Art, Nature & Soul #75

Over a month ago I was contacted to do a commissioned abstract. The client knew my work and gave the basic colors that he wanted to see. I set off doing what I do it the size he wanted 40”x60” vertical. I get asked to do commission work several times a year, sometimes landscape, other times figurative & every once and a while an abstract. Each are within my subject matters that I regularly paint, plus within my more contemporary & modern takes on them.

I remember my first commission, in high school. It was a portrait in pastel. When I completed it, the girl wasn’t 100% thrilled with it. She asked if I could remove the space between her two front teeth. I remember thinking, ‘I’m not an orthodontist.’ Years latter I would be called on to paint another portrait, this time in oil. The person had departed this life, so it was important. This time, it was the space between his teeth that was an important identifying feature of the persons appearance. Besides the fact that my portrait work is more stylized, meaning not being a photographic rendition. How we see ourselves isn’t always how others see us, which can make portrait work more difficult, landscapes are infinitely easier, grass is greener.

I’ve painted images from peoples vacations where they didn’t get that perfect photo so I’ll merge the photos they’ve taken into the perfect painted memory image. Sometimes they’re paintings of their favorite place, a garden, a vacation spot, or a lake home. Recently I was asked to paint someone’s vacation home in northern Wisconsin on a 5” wedge of pine that was being turned into a table and given to one of his children as a wedding anniversary gift. How fun and really pleasure to do for a variety of reasons, some of a more sentimental leaning. The abstracts are a lot of fun because if you already like what I do and my approach, it’s play time for me. I like taking photographs and breaking them down into a more contemporary abstract realistic form. I hope to get commissions doing that with someone else’s photo sometime, it’s also a lot of fun the results are so unique. One of these type artworks recently received an ‘Artistic Excellence’ award from Spotlight Magazine in April 2023 & just a month later this May, this piece was featured in ARTISTCLOSEUP an international magazine that features artist from all around the world, each so nice.

With this piece, I asked for the size, the colors & the space it would be hung in. The client gave me the info & sent photos. I went to work doing what I do layering in, the brushed, palette knifed & sgraffito-ed, mixed media extravaganza, including the hidden infinity sign & 18k gold which have become my signature, of sorts, in these type artworks.

Nearing completion, I sent an image of the piece to the client, he responded, “Interesting. I’m a little scared of the orange, but I like it.” I reassured him I could tone it down if he wanted but felt he should see it in person first & we could pick out a frame. Having now seen it in person & feeling the orange was to bold for his taste. It was decided that I’d do some adjustments & enhancement in those areas, thus making then a bit more rusty. He was hesitant to have me make the embellishments and very respectful of me and the art. I felt it was a commission and wanted it a more parallel vision tailored to his taste and went back to work. Completed, I sent an image for his review. His response was an enthusiastic, “I like it!” After its framed and hanging in his home, I’ll add that photo as well so visit again, soon.

Your questions & commissions are welcome, Richard

Ascension 40”x60” mixed media

placement in home

placement

Art, Nature & Soul #50

“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

Art, Nature & Soul #40

Contemporary Abstract Realism~Again, I turn to Fractals, like patterns within patterns, where as the echoe creates & defines the whole of the big picture. Chaos, is the unlike variable within all scenarios, that are inevitable, if not invited. Here I’ve created a composition using representational images, landscape, buidings, and figures, breaking them down to their essential elements to create a more abstract expressionist composition. A bit of grafitti, drawing and words have been layered within, to provide both context and a more contemporary image. Where by, each viewing, can be a new discovery for the viewer.

This is a commissioned piece, entitled, 'Gold On the Green' at 74.5" x 50.5" and has been delivered and hung in its new home. It was a challenging piece, based on the St. Andrews Golf Course, Scotland. If you look closely, you'll find the City of St Andrews, the old clubhouse, a monolith, the Swilcan Bridge, 2 golfers, a map of the the old, new and adjacent courses and numerous golf terms , written in throughout. This piece took months of building up, and tearing down, to create a contemporary, yet desired balance between representational and abstract qualities. It now hangs in the collectors game room, which has an ample play area and a mini-golf course, taboot.

It's a mixed media piece, where the the splash of 18k gold leaf, has become my trademark signature of sorts, in these type artworks. I began by layering acrylic paint, including both interference & irridescents, in my drip & splash manner. Then began adding oil, blocking in shapes & color. Glazing over to knock down, having to many literal representational figures, leaving just a suggestion. Then added oil pastel for enhanced contrast and line. Ebony pencil is used to add more line, symbols, maps, words and text within the layers. Finally 18k gold paint is used for enhanced line, 18k gold leaf is applied, then a final glaze, in this case, for added cohesion.

Al always your comments & quetions are welcome.

~Richard Sperry

‘Gold On The Green’ 74.5”x50.5” framed mixed media on canvas SOLD, (in private collection)

GOLD ON THE GREEN 72”x48” mixed media on canvas

DETAIL

Framed. in it’s new home.

Art, Nature & Soul #20

Portrait & figurative artwork, has always appealed to me. Striving to understand both the physical, and the emotional aspects of the human form and expressing them into an artistic translation, has been an aspiration of mine. As a very shy, reserved and introverted child, I often had a camera or drawing utensil with me in, in which to observe and capture the physical psyche of a person, in an effort to understand mine and everyone elses.

From a photo snapshots, bic pen doodles & caricatures, to pen & ink cross contours, ebony pencil drawings & soft pastel portraits in high school, my interest in the human form increased. With that and my drive to understand myself and the people around me, sent me realling in all directions of artistic expression and then finally acrylic and oil painting. I experimented & explored the various genres & applications, all continuing to create and expand my base of learning, as untrained artist with alittle formal education in the arena. Art has always served as my escape, my cahtarsis and therapy.

Fusing the physical and emotional aspects of a person, in a figure or portrait can be quite a donting challenge and yet I wouldn’t have it any other way. To capture the spirit of the soul of a person, not only their appearance or expression, Is quite a thrill when it happens. While I priamarily do abstract and minamalistic, transitional scapes these days, occassionally I do a portrait or figurative piece and sometimes I receive a commission, such was the case with this piece.

‘SCOTT” 16”x20” oil on linen SOLD Commission Work

As always feel free to comment, and know I take commissions and ship.

~Richard