The scene in my recent painting Babysitters was a real-life moment I never would have been able to stage. Andrea and I had been visiting friends, and all of us were exhausted one day after a long drive. I was considering a nap, when I wandered into our friends' sitting room to find them already dozing. Mommy and Auntie were sound asleep, but our friends' 2-year-old son was held in the fringes of consciousness by a video on Auntie's iPod. Topping off the touching moment was the beautiful, cool window light bathing the trio. I knew I had to act quickly if I wanted to capture this tender-but-fleeting scene!
I grabbed my gear and set up as quietly as I could. Sooner than I had hoped, the girls stirred, the little guy moved, and rest-time was over. Fortunately, it was not before I had noted some values on my canvas and taken a few photos.
Scottsdale Salon ad in Nov. issue of American Art Collector Magazine
I count it a great privilege to have my painting accepted into the Scottsdale Salon of Fine Art at Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ. The exhibit runs 11/7/13 through 12/31/13. It was a tremendous surprise and honor to learn my painting had received the Southwest Art Magazine Merit Award! Thank you, Southwest Art Magazine, for sponsoring this award, and thank you so much, Bob and Curtice McCloy, for choosing my painting. I praise God for enabling me to paint this piece and for this incredible blessing!
Updates 2013 "Babysitters" received 3rd Place, Oil Painters of America Fall Online Showcase
2015–2016 "Babysitters" received Purchase Award, Art Renewal Center Intl Salon • Exhibited at the Museum of European Art Modern in Barcelona, Spainand at the Salmagundi Club in New York City
Work In Progress(click thumbnails to enlarge)
3"x4" preliminary sketch
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 5
Stage 6
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Good eye for spotting that opportunity, Adam. I love how you handled the light here. The darkened face of the far babysitter really gives the piece a lot of spatial depth. Nice piece, it deserved recognition. And I appreciate you posting the images in progress. Always nice to see how it was done.
Thank you, Candace! In my post, I forgot to mention the falloff of light. That was something that actually occurred in the scene, and I really wanted to try to capture it. Thanks for mentioning it! Glad you enjoyed the step-by-step shots, too. I enjoy when artists do that, so I'm trying to take more progressions shots of my paintings.
Thanks, Randy! I'm trying to take more progression shots of my paintings. Sometimes it takes me a while to show them, though, as I obsess over getting the right colors haha.
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Congrats on your win, Adam! Well-deserved!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anna, I appreciate it! Your own painting is beautiful, definitely one of my favorites.
DeleteCongrats, again. It was fun the read the story behind this great painting.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Teddy, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
DeleteGood eye for spotting that opportunity, Adam. I love how you handled the light here. The darkened face of the far babysitter really gives the piece a lot of spatial depth. Nice piece, it deserved recognition. And I appreciate you posting the images in progress. Always nice to see how it was done.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Candace! In my post, I forgot to mention the falloff of light. That was something that actually occurred in the scene, and I really wanted to try to capture it. Thanks for mentioning it! Glad you enjoyed the step-by-step shots, too. I enjoy when artists do that, so I'm trying to take more progressions shots of my paintings.
DeleteEnjoyed the step by step Adam
ReplyDeleteThanks, Randy! I'm trying to take more progression shots of my paintings. Sometimes it takes me a while to show them, though, as I obsess over getting the right colors haha.
Delete