Painting a Still Life Part 4

This segment shows increasing development of the painting:

painting in progress

I am still working on this painting. Usually I paint quicker, but this one has just so much detail its taking awhile. But I am enjoying it...hope to finish soon:

Lois Wiley painting

This is a painting I have in my studio. It is my great-grandmother, Lois Wiley (1886-1918) of Troy Alabama. It was painted by her aunt (my three great aunt), Ella Murphree (1868-1929) who was an amateur miniature painter.

Lois, the girl in the painting, died in the flu epidemic of 1918 at age 32. She was an amateur poet. I have one of her poems hanging in my studio. It goes:

 There is a mystic subtle something 
 not discernable in kind,
 like a mirrored strata reflecting
 secret channels of the mind.

 It belongs to those who spiritually see
 who with discernment hear,
 who can feel the pulse of the value of things,
 know truth from its shining veneer.

 It would seem that God had leaned in love
 with a gift for a favored lot,
 were it not that the gain was offset by pain
 from those who have eyes but see not.

Painting a Still Life part 3

This is the third installment of my still life painting video:

Painting a Still Life part 2

This is part 2 of my demo video on painting a still life. Part 2 deals with finishing the drawing, applying fixative, and giving the panel a light umber wash to tone it:

Painting a Still Life video

This is part 1 of a demonstration video I am putting together on painting a still life. Part 1 features drawing the composition directly on the wood panel in pencil:

LAA portrait painting

I have my portrait demo from my class at the Lyme Art Association posted underneath, I didn't get too far with it. But my student, Mary Mellot, got very far in her study as you can see. You can see some more of her artwork here.

my unfinished study: