Gravitas

Gravitas Original 14 X 11 Oil Painting

Tonight, my good friend and fellow artist, Barbara Conaway, sat for me. What a good sport. She let me wrap her head in a scarf and pose her like a department store mannequin.  I like the bohemian look of the headscarf and found a great way to bring color into the painting.

The set up reminded me of a Self Portrait demo David Leffel did a couple of years ago at a Portrait Society convention in Atlanta. As I sat in the dark and watched him begin his portrait on stage, I pondered the flambouyant scarf about his brow.  At first I thought it was an affectation, that he was putting on old hippie airs. Boy howdie! Did I get my come-uppance! As I watched him paint, I realized that the scarf was a brilliant compositional device that created an elegant entry into his painting, continuing around his brow to lead the eye through the composition and create form. I love being proven wrong when I am being a judgmental ass!

Brilliant too, is my model. I called this one gravitas because what I have seen Barbara take on over the past few years. There is a certain peaceful calm and sense of humor that a person who has endured trial by fire exudes. This is one strong woman!