Rick Janson Art Studio

It’s tough to be disciplined as an artist. Throughout the winter and spring I’ve spent consistent hours in my studio, toiling away on multiple canvases. Then the World Cup began. Yikes. Needless to say, I’m a little behind where I feel I should be at this point in the year.

I presently have four paintings and a study underway. The study is in preparation for a portrait painting, possibly with two subjects. A little while back I put out a call for volunteers to have their portrait done. Like David Hockney, I like doing portraits. I am just not all that fond of portrait commissions. I suppose it is a manner of who is in charge at the end of the day. Fortunately I had two responses to my call, this being the first.

I chose to follow a similar process to the portrait as that of the UK’s Portrait Artist of the Year. First a meeting to get to know the subject and to do some preliminary work-ups. Then a second session after a little time to absorb what the painter has learned about the person. I’m finding this process is already paying dividends as I work on my first preparatory study.

I met my subject June 7th on the opposite side of the GTA at the Bronte Creek Provincial Park. I did take a number of photos to work from that day, specifically to get some understanding of the sitter’s face. To my surprise, she brought along a two-year-old who I quickly came to realize needed to be part of the picture too.

While my sitter has a considerable professional reputation — I was well aware of her impressive career in journalism before we met — I realized from our walk and talk that the portrait had to be about who she presently is, which is partly about family, and partly about finding a new life post-retirement.

For the last two weeks I have been wrestling with that first study, a small oil on board painting. The funny thing is, I am happy with the expression of the sitter which I think transcends the original photo, but a little less happy with the likeness at this point. I calculate another three hours then I will start a second study regardless of whether I nail this first attempt or not. It has already yielded a terrific amount of visual information and given some clues to what to look for in the next outing.
The more I paint her and the two-year-old grandchild, the more I become aware of the familial likeness — or am I just projecting? I am also getting to know the facial contours in some detail. The next study will be indicative of how much I really have gained from this first study.

The plan is to go back for a second session towards the end of the month, being far more careful about framing and light for a more finished painting to follow. I knew arrving at our first meeting that the time was a little too close to noon, making the light difficult to work with outdoors — at one point we did duck into a pig barn. I’m also very interested in seeing where the sitter would like to do this final session. She spoke about her affinity to trees (and presumably nature), so do we do it outside again, or do we do it inside with a reference to the outdoors, such as a view outside a window?

In preparation for the study I have been looking at dozens of portraits. Very few are outside, and of those that are, many clearly use the outdoors as a backdrop even if the subject is clearly indoors judging by the difference in light. No doubt artists feel they have much more control on the inside, but it does raise challenges and doing outdoor portraits.

My goal is to have that painting done by September 1, hopefully in time to submit it as an entry to this year’s Kingston Portrait Prize.

As for the other four paintings, they all appear to be in pursuit of elaborating on some of my earlier and more interesting efforts. That includes another “reflection” painting, this one looking into a window of a pub in Dundee, Scotland. I also am working on a larger scale painting (for me) of the Pont Du Gard in the South of France. I feel like I should be making stops along the way of some of the historical painters I admire, and a scene of bathers (in the river Gardon) seemed necessary. The one that is the furthest along is of a fleeting image seen from a train — this one mid-winter from the GO Train travelling through Scarborough, the view between Rouge Hill and Guildwood. The scores of images I have from Spain has meant at least a beginning on a view from Seville that has been calling out to me.

Much work to do this summer — but first Scotland plays Morocco this afternoon. Can’t wait.