“Technique is the culmination of my vision, expressed.”
-Richard Sperry
Over a quarter century ago, probably more likely 28 years ago, I painted a portrait of a father holding his daughter. I don’t often have the opportunity to do portraits these days as I mostly paint abstracts, landscape and figurative artworks. Recently I had the opportunity to paint the the little girl from the first paintings daughter and her father, and hope to be here to do the next generation, as well.
As a young boy I was very shy and reserved, almost fearful of the world and its people. I believe in an effort to engage me in family events, I was made the camera guy. That’s right they gave me a camera in which to view the world and capture the moments of which, often times I was an insider on the outside, and thus an outsider.
I loved composing and yet capturing a candid moment, with the small kodak automatic, often times and mostly of family and friends, documenting a history, mine. Later I was given a polaroid and than in my early 20’s, I purchased a 35mm camera. Often times I’d draw pictures of what I had taken a photo of. Thinking the literal already existed in the photo, so the renderings were often exaggerations and if they were of people caricatured likeness’s even if in the slightest of ways. The layering and emotional aspects came later. Although even in high school I did commissioned portraits, mostly in soft pastel though. As a young adult, in my early to mid 20s, I had started painting and trying my hand at oil portraits, so I’d use my photos as references , as that’s what I had to work with at the time, and that’s how the first father & daughter portrait happened. One holiday get together, I took lots of photos, but on this occasion I used a half dozen of them as my models. The Naomi & Michael photo, was a tender moment captured on film that I took to the next level, translating it into an oil painting.
Typically, especially back then, I’d do a preliminary sketch, in vine charcoal, although now I mostly use ebony pencil. This to assure both proportion and a good composition on the canvas. The initial painting was created with a larger 1” brush and broad strokes, quickly rendering and shaping the image, outlining in key areas. As the figures were the most important part of this painting I kept the background in shadow with only the slightest of light and color illuminating it and the figures from one lamp. A quarter century or so later, I posted it on Facebook to illustrate a thought. The little girl, all grown up now, with a family of her own, who never knew the painting existed, as it was my earlier figure work, saw it and loved it. I had always intended on giving it to her at some point, as her father had passed on a decade earlier…but now was the time. So after some time, I shipped it to her, her now being out of state. Having received it and loving it, she contacted me and commissioned me to do a portrait of her husband and daughter. And so I did, capturing yet another tender moment in paint, telling her, let’s plan for next generation too, in a playful sentiment.
From crayolas & cameras, to oil paint, my style and techniques have evolved over a lifetime, as I’ve grown into my vision, yet the basic emotional content and message have remained the same. We are connected, we are loved, and we are here in this moment.
Commissions are welcome, as are any questions or comments,
Richard
Mark and Dorthea circa 2021
Michael & Naomi circa 1993ish