Scott Ewen | The Open studio

This Saturday from 2 – 9 I will be part of a new annual event called “Springboard“. I will be in studio J at the main building and I invite you all down to look and talk.

Details below. Hope to see you there!

Springboard into art – Visit Austin’s largest studio complexes: Pump Project, Pump Project Satellite, Big MediumArtpost in one Saturday! Spend the afternoon exploring unique facilities that provide studio space for over eighty artists and artisans working in an array of styles and media. Browse the studios to meet local artists, see their work and ask questions about their process – and maybe even find something special to take home.  Hop on a bike to make the short ride between locations! Check out the members page of Pump Project’s website to see who you can visit! and

In addition to open artist’s studios there will be an artist talk with sculptor Hank Waddell about his installation Wonderlanded in Pump Project’s main gallery Saturday at 5 pm. Pump Project Satellite Flex Space will feature an exhibition of wood- fired ceramics by Craig McNeil and metal work by Croix Williamson. The gallery at Big Medium will feature work from print media artists Jason Urban.

Locations:
Pump Project: 702 Shady Lane
Pump Project Satellite: 1109 Shady Lane
Big Medium: 5305 Bolm Rd
Artpost: 4704 E Cesar Chavez

pumpproject.org/2010/05/springboard-east-side-arts-showcase/

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Trinty River (overpass)
36 x 36
Oil on masonite

2 drawings from the past couple of weeks.

Great article on the Princeton blog about Degas use of the first hand held camera to create photo reference imagery for his paintings of dancers. I’ve always been fascinated by classical artists use of emerging technology to help them in their work, from Vermeers use of an early camera obscura for capturing accurate perspective to Caravaggios employment of a similar technique to project his subjects onto what was apparently light sensitive materials (Mercury Salt) , which according to experts may be partially responsible for the extreme chiaroscuro look he achieved.

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I prefer to paint from life if I can but have been working from photographs more lately as my life schedule doesn’t allow me to go work with a model very often. It’s a fundamentally different experience but both seem to have their pros and cons. Working with the model can be very fulfilling but also expensive and of course requires scheduling, while I can pick up a photo at 2 in the morning when I find some time to paint and do my thing.

I would always encourage drawing and working from life as much as possible as you gain much information and muscle memory which will help you when working from photos later on.  The photo tends to spell it all out while working from life you are focused on one area at a time, in and out of focus.

3 paintings shipped for the event at Tripolo Gallery which I will be attending this Saturday.

untitled
24 x 48
oil on masonite

Shell Road
24 x 24
oil on pine board

Twice
24 x 30
oil on Canvas

Wife
30″ x 40″
Oil on Canvas

I recently finished this painting of my wife Andrea. We’ve been married for 17 years and been together for about 19. With 2 small kids it’s tough to get a chance to be alone that often much less be able to sit down and have her pose for me but after wanting to do this for a very long time, we finally got the chance.

Working with someone I know so intimately is much different than the models I normally work with who, although are friends, I’m not emotionally involved with. The task of painting someone I know so well feels almost monumental.

Like her personality I chose a head on, strong, and confident pose. Being an Italian from New York Andrea doesn’t back away from much and I focused on that strength and intensity as well as her classic beauty.

The deer skull is from our collection.

Here’s a quick one based off a quick sketch on an index card I made during a meeting at work. I’ve written about this before but I thought this was another good example of a finished piece based on this process which I wanted to share.

The following thumbnail is on a 3 x 5 index card that was laying around the meeting table. This isn’t a life drawing per se but drawn using muscle memory and recollection after years of drawing from life.

As you can see, I turned the figure slightly during painting but the foundation is still there in the final piece.

As an artist I’m not so interested in faithfully representing the figure in my work. I do enjoy doing portraits and commissions now and again, where it’s important to stay accurate to the specific person being represented but I guess that’s the crux of it…

specifics

My work is representational to an extent but being *too specific* is what I want to avoid which is one reasons faces are often obscured. For me, painting and drawing the figure is not about the individual but rather about capturing the universal that we all share as human beings, the human form and spirit–it’s energy, beauty, imperfection and awkwardness.

New painting completed for an upcoming show here in Austin. All the art will be based on the work of local photographer Aasim Syed and is scheduled to include pieces by Conrad Keely from Trail of the Dead and Yvonne Lambert from The Octopus Project.

Should be a fun show and I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone does.

Twins
oil on canvas
30 x 40

These are 2 of a series of small paintings (12″ x 24″, oil on masonite) I’ve been working on for the past several months, based on charcoal drawings from my weekly figure drawing sessions.

Bayou
oil on canvas
24″ x 30″