Current Stuff and Future Stuff

New Mary painting  in process   (copyright 2009 - Timothy Jones)

Detail - (copyright 2009 - Timothy Jones)

I went to visit with our parish priest this morning and talk with him about offering my services for developing some liturgical art over the course of time.

I say "over the course of time", because some of the projects I have in mind will probably take years to develop, and will (of course) require the input of at least one committee (yay...). I hope this can turn into something fruitful and become a way that I can contribute to my parish, in addition to monetary support. As a freelance artist, it can get pretty difficult to give consistent amounts regularly because when you don't know what your income is going to look like over the next few months (or even the next few weeks) "budget planning" can at times amount to nothing more than crossing yourself and going online to check your current bank balance.

I really want to do what I can - little as it may be - to help the modern church (both locally and more generally) to set her sights a bit higher in terms of culture, for the sake of those she shepherds. Banners are fine, but we can also do better than graphic banners, if we want to take the trouble. I'm willing to give my time and what skills I have to the endeavour.

More short-term, Monsignor did mention the idea of having an art exhibit in the Gathering Space featuring the art of parishioners. This is something he had done in his former parish (he is also an artist, a watercolorist, I think). If he were to put me in charge of that, I might try to expand the show a bit to include some outside the parish, but I can't say. I don't even know how many Catholic artists we might come up with locally. Maybe more than I think.

At any rate, I will keep everyone posted.

The art at the top of this post is a piece I am working on for one of my regular blog readers (so I hope he likes it, *cough*...). I am a little hesitant to post it at this stage, because there is a great deal more work to do. The image right now is very high contrast, with the stark white spheres and the intense blue background. It will become more subtle and finished as I add more layers of pigment. I am approaching this piece a little differently, using the Grisaille method I have mentioned before, which is the use of a tonal underpainting with transparent glazes layered on top of that. This is why Mary is rendered (at this stage) in shades of gray (with the warm tone ground showing through in places).

I have high hopes for this method, and may start to approach a lot of my figural pieces this way. It is a process that requires patience, though. I am letting this layer (painted in oils with some alkyd medium) dry before I can move on to the transparent glazes (also using alkyd).

The image itself is inspired by Our Lady of Guadalupe (Patroness of The Americas), though it takes certain liberties with the image as it appears on the miraculous tilma of Juan Diego. I hope it amounts to a respectful and reverent re-imagining of his vision.

Comments

[Celeste]

Tim, I love this. I know it's a WIP, but I like it at this stage. You might want to consider another work in monochrome at a later date.

Just one thing. Could you take another look at the alignment of the knuckles at the base of the fingers of the right hand? There is something about them. They look a little too much in straight line to me. Of course, this probably is just because you are just beginning this work and I am jumping the gun.

Geez, I just love the monochromatic underpainting you have going on here.

[pNielsen]

A little befuddled by where the background might be going, but I love the way you've rendered Mary here, particularly the countenance and clothing. IMO, the figure could be fini.

[e.]

Tim,

The Mary in the painting seems exquisitely more beautiful than the previous; however, why the noirish background?

Wouldn't it have been more fitting given the subject matter to have something of a brighter shade than that which seems so terrifyingly dark and even somewhat cultish?

[Tim J.]

Did'ja raed the post, e?

It's not done yet.

[e.]

My bad -- Although a work in progress, I had thought the background mood would serve as its final color scheme.

Sorry about that, Tim.

Goes to show how much I know about the whole art thang!

Can't wait to see the final version though!

Your church is so fortunate to have such a talented artist!

[Will Duquette]

Me like, even as it is. Please let us see the finished piece, too!

[Paul S.]

Lord, this is beautiful. It has just the right amount of stylization to the clothes and the way her own shadow makes (or seems to) a crescent of the moon. The face is lovely and the band around her waist nicely echoes her hair. I could look at this a long time.

[Adam D]

fascinating! Thanks for the in-progress shot. I love to see how an artist develops his work. I reckon this grisaille method is gonna work great for you.

