Tag: Maureen Outlaw

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Matisse Is The Master

Maureen Outlaw painting 2009
Maureen Outlaw painting 2009

We had our last painting class at the Creative Workshop last night, last one until the Spring session starts in three weeks. I had my camera with me and I grabbed this shot of Maureen’s painting. She stands next to me in class and it is really fun to watch her paint. She works really fast and has a good time doing it. I try to work fast but spin my wheels and I’m not sure I’m having a good time.

I checked out a Matisse book from the downtown library and I don’t want to give it back. I had a hunch that it would help me with my ongoing problems. That is: drawing ears and noses on faces when the sitter (or mugshot in my case) is facing head on. Matisse does this better than anyone and he makes it look so easy. His drawings are so much fun to look at!

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Embrace It

Fall in the woods near Rochester New York
Fall in the woods near Rochester New York

I picked up a cup of coffee at Starry Nites on the way to painting class and I thought I would really make some progress but I must have been in some sort of funk because I barely accomplished anything. I spent most of the night trying different colors in this guy’s nostrils if you can believe that. The guy has a huge neck and he is looking up so there is a lot of description in those features.

I started the painting over the weekend and it developed quickly. It beginnings were so graphic and strong that it was almost done and yet I was just getting started. So if it was almost done, why did it take me all night to advance it? It is at a stage where every move has to be right on. I’ll take a photo of him and post it here when I get it right.

Maureen Outlaw announced that she was going down to the Anchor Inn to celebrate her birthday after painting class so when Peggi picked me up we headed down to the lake to meet her. She was sitting at the bar working on her second LaBatt’s Blue and a plate of chicken wings when we showed up. It was just the third day for the bartender, Amanda, who moved here from Indiana, but it seemed like a pretty comfortable scene.

It was kind of dark and dreary today but that did not get us down. In fact the woods looked more dramatic than usual when we took our walk so we embraced it.

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