magical, dreamy time....it's not yet night, but neither is it still daytime.

Novelist Zane Grey quotes: "People live for the dream in their hearts. And I have yet to know anyone who has not some secret dream, some hope, however dim, some storied wall to look at in the dusk, some painted window leading to the soul."

Dreams at Dusk, an 8"x10" oil on canvas board, is currently available on my website: http://www.artbymj.com/images/Dreams_At_Dusk.html.

Aspen Meadow Gathering

In an earlier post, I showed you a study I did of a mother horse and her foal. Here's the final painting with mother and foal in their entire surroundings: a Colorado meadow on a cloudy summer day. Several times while painting this, I would pause and wish I was really in this spot, enjoying this scenery, breathing in fresh mountain air.

24"x30" oil on canvas, available here.

The Artist's Assistant

Here's the faithful, furry friend who sits nearby as I paint, happy that I've sat down long enough that he doesn't have to continue following me all over the house to see what I'm up to (and follow me he does). His main job is to get me to move away from my typical close viewing of the paintings by wanting to go outside, wanting a pat or wanting something to eat. If you're an artist, you know how important stepping away can be. Even if you're not an artist, you may have other areas of your life or work that need "stepping back" reminders. I have a good friend in my art class that will walk by my easel and remove my current painting to take it across the room. I love it that she does that.

Of course, he's not the only assistant. It seems that anyone who walks through the room (I paint right in the middle of it all) has an opinion to offer and I welcome them because after a day of painting, I sometimes lose the ability to look at a painting with "fresh eyes."

Psalm 139

Note: If you are receiving updates on my blog via email, you can either read the email verson (not as pretty) or you can click on "Fine Art By MJ" in the actual email and it will link you to the PRETTY version online. You can also then click on the picture and see a much larger version (which you will probably need to do to see this entry clearly since it is so detailed).


It has been awhile since my last entry, mainly because I haven't had any new paintings to add (big project still in the works). I have had "artistic-related" things going on in my life that I've wanted to share, but for some reason got it stuck in my mind that my blog should be for new paintings. It dawned on me that my blog can be anything I want it to be! Duh! It may diverge from standard art blogs, but I figure most of you out there who are subscribing to my blog won't mind. My hope is to add a little art to your busy day every now and then in whatever form or inspiration it is delivered.


Now....Psalm 139. I do a daily Bible study with family members. Yesterday's reading inspired me to do a little sketching. We read ONE chapter a day and send a little comment via e-mail to each other. Sometimes we just send out the verse that inspires us the most, other times we add personal feelings or research we've done. We will be a hundred years old by the time we finish (!) but let me tell you what a wonderful thing this has been for all of us involved. We decided on one chapter a day because we figured it was more manageable and we couldn't make excuses about it being too much. It's actually quite beneficial because I read it slower and can spend more time researching the historical aspects and commentaries related to the scripture.


I was really looking forward to Psalm 139 coming up in our readings because it has always been a personal favorite. I can still remember so clearly reading it for the FIRST time as a 7th grader and being totally enthralled with it. In fact, I pulled down that very same Bible yesterday off the shelf, opened it to Psalm 139 and I had underlined EVERY SINGLE line! At the end I wrote, "This makes me so happy." It is most definitely a love letter. At that moment, reading it as a 13yr old, I knew it had SEALED MY FAITH.

Fewer Tiaras, More Laughs

I had more fun with this painting than any I've done before. I painted a sweet pose of this little girl for her grandmother, but along with the pictures she emailed me was one of her with Groucho-ish glasses on (I guess the current Groucho glasses don't include the moustache?) The minute I saw it I thought, "Oh, I have to paint that!"

I call it "Fewer Tiaras, More Laughs" because about the time my teenage daughter was a toddler (many long years ago!) the marketing onslaught of princess regalia began and I always felt I wanted so much more for my daughter than a label of "princess." Granted, I am as much a sucker for all the fluff and sparkle, but we all need to strike that balance for our girls between catering to their girly selves and drawing out the true riches of the kingdom....laughter (displayed here), faith, love, wonder, sharing, caring, and so much more.

This painting is not for sale, I will enjoy it for awhile before giving it to the above-mentioned grandmother. My blog postings may be a little sparse in the upcoming month as I am working on a VERY large sized commission (the canvas is taller than me!); a wonderful opportunity for me...but I will be painting other, smaller canvases in between drying times.

May laughter come your way today!