William Wray: May 2009

Balloon

At Halloween I took some kids at the town square. I like a homemade bat boy but didn't find his mom and family an interesting subject so I moved his two blocks away down and industrial side street. A little sentimental for me but what the heck.

Oil on linen 16x12

In progress-- did this lay-in today-- Hope I didn't jinx it by posting.

Jack Levine Hero for cartoonists who what to be fine artists, still going at 90 plus! Love his work.

New Car

Finally got the time to do a little bigger painting. This was in the parking garage at Nickelodeon. I liked the light from the walls outside. The suitcase is an added as a thought provoking element.

New Car 16x24 oil on wood

CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

JULIO LARRAZ

Is an artist Tony Peters introduced me to. A year ago he showed me the book where these images are from and I wasn't really blown away. I focused on things I felt were negatives about his drawing and didn't feel the totality of his work. Tony got us in to see his new work when we were in NY and I was won over. I strongly recommend the show. Seeing originals has a way opening your eyes, now I'm a fan.
April 28 - June 6, 2009

Marlborough
40 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019

http://www.marlboroughgallery.com/

new and Redux

Stock 8x10 oil on linen

Here is my first PA in a long time. I went right after work with a talented young artist named Aaron Westerberg, a mostly a traditional figurative guy, but can paint everything. Check my links for him. We went painting in Burbank across from the cheesy Dinner called Lancers on Victory near Chandler. There is still a bit of old train track next to the building materials place called Stock. We yakked too much to get any great work done, but I kind of like it. And it was good to get outside.

Shopping Cart 12x9 oil on linen

Garbage Truck wasn’t a big deal to Re- paint as I had never liked it, but I was a little scared when I re-painted Shopping Cart. I basically really liked it originally, but when I saw it printed in my book with the color killed down a bit I decided I wanted to tone down the original electric blue and add some variety on the color and light. I like it better, I hope you do to.

Artist I like:

Here are a few Carolyn Anderson Demos. Not sure if the horse was a demo. CA is my favorite figure teacher and one of the best figure painters going. I’ve taken her twice and will again.

Garbage Again

More JCL

This is the third pass on the same picture. An early version is posted here way back. The paint is getting pretty thick and overworked . :-) Somehow I hope it kind adds to the subject, like I painted it with colored dirt. Which I suppose it is technically oils are... The truck was originally to blue and hard edged for my taste these days so I warmed it up.

Old artists I like JC Leyendecker

Empire

This first warm up NYC painting finally dried. I'm using all Walnut oil no turps to go easy on my lungs, but it's frustrating... This was our view from the apartment we rented for the first few days.
24x16 oil on wood.

Painters I like from the past.

Dean Cornwell

the start of something big

I'm happy with the looseness of this guy, but his head is a little small.

Cop head is overworked and to big

Kid needs to be darker

Here is the underpainting start of 32x48 painting based on various shots in NYC. I had just come for looking at galleries on 57th street and had just a few minutes to kill before the airport. I took a series of shots of people milling around near central park. Ideas coming together for paintings as I shot.
A multi- figure painting is an ambitious undertaking for quickie oriented me, the third of 3 big NY paintings I've started. Not having much finished to blog, I decide to take the risk of previewing this one hoping I'll have the steam to finish it.

after avoiding it all day I jumped in... gonna lengthen the Black dudes legs a little.

Here is a lesser plien air I did one morning many weeks ago just to keep my hand in. Walked to the park next to my house, the building is were the make Sierra Madre's Rose parade float. Don't love it, but wanted to blog feed.

Highlights from the CAC gold metal show