Dear Subscribers, Recently I saw a reel on instagram with David Bowie speaking about creativity. He said:
“If you feel safe in the area you’re working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.”
I love this. It felt like Bowie was talking directly AT me--an affirmation that my instincts over the past month were on track. It put a little pep in my step, so to speak. Especially for my work on painting still life from imagination. More on that further down. But first: After a run of miniature still life paintings, something shifted, and I began the largest portrait I've ever painted. I start by covering up a recent failed painting. This is a 30x36" inch panel where two weeks of work was lost (it shall not be discussed, I'm still salty about it, haha) and you can still see a little green from that failure peeking through: |
There is something tantalizing to me about phthalo blue ( white) next to alizarin crimson ( white). That powerful cool blue and rich hot pink, it just does it for me. |
I'm working from fantastic reference that I purchased from model
Mariana Marín Arenas (@mar_artmodel on IG). I'm eyeballing the proportions here, so it takes a bit of work to get things in the correct position at this scale. |
While my goal for this painting is to be chaotic and expressive with the color and texture, I decide to take things pretty far in monochrome (phthalo blue, ivory black, titanium white) before going crazy. |
I end up getting rid of all the red and I simplify for clarity. Things are feeling good here. The values and proportions are pretty good. The next stage will be filled with experimentation. I decide to take a break and start a small still life painting before continuing. |
(WIP to be continued in the next newsletter) |
I saw Dune part 2 in IMAX with my Dad in the middle of the day while my kids were in school. I loved the film. And a recharge away from the easel was exactly what I needed. The scene where Paul rides the "grandfather worm" is absolutely transcendent--the most thrilling and moving bit of cinema I've seen in a long time. I'd rewatch it just for that scene. It's been a while since reading the book, so I don't remember to what extent Paul trained for that test, or if it came through divine instinct. Regardless, it was a reminder to me that with obsessive practice, we can perform under pressure. With patience, we can weather the storm (like when Paul is struggling for control of the worm before it finally rotates him to a dorsal position) and ultimately master our task. Apparently it took 3 months to film that 3-minute sequence, a fact that just adds layers to its impact. Needless to say, creative batteries recharged. Ready to weather the storm of any painting.
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Composing and Painting from imagination |
In June I'm teaching an advanced workshop all about painting still life from imagination, which is different from my normal lesson plan (see below for registration details). I've been wondering whether or not this could actually be taught, and during the making of this current painting, I've grown confident that it CAN be taught. I still have the feeling of my feet not quite touching the bottom, as in the Bowie quote, but things are starting to fall into place. I'm gradually forming a rational, repeatable method.
I start by blobbing in abstract masses of color and value. Unfortunately I actually missed the first progress shot here... the red pitcher started as a blobby rectangle of red turning to orange. All I'm looking for in the abstract stage is an interesting distribution of color and value that has a powerful feeling of focus. I had no preconceived ideas of what the objects would actually be. I then decide on the theoretical position of the primary light source (upper right) and start defining objects and their cast shadows. Here I begin with the focal red, and I make it into some sort of round vessel:
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As you move away from the red, everything gets cooler and cooler for contrast. I remembered one of my AI art experiments from last year, and it inspired me to imagine a skull in my pitcher. The yellowish-green on the right becomes a pear. I do enjoy painting pears. |
The focus is singular. The supporting objects are multiple (two pears). And I make the common/plentiful tertiary blues into some sort of blue blossom. I justify the top blossom by placing a glass of water behind the pear. |
I've painted far more imaginary flowers in my career than real flowers. I don't know why. Here is the current state of this work in progress. To be continued in the next newsletter. There are some issues here, and I want a higher level of finish. |
(WIP to be continued in the next newsletter) |
The painting process--presented by the artist's wife. |
If you're in need of a chuckle or artistic/creative commiseration, check out this video I posted on instagram. It went a little viral. At over a quarter-million views, 13k likes, and almost 500 comments, I think it resonated with people, lol. |
The big beautiful frame has arrived for my recent painting "Simulacrum". Here it is in my studio below. My wife suggested that we enjoy it in the living room for now before it has to go elsewhere. The large scale of the objects in the painting has a centerpiece-level impact that I'd hoped for. |
"Simulacrum" 24x36in oil on panel, $16000 framed
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(total framed dimensions: 32.5in x 44.5in)
Available, inquiries reply to this newsletter email contact@davidcheifetz.com |
Untitled 9
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6/7/2024 - 6/10/2024
I am so pleased to announce a new painting workshop coming this summer. I’ve never taught a method quite like this before. This will be something unique. For this workshop we will focus on painting still life from imagination! It’s a practice that I find incredibly challenging, exciting, and beneficial. We will stretch our minds and our abilities to the limit. We’ll explore a new frontier and take risks together. I thank you in advance for your trust in this experimental event.
Experience level for this workshop is Advanced. Hosted by Empire Inks, June 7th - June 10th, 3-day Workshop & optional 4th day to network. Time 11AM - 6PM. Cost is $750. Located at Colt’s private studio in Hortonville, Wisconsin. Medium is oil. For registration, please DM @empireinks on Instagram.
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10/24/2024 - 10/27/2024
STILL LIFE COMPOSITION AND PAINTING Townsend Atelier 4-Day Workshop
Chattanooga TN REGISTER |
Thank you for reading. Until next time, Best Wishes -David |
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