Study of young female nude

"Study of young female nude" pencil on hot pressed paper, 14" X 18" by Hilary J. England

Here is an hour long study I did in pencil, of a new model.  The pose was interesting, and I always like new poses to "shake things" up a bit.  I usually don't work in pencil, but I also like using mediums I don't usually use to keep things fresh.

~Enjoy

Peking duck in the lilypond

"Peking duck in the lilypond" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 8" X 10" 2016

I started out in high spirits with this painting, but as the day wore on, I just felt worse and worse.  Lately, I've been running out of steam by around 2 pm, and I think I've hitting the gym a bit too hard early in the morning, because I feel like death between 1 and 3 pm, and that's not cool.  Those are prime working hours, and I shouldn't feel like I'm ready to turn in for the night by that time.

I really enjoy being down at the canals, and there is such an abundance of beauty to choose from.  It makes me feel peaceful and serene in a world gone insane, to know there is always the natural beauty of God's creation to meditate on, and to calm the tumult of daily living, even when there is nothing directly agitating going on.  Sometimes, the world just catches up to you, and those quiet moments of refreshment -- looking at a single, contented duck floating in a still lilypond -- are just what you need to lift your soul and give you strength to move on through this life.

Either that, or finding a hammock and a good beach!  But, that's for another day :-)

~Enjoy.

Study of African-American female nude

Study of African-American female nude, by Hilary J. England, conte on Ingres paper, 11" X 14

Here is today's study.  The model was a young African-American female, and she had a very strong and muscular body -- just magnificent.  She struck this pose, with her arms overhead holding on to a stabilizer bar, and the muscles and silhouette was just breathtaking.  I was only able to draw her for about an hour, as even as fit as she is, the was a very taxing pose for her.

But, it was certainly long enough for me to capture her essence.  I focused on the very rhythm of her body, and the amazing and rich shadow line.

II was able to do about an hour of 2 minute rapid gestures with another model, so when it came time for the long pose with this model, I was in the flow.  Good work day....good day altogether!  One plein air painting, and one drawing found new homes today, so that always energizes me to know other people are appreciating my work as well.

Enjoy!

San Francisco

"San Francisco" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 16" X 20" X 2", 2016

This is painting no. 7 in my "Travelogue" series.  Each of the items has a particular reason behind it was used for the painting.  I start with choosing these items, and then finding a way to arrange them so that there is rhythm, harmony, movement, and some visual paths to draw the eye around the picture plane, and keep an interesting liveliness to the painting.

I set the items up on the floor (yes, the floor) and I have an elevated cushioned seat that allows me to look down on the arrangement while painting.

I always start by blocking in the the largest elements so that I don't lose the original design idea, and then I build the painting through a series of glazes and scumbling.  This takes time to allow the paint to dry and not muddy any of the colors by trying to rush the process.  I don't work in any sort of impasto until I am near the end of the process, and then, it is only accents to bring some of the elements forward in the picture plane.

I usually stop when the painting looks a little "raw," as I don't like anything overdone, especially not a painting.  Two things are awful when they are overdone: paintings, and steaks.  Just can't abide by overcooked and over processed.

So, that's the long and short of it, the very condensed process of how I paint a still life painting :-).

~Enjoy!

Study of female nude from behind

"Study of female nude from behind" pencil and white chalk on beige Ingres paper, 12" X 16"

This study was difficult.  This young woman had quite a "bootie" to put it mildly, and the projection on it was incredible.  I had to try to capture that, as it was almost unreal, and yet the contortion of her torso and spine, in combination with the "apple bottom" mad this a most frustrating study to capture. I had to try to keep it real without being "pin up" or "cartoony" along the lines of Jessica Rabbit.  I think I struck the balance and I am ok with it.  I would like to attempt her again, maybe in Conte this time.  Graphite and pencil, especially the softer ones, is very delicate, and smears easily, but it does have more range in it's own way.  

This is why diligence is needed in drawing the human form. It keeps you on your proverbial toes, because poses and studies that you think should be "easy" sometimes turn out to be the most difficult, as this one did.  I enjoyed drawing her nonetheless.

~Enjoy.

Study of female nude in shadow

"Study of female nude in shadow" by Hilary J. England

11" X 14" conte on Ingres paper

I did this study today, it took a little over an hour.  I am just getting back into the swing of regular figure drawing again, and it has been very satisfying. I look forward to regular figure drawing now that I found this group online, and I can access literally whenever.

Of course, I won't forget my L-O-V-E of plein air painting.  This is just a bonus for me :-)

Study of female nude

30 minute study of female nude, Conte on Ingres paper, 11" X 14", by Hilary J. England

I found an artist's group that actually does figure drawing online. Go figure!  Now, the model comes to you, for free, wherever you want!! It's a novel concept, and although I prefer working from a live model, this was interesting, and is at least something I can do when I can't make it to a group session down in Bethlehem.

