60 years old...it's now or never!

After the birthday parties (this one with my immediate family), it's sinking in...

... I don't have too much time to waste with my art!!! For the time being, I'm recharging my batteries... ready to spring into action some time in August!

Taking a hike!

Hiking in the Eastern Townships (Gale lake, Bromont) is one way of relieving the stress associated with producing one painting a week...

I'm still in "idle" mode with regard to painting. New approaches are simmering in my head...

Masquerade series... A moment of reflection on the floor!

After 5 paintings in this new series and a short one-week haitus from painting, it's time to assess this new direction of mine...

After a rather prudent first painting (middle one, upper row), I seem to be heading in the direction of more abstraction and less facial exposure in terms of composition. Applying fully saturated colors over greyed underpaintings appeals to me. I'd like to pursue in that vein, at least for a while. Let's hope I won't lose face!

Mask V - The resuscitation from the dead!

After a little more than a week of rest from painting, I decided to give a last chance to my previous "failed" painting...

The end result is not the apotheosis of my short art career, but nonetheless, this painting was the ground for some interesting experiments on textural effects. I need to get more serious about this "industrial strength" dripping technique!


Note to self: "I see an opportunity in smothering a face with abstraction... in the end though, it's a matter of balance".

A break from painting!

Experiencing the calm of the wilderness in Lachute Québec...

... a way of recharging the batteries!

Mask V - step II... A post-mortem spasm of the conventional!!

I used the second pass to try a new technique for the "nylon stocking" texture of the mask...

The third pass will be decisive since I want to part from this boring "illustration" look.

Update: I gave it my best shot but remained unsatisfied with the results. The lighting and the split design made it difficult to produce interesting color patterns while maintaining unity. Furthermore, my use of orange made me realize that this color and yellow have the same value when they are adjacent to each other. The "black and white" version of the painting did not register, and it should have, a key success factor in my view...Well, there's always the next painting to do better!

Note to self: "I'm due for a vacation from painting! May be one to two weeks would be beneficial."

Mask V - step I... Grinding another one!

Inspired by different reference photos, I brushed this first pass in an attempt to transpose my vision on canvas, if not accurately, at least partially...

I'd like to replicate what I've done with the previous one (dripping saturated colors)... and verify if I can push my luck once again!