Monday, December 5, 2011

An update, more portraits and a start on "Madame Butterfly"


"Madame Butterfly" in progress, 5" x 7" small work, oil on panel

"Carolina" 9" x 12", black and white charcoal on green pastel paper,
a detail from a 50-minute pose from life

Hello everyone! This Fall I have been taking a little hiatus from miniature painting and miniature competitions, in order to give more attention to my portraiture and portrait commissions, so although it's been several months since my last post on this blog, I have posted fairly often to my portrait blog. Among other projects, several couples portraits are in the works. If you'd enjoy following my work in portraiture, the follower block is positioned at the bottom of the blog at Mona Conner Portraits, (due to the large picture format). "Carolina", shown above, is just one example from the live model drawing practice sessions I've attended from Sept. through early December. Weekly free 3-hour sessions with live models is a wonderful privilege provided to all School of Visual Arts alumni who wish to attend, and I have enjoyed both the models and the camaraderie so much that I really look forward to when these sessions resume next semester!

I'll be posting "Hat Lady in Pink" in her frame sometime soon, and meanwhile a new Lady I just love has entered my head vase collection, this sweet "Madame Butterfly", or so it says on the label that remains intact, and above Carolina is just a start on her. I'm hoping also to share one of my Christmas portraits in miniature here with you too this month, a baby portrait, but only if it won't spoil the surprise for a very proud Mom I happen to know, so miniatures coming soon too!