Now that we have fully settled into life here in Cortona and classes are in full swing, I am busy in the studios making jewelry, ceramics, and paintings.  As an artist who is particularly passionate about painting, though, I am especially excited to get my brush in some oils.  Read the following course description of my advanced painting course, and you'll see why...

"This semester you will make one major painting, from the initial conception of the idea, through the stages of research, planning, reference-gathering, preparatory studies, and revisions, to the

final stage of successfully completing the actual painting. Through this process you will

investigate your own interests in subject matter and explore your own individual painting style

and technique. You will learn to budget your resources and time and avoid the traps of procrastination and over-preparation.

Throughout the semester we will look to the artistic precedents surrounding us in Italy to learn

how the greatest artists of the past made their ambitious frescoes, large narrative works, and

complex altarpieces. You will see examples of their preparatory drawings, composition

sketches, and value and color studies. By looking at the actual paintings in person, you will be

able to obtain information about their technique that cannot be gained from photographic

reproductions.

Upon successful completion of this course you will have the skills and confidence needed to take on complex projects, both artistic and otherwise."

It was difficult for me to decide on what I would like to paint for an entire three months.  The subject-matter and technique would have to be complex--something I could really sink my teeth into--so I looked back to one of my favorite painters, Janet Fish, for inspiration.  In my freshman year of college I studied Janet Fish in Studio Art, and produced two acrylic paintings in her style.  The second painting below was a direct study of her oil painting, "Balloons." The last one, "Perfume," was my own creation.

"Balloons" by Janet Fish (oil paint on canvas)

"Janet Fish Study" (acrylic paint on paper)

"Perfume" (acrylic paint on paper)

 I was particularly intrigued by Janet Fish's ability to capture luminous plastic or glass surfaces; her paintings are both obsessively realistic, and also playful and bright.  For my advanced painting project, I would like to explore transparency, and how the shapes and colors of objects change inside or behind transparent materials.  I will be gathering objects that reflect my experience here in Italy, to put together a vibrant still life (see examples of Janet Fish's work here: http://www.dcmooregallery.com/artists/janet-fish#5n).  This is going to be a huge project--literally, I plan on doing my work on a large scale--so I am tackling it in small pieces.  To begin, I'm doing studies of simple still life objects (like fruit) interacting with other clear textures.  Here is my first one (unfinished): 

Three oranges inside of a plastic bag (oil paint on canvas)

I will continue to post my progress as the semester goes on!  I hope you'll enjoy watching me map my process.