It's been a long time since I made an update. After the intense preparation time spent on the gallery show last winter, I took a break from painting to study some other interests and to let my energy renew. I drew my friend Amina during this time, just to play and enjoy making something again.
I love charcoal and chalk; its versatility, high contrast and movable pigment makes drawing a snap. This drawing includes some ink and other organic and dry media. Honestly, I was just playing with a variety of textures and layers:
Amina's Winter, by A.M. Downs
Mixed media on tinted paper.
I also took on a commission for a pet portrait. Animals are not a typical subject for me because I love the instant connection a viewer feels with human faces and figures. I'm also concerned that an animal portrait might descend into sentimental 'goo' instead of giving a sense of gravity and real feeling of an animal's life and experience. This is the result:
Kissyfur, by A.M. Downs
Oil on board.
