Katrina Willis, Composition in Blue ( Aurora, Bangkok, Chicago), 2008.
Acrylic on panel, 36 × 60 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com

This is a thumbnail of the painting I finished this weekend with the Orchard Community in Aurora.  (Feel free to click on the image to see more detail.)  Themes include: convergence of the local and global, awareness, connectivity, isolation and hope, suburban living, images of the city, sex trade related atrocities in Thailand, and other current issues facing North Americans.  The picture reminds me of a painting a completed a few years back on the conflict in the Sudan and Northern Africa; the latest was finished live over a period of approximately three hours, and I’ve included photos of the picture in progress below along with an image of the Out of the Bush painting on Northern Africa!

Katrina Willis, Out of the Bush, a Sudan Painting, 2002.                               
Acrylic on canvas, 36 × 60 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com 

Photo by Mark Willis

Photo by Mark Willis

 Photo by Dan Anderson

Photo by Dan Anderson

Katrina Willis, Harvest Time, 2008.
Oil on panel, 16 × 20 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com

Well, this still life took me a little longer than one day to complete!  I’m glad though, I was able to paint some of the produce from the farmer’s market, and create a dynamic composition.  The ducks are another interesting story; if you’re curious, ask me sometime!

Katrina Willis, Study of Erin, 2008.
Oil on canvas, 9×12 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com

Erin is a great model for this study.  She may very well be one of my favorite models to date.  Hopefully I’ll have a finished painting soon to post with it.  This study took about three hours to finish, the likeness is evident, the values are approximate, and I can safely say that it is one of my most ‘finished’ studies in such a relatively short amount of time!

It’s also worth mentioning that today is one of those days where I felt my work stepping above and beyond the norm. It’s partly because of the modeling expert and partly because I sense a new level dexterity and skill developing in myself.  This is such a gratifying experience!

Here is the final installment from this last weekend’s session at the Orchard.  This final painting had a high level of appropriateness for this family as a hybrid illustration between contemplation and grieving.  Definitely a neat group– I enjoyed meeting everyone.

I’m working on some ’secret’ sketches for a large painting project, so I wont be posting  those special sketches on these pages.  More daily (public!) sketches to come soon! : )

I didn’t really get a photo of the second painting I completed at the Orchard, but here are photos of the progress mid-picture.

Katrina Willis, Contemplation 1, 2008.
Oil on Canvas, 24 x 36 inches.   © The Artist
http://www.katrinawillis.com

This weekend I painted live at the building of the Orchard community in Aurora.  This was the first of three 24×36 figurative gesture paintings I completed in a little under one hour each.  The model, Essex, was such a trooper!  He sat the entire length without a single break - amazing.  I enjoyed the entire experience.  More pictures to come soon!

Here is a listing of artists (contemporary and historical) that I value (this is not a comprehensive list…):

Bo Bartlett

Mary Cassatt

Emily Chastain

Thomas Eakins

Rose Frantzen

Daniel E. Greene

Robert Green

Glenn Harrington

Robert Henri

Winslow Homer

Edward Hopper

Ryan Kapp

Everett Raymond Kinstler

Laura Knight

Kathe Kollwitz

Judy Ledgerwood

Jeremy Lipking

Carol Marine

Jack Maxwell

Dan McGregor

Michael Shane Neal

Libby Peters

John Howard Sanden

John Singer Sargent

Burton Silverman

Linda Kyser Smith

Joaquín Sorolla

James Abbott Mcneill Whistler

Andrew Wyeth

Anders Zorn