I was able to jump into this session for the last 1/2 of a 3 hour session.  I love that they have sessions this long, and that you can photo the pose to continue afterwards.  It's been very hard to find a group outside of going to Manhattan that will have those long, single pose sessions.  I'm looking forward to be able to do some more involved figure drawing with this group.  It will be interesting to see how it goes with translating it from seeing the pose on my TV, rather than in person.  I mean, I have a 60 inch TV, so when she poses, it's about the same ratio as when a live model poses in front of me, distance wise.

Again, interesting!!!

Enjoy :-)

Purple pansy by the tree

"Purple pansy by the tree" by Hilary J. England

Oil on canvas, 8" X 10", 2016

I've been working a lot lately, but I have been feeling a bit down.  I have had some personal situations that are very stressing, and that affects me deeply.  I have someone very close to me who is desperately ill, perhaps in the end stages of life, and it drains me inch by inch watching this process.  I want so much to help, and to make it stop, to make it better, make it go away, and I can't.  I want so much to protect them from this, to keep them with me, and I see the disconnect beginning...when they begin to ever so slightly disconnect from this earth, and you can feel it, in your soul.  It's a hard perception to explain, but to anyone who has ever been around a terminally ill person, someone they were very close to, and went through this process, you will understand what I am saying.  I don't know how many days or months we have, I just know the process has begun, and my heart quivers in my chest at the idea of what is to come.

Many days I feel like I'm in a holding pattern -- so grateful for the love we have now, but not knowing what's ahead.  It's the oddest feeling, like being in limbo, and you still must go about your life, but it's like sleepwalking...you go through the motions, but your mind is switched off.  It's always somewhere else, no matter how conscious or focused you are on the task at hand.

I have been looking for peaceful little scenes that speak to my heart, and yet, are still challenging to recreate.  I did this one in town, again, while I was out wandering around after hitting the gym.  I was hungry, so I sat down to eat my almonds, and I noticed these little flowers.  I went back to them later on in the day, and the light and shadow was more dramatic, and that made me happy to work there.

I feel more connected to the Old Masters when I work outside these days.  I think of their joy at the beauty they were able to view and capture, and also all the pain of life on this earth, and how they assimilated the good and the bad into their work, to make something beautiful from the ashes.  I admire that persistence in the face of adversity, and it gives me pause to think about my own work.  If the sadness was too large, would I stop working?  What then?  Where would it manifest itself?  I'd probably end up a drunk face down in the gutter.  No, this is the healthier way to move through these painful events.

Enjoy~

Flowers in shade

"Flowers in shade" by Hilary J. England

Oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2016

It was a scorcher today.  I wasn't prepared for it, even being forewarned by the Weather Channel, but somehow, going from losing tomatoes last week due to frost -- to 95 degrees, just seemed ludicrous.  And it is!  So, I went lumbering and sweating around town, like a bulldog in the heat, until I came upon this scene.

I found a wonderful little spot of shade, and the diversity of flowers and greens, warm and cool, was very captivating to me.  I sat there drinking it in, thinking back to my childhood, and I could hear the laughter and wonder within, and still picture that when I left, the sprites would come out of hiding and be about their business again.  It was enchanting.  And I probably baked my brain earlier in the sun hahahahaha.

This painting took a little time, because I wanted to make sure the balance of cool and warm greens was not lost in the translation.  There was a quiet energy to this place, even though the breeze only stirred the new leaves here and there, I felt the vibrancy of it as I painted.  It was just a wonderful little scene to capture.

~Enjoy!

The Jailbirds

"The Jailbirds" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 16", 2016

Continued my path around town today, and found this interesting little scene.  It was really very difficult to paint on the spot.  The light was tremendously bright today which made seeing extremely hard from the full and intense direct sunlight.  Hat didn't help, and sunglasses would have just made things incredibly funky.  I guess I should have embarked earlier, or later, rather than at noontime.

I really enjoyed the flowers bulging against the rusty old chain link fence.  I felt kind of like I was looking at beautiful creatures in a cage, like they had gone to prison, and were straining to be let go and released.

I always enjoy finding little scenes of quiet drama.  They seem to be nothing on the surface, but just below, there is always a mighty story!

~Enjoy!

New vines

"New vines" by Hilary J. England
8" x 16" oil on canvas

It's been a pretty productive week, although I have been feeling a bit tired since I've been working out extra hard, and once you hit middle age, well, recovery just isn't what it used to be.  But, extra sleep helps.