[professio]

It's beautiful.

[Jim Jankengt]

So far so good. I like the mood of it. A technical question, if you don't mind. What do you use for a glazing medium? I have always had difficulty with this because I do not like paintings with a high gloss. Just my silly personal opinion. I found a recipe that uses beeswax for a base and dries to a very matte finish. Just curious what you use? Keep up the good work.

Also our Diocese, the Diocese of Austin, has a fine arts council. They have organized a spring exhibit at a local Catholic College. If you are interested I could put you in touch with the head of the council. He might have some ideas you could use for encouraging art in your Diocese.

[Del]

She's going to be beautiful.

From those who know painting, I'm sure you find their technical suggestions very helpful.

I don't know much about painting myself... but one thing is obvious already in this work: You love Mary, very much.

[Tim J.]

Celeste -

Thanks so much! I'm glad you like it. I did make note of your comment on the left hand, and it is something I was vaguely aware of, but I'm not certain yet that I'll address it. I did do a preliminary sketch for this piece, but didn't transfer it to the panel, and really started drawing and painting again from scratch from my imagination, just seeing what would take shape. I used to work that way a lot, but have over time developed a greater and greater reliance on models and other visual resources. This time, I wanted to start "cold" and let things flow from my mind to my hand without worrying so much about adhering to a "real" source. I hoped this might help it to be a kind of spiritual portrait, as much as a physical representation.

The hands, then (and probably some other proportions) may not be exactly correct in terms of anatomy, but seem to carry a little of the flavor of an icon. If this is awkward, I will need to address it, but I'm not convinced, yet, that it is really a negative. I may change my mind, but I also don't want to make this piece so much about strict realism.

Jim - I do like a bit of gloss on my paintings, but not too much. I use the same alkyd medium (Grumbacher alkyd painting medium) as a final (clear) glaze as I use for a medium.

I don't actually use any varnish. The alkyd glaze does give a little gloss, without resulting in a distracting mirror finish.

I don't know how many people work this way. It just sort of evolved. It may be that a final varnish would be advisable too.

Thanks for your tip. I'd be very grateful to be put in touch with the head of that fine arts council in the Diocese of Austin.

Del -

Thanks. That brought a drop of moisture to my eye, truly.

[Del]

Tim J. wrote:
"Thanks. That brought a drop of moisture to my eye, truly."

Let's not get all sappy now. Manly men talk beer and pipes in public!

fyi - Mrs. Del also agrees that She is beautiful... we look forward to seeing the final version!

[Mary]

I like it!

[ukok]

Tim, the painting is just beautiful. I love the way you have depicted Mary facially, her clouring etc. I often struggle to pray for Mary's intercession when meditating upon porcelain white statues of her. I know that is a whole different issue about artists interpretations etc, but it's one of the reasons i love iconography so much. I hope that one day i can learn how to write icons, it's something i have a special interest in.

[J.R. Stoodley]

Just want to say I actually like the high contrast between the two circles (a halo and a unique take on the moon at her feet, I assume) and the background. Looks like the moon in the night sky. Hopefully that contrast wouldn't be lost too tremendously much in the final product.

It's an interesting idea (excusing my lack of knowledge of art-speak) making something sort of in between a purely natural sort of image and an icon. Reminds me a bit of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Or also, just the fact of being in between not the actual look, but Giotto.

The danger, of course, is that people would mistake it for an attempt at a purely natural looking image, in which case iconlike simplifications would be mistaken for lack of skill.

[J.R. Stoodley]

Oh, just noticed you mentioned at the bottom of your post it's inspired by the Our Lady of Guadalupe image. That would explain the resemblance!

Maybe that's a good thing, if it calls to mind the traditional image but doesn't immediately seem like just a modification of it.

[Foxfier]

I have no idea what your tech-talk said, but I do know that it's a lovely picture, so far.

I always loved the story...I don't know if I'm telling it right... of Mary being in a dream, and her cloak being the sky as she protected the guy who was dreaming, and his brothers.