Preparing a new series on Yoga... coming soon to a theater near you!

This summer, I decided to dedicate a series on Yoga, remaining true to my objective of continuing the exploration of the human figure using a contemporary approach to paint application (I know no other way for God's sake!)...

With this series, I would like to explore the abstract aspects of the human figure through unusual cropping and lighting. I would also like to go totally abstract on backgrounds, something I've timidly started to do more recently...

I owe one to my wife's superlative Yoga instructor. I was floored by her skillful demonstration of Yoga poses... coincidentally, I had to be to take these photos! Thank you Geneviève!

Meanwhile, I'm still holding on tight to some garden flowers as we're closing the gap to November.... perhaps as a pure demonstration of machismo in the face of my neighbours ... or is it my inborn need not to give up on the "still living and kicking"...

Moroccan woman commission - steps II-III ... back to the easel after responding to an emergency!

As my mother suffered a transient memory loss (we were informed by one of her neighbors), I had to temporarily move to my parents' place 60 miles from Montreal to take care of this potentially dangerous medical condition (my mother is 87 years old). Before leaving Montreal, I had her take an aspirin as a precautionary measure, which was the right thing to do under the circumstances. Fortunately, this condition appears to be transient with virtually 0% relapse rate. A brain scan revealed nothing... so I have to thank the Guy Upstairs for this positive outcome...

Back to the easel, I applied a few rough layers (thin in the dark areas and thicker in the highlights) going for somewhat of a painterly approach and a prudent monochromatic color scheme (not willing to do pirouettes with this one!)...

I will sleep on it for a night before calling it a "done deal"...

Note to self: "They say that every piece of art is a prayer. Well, if it's the case, then this one is dedicated to my mother...."

Update: Just a few additional brush strokes were required for me to reach satisfaction (mind you, my expectations are low... when it comes to details!)...

Moroccan woman commission - step I extended... the 1% that broke the camel's back!

Looks like my estimated 99% completion rate for step one was a rather rough estimate at best (mind you, I started off with a couple of 3" X 2" photos, one of which was dating back 7 years!)...

If anything, I had to fight doggedly to obtain 100% likeness, luckily obtaining in the process a better representation of the client's facial features, i.e., more conformed to the way she looks now (slightly more streamlined).

Looks like I'm back to "zinc white" country with this one, in an attempt to retain as much color power as possible while working "more opaque". Needless to say, I'm crossing my fingers as I proceed to the next level!

Note: funnily enough, my first attempt at the nose ended up producing a plausible nose... but an eagle beak one! It's interesting to observe that, in portraiture, a quarter inch can "make you or break you"...

Moroccan woman commission - step I... looking for a safety net big time!

I used the prudent approach with this one and, although there were no preliminary drawing, I'm about 99% there in terms of likeness (I got lucky!).

Another transparent wash to define the color scheme and I will be ready for a more expressive color layer... I hope! I'd like the third step to be a finite number of brush strokes. This 3-step approach has served me well in the past...

My short painting sessions for this one were interspersed with a few outdoors activities to entertain visiting family members from Belgium. The Chinese lanterns at the botanical garden were awesome...

... notwithstanding the Mont Tremblant scenery, just before the winter...

Exhibiting a pot-pourri of my works... hoping that the audience would not focus too much on the "pourri" side!

A musical concert was my 2nd opportunity this year to introduce my works to a local public...

As usual, I enjoyed direct interactions with the people who came by to get a closer look... and I thank them for their their interest in my art (many business card were picked up).

Listening to Sergiu Popa's distinctive East European sound was a real treat. The whole evening amounted to an extraordinary fusion of the semi classical (beautiful violin accompaniment by his wife) and the folkloric (Sergiu's virtuoso style accordion playing) interspersed with jazz like improvisations from Sergiu and two other members of the group (impressive piano player from Mozambique, young skillful percussionist). While the music was playing, I couldn't help imagining in my mind the impact that it would have on my brush work on canvas... luckily for me, before the end of the evening, the muse (my wife) had already reserved a copy of the CD (there were only 4 available for the whole audience!)...

Lost Garfield for a day... finally, a sigh of relief!

Sunday, our cat executed a disappearing act that would have made Houdini proud. After a day's search inside and outside the house, there were only 2 conclusions to be drawn: abduction by an extraterrestrial being or the cat took a slant on the wild side. Our cat never went outside alone, so we were a bit worried to say the least....

Our last desperate move was to rattle a bag of treats on the veranda after sunset. Luckily, this produced 2 beaming eyes and a distinctive "meow"... Gushing out with a flash light, I realized quickly that I would not be able to capture our elusive cat easily in the wide opened space. Capitalizing on its tendency to smell any extended finger, I managed to grab one of its front leg like a snapping turtle... proving once again that old age and treachery can overcome agility and speed!

Meanwhile, I'm getting ready for my second mini exhibition in the context of a concert tonight...

Yakshi statue- final step... outside my comfort zone again!

While struggling with this one, I kinda forgot to leave brush marks...

... well there's always the next time around! This is an attempt to have a few "more commercial" paintings to offer at my upcoming concert exhibition, October 19th. I'd like to start a new series on Yoga in November, so I am frantically trying to get used to the new color palette using these non threatening experimental paintings as a departure point. I replaced crimson by a more permanent violet and ultramarine by a powerful turquoise. Keeping azo gold as a yellow, I see versatility with this limited palette that I did not have with my previous one (color range, color strength). The two new colors are extremely powerful and as such are tough to control (a bit like phtalo blue that can easily overpower other colors in mixes)...

Note to self: "My alla prima approach so far is a collection of tentative brush strokes almost like a trial and error kind of approach. I will be satisfied only when each brush mark is decisive!"

Sub-note to self: "I realized that when it comes to the painting knife, I want to be a "scraper" and not a "butterer". When it comes to the brush... I want to leave a mark!"