I have been working around town, and my particular focus is all the interesting little mundane things that people seem to miss in their mad rush of living life.  Spring is such a lovely time to notice these little things, like the blooming of new flowers, and the renewal of everything.  I notice these new vines shooting off an old tree, creeping up onto the lattice of an old basement, and it was very eye-catching to me.  Yes, the beauty of these things always catches my eye, and I think of the grand design and what an artist God is.  Truly incredible to me.

~Enjoy!

Spring flowers on the old wall

"Spring flowers on the old wall" by Hilary J. England
oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2016

Walking around town, I always find little interesting things to paint when I go out of the way, into areas that are somewhat quiet and left to themselves.

This was such an interesting wall, with all it's little flowers and crisscrossed vines, I couldn't help but do a fast oil painting of it.  The whole scene with the colors and textures, was very satisfying and soothing.  It's nice to be outdoors again, and it feels good if not a little strange after so many days inside because of the rain and rain and rain....

I did drop my palette straight down into the dirt once.  That's just to remind me who my Daddy is lolololol.  Never mess with nature, even on the calmest of days!

~Enjoy

Clouds and water

"Clouds and water" by Hilary J. England, 8" x 16" oil on canvas, 2016

So, this constant rain and entrapment has gotten me depressed.  I usually like the rain, but after a very stressful month, and so much to do outside, being caged up for days on end finally got the better of me, and I have been feeling down and out.

I decided to just do a little, limited palette study based on some photos I had from India, of Lake Vembanad, and try to think of happier things.  It was monsoon, and there was constant rain initially, but then, it cleared away, and you could literally see it moving off into the distance.  I hope this current cloud cover that has become stuck over our area decides to move on out of here too.  I could use a few days of sunshine.  It's either always sunny, or days and days of rain...can't we have a nice happy medium??

So, that's my gripe about the weather.  I'll go stick that gripe into the garbage pail along with others ones that have zero ways of being changed hahaha.  And no, I'm not traveling away to avoid some rainy days...those adventures will come later.

:-) enjoy~

Brown eggs and lime

"Brown eggs and half a lime" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 8" x 10" 2016

The rain...more and more comes, so, I decided to hang inside today and just do some still life studies.  The brown eggs and half a lime looked interesting, especially in the lower light, so I decided they would be most interesting to paint.

I have some really cool things coming on the horizon, so I'm kind of laying low while I mull things over and try and work everything into it's place in terms of scheduling and stuff.  Some exciting travels, and some exciting projects, so I'm pretty, well, excited!

I guess for now, I will leave you with this little study and if you like brown eggs and lime (separate, or, maybe together!). here is a little painting for you.

Enjoy~

Soft rain

"Soft rain, low mountain" by Hilary J. England, 8" x 11" oil on canvas, 2016

I'm still working with themes that are serene.  The wet, foggy mountain in Spring, wildflowers all in bloom, the misty engulfing the young pines like a mother wrapping her arms softly around their new, tender branches.  I love the change of seasons, even if it means having soggy feet.

The drizzle, and then the rain.  My sneakers didn't hold up well, but then, I should of worn my hiking boots.  They are made for the damp earth and muddy puddles, and slippery rocks and all the wonderful things that signal the warmer weather.  But, today was chilly and damp, but I could still smell the scent of life in the air.  There is no mistaking that delicious smell, even if its accompanied by a sneeze or two.

Enjoy~

The bridge to unknown pastures

"The bridge to unknown pastures" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 8" x 16" 2016

My musings and ruminations on death and the journey there, and then beyond, continue.  This is another painting I did today, although it's photographed a bit on the dark side (literally and not metaphorically --it's probably just a slight shade lighter when viewing in person as my Canon took the day off and I had to photo with the iPad), it is actually a bit more serene then the other two.  I mean my frame of mind was when painting it anyway.  For now! For today, but that's cool, because that's all that matters or counts.

I mused about how many "journeys within the journey" we actually take, as people come and go from our lives, some make a little impact, others you will walk with for all of eternity, and the "micro-journeys" we complete help shape us as surely as a chisel in a sculptor's hand.  Some of us walk a very traditional path, and the road always seems to be clear and level for these folks.  I used to grumble that they were lucky, but now, not so much any more.  I'd be the person crashing along the bank, coming up on the bridge head on rather than neatly along the road.  I've accepted that as well, and count myself as lucky that I see things maybe a little different than others.  Some may say that's "psycho" but I disagree.  I don't usually hear voices in my head (not mean ones that tell me to rampage anyway lol) or any other symptoms of disturbia, so I think it's all good.  I have a tendency to think and think and think, and sometimes that's not a pleasant thing, but at other times it allows me to really steep myself into the multiple nuances and complexities of a situation, and see the beauty of it, when others don't.  That has been the one biggest gift of my life...being able to roll with things, even very ugly or scary situations, and still find beauty and purpose in it.

I'm been gifted with the ability to move through things and still not feel "victimized".  Shit happens, to be blunt, and it doesn't always have to be someone's fault, or some cosmic conspiracy against me.  Sometimes I will feel self- pity like any other person, but in the end, I can usually see through it, and just let the whole situation go.  Give it to God, and just keep on walking.  He always fixes things up way better than I could have anyway, so why obsess?

So, there it is for today.  Enjoy!!

 

Visible shore

"Visible shore" by Hilary J. England, 2016, oil on canvas, 11" x 14"

Here's another little par coeur  painting I did regarding my thoughts on mortality, loss, and grappling to make sense of the passage of time and people.

I thought of what C.S. Lewis alluded to with the examination of death and the different metaphors he used, and what Tolkien had beautifully written about death being a distant shore.  I don't know if it was Tolkien that used a simple story to explain death and transition as a boat leaving port -- that when the ship leaves port, the people on the pier lose sight of the ship and feel sad watching it go and after it passes the horizon line and our field of vision, it seems to be gone altogether, yet  the people on the distant shore begin to see the appearance and arrival of that ship, and rejoice.  The passing through the veil.  The veil between life and death, the veil of tears.

As we get older and see the speeding up of these processes in relation to each year that passes, in some instances, we can see that shore starts to grow more visible.  You can turn your head away, and pretend you don't see what you truly see, but I think it's better to make peace with the truth, and to not fight what is on the horizon.

Making peace with things we absolutely resist is one of the greatest challenges of life, but it is part of the essential experience we must grow through as humans.  And, like all humans, I continue to struggle with certain things, and I think it will not grow easier with time, just more acceptable.

At least that's my hope.

"The journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain curtain of this world rolls back and all turns to silver glass. And then you see it. White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise."  Tolkien

~Enjoy.

Recovery

"Ominous" by Hilary J. England, 11" x 14" oil on canvas, 2016

It's been a long and horrible month.  I'm going to get very personal here since this is a very personal painting.  I suppose I could just let you all "wonder" at the story behind it, or where it originated from.  Did I go scope out some strange little child alone and naked on a lakeshore, and start painting her?. LOL, no.  This painting is just my personal "story" of the situation I am dealing with. My Dad nearly died after a bout of pneumonia this month, and the toll of that episode wiped me out more than I realized or anticipated.  I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't relax or concentrate, and the days just slipped by with me not realizing anything at all, just feeling like crap, and there being zero I could do to correct it, or move through it. Dad's still fighting to recover, and for that I am grateful, but the anguish of watching his suffering had really left me in a deep depression.

I painted this little painting today, to try and move through this funk I'm in.  I realized that Dad's illness stripped away everything in my life, to when I was a little child, and I was terrified of the unknown. I remember standing on the age of a lake, looking at the water, feeling anxious and afraid, not knowing what was in there and if it would swallow me up.

So, here was my psychological therapy for the day.  I don't usually do paintings "from my head", but this one was different, because I really needed to try and work out all of the struggles I was dealing with, and this helped me.  Didn't "fix" everything, but it helped.

~Enjoy.

Redwoods

"Redwoods" by Hilary J. England, oil on canvas, 24" X 36", 2016

I finished this landscape for myself.  I needed something new and relaxing to look at while I'm laying in bed in the throes of insomnia.  :-D

I have a bunch of other paintings I'm working on, but I feel so off-track this last week or so.  I don't know what's up, as I am not sick or anything, but I guess it's just one of those things.  I'll find my direction next week or so, I'm sure.  

Enjoy~

Life's a garden

"Dusk in the flower garden" by Hilary J. England
11" x 14", oil on canvas, 2016

I can't believe a whole month got away from me.  I have been working on various projects, including a book, and I had two different commissions, so this work has kept me very busy.

This week was a sad week.  News of death arrived, and that always hurts and is a wake-up call of sorts: Life is hard, but life is beautiful.  Along with the death of my friend, and there was also the death of a young man -- the son of an acquaintance from long ago -- very very sad.  These type of inexplicable events always give me pause to stop, and reflect.  Yes, life is hard, but life is beautiful.

So, I began to paint from some old photos I put together.  I really wanted to cheer myself up and just paint something that would warm my heart up again, and for me, that is always children.  And gardens.  Because after all, life is a garden, and children are life, so I painted this little painting, outside in the beautiful warm air, just lost in my own thoughts. Life and truth and beauty.

And -- I also reflected that with the sad news came sweet news also.  News of babies being born, and others to come -- quite a few of them are on the way with Spring and Summer -- and that made me smile.  Who doesn't smile when life renews itself?

So, I look forward to the Spring with renewed vigor and a positive joy for things to come!

~Enjoy