Patricia Bennett

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Monday, April 30, 2012

House Portrait in Guilford, Baltimore

Greif House, 30x40", oil on canvas, Patricia Bennett
I painted this a few years ago.  I used to live nearby and always really loved the house.  It's in Guilford, in Baltimore City, and was designed by a couple of famous English Architects who missed their country.

I did a few watercolors first, and then spent a few months working on this.  It is very detailed.

My uncle's favorite English teacher owns the house, this was one of those odd coincidences.  Now he also owns this painting, and it's hanging on a wall inside.  When I was there, he showed me where it would go.  He had a portrait there at the time, a full-length portrait of his mother, which he wanted to lend to the Baltimore Museum of Art.

Since the painting, the azaleas have been pulled out as well as the tulip poplar!

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Jennifer, 11x14, acrylic on paper, Patricia Bennett
My weekly portrait of a neighbor.  I noticed the contrast between her black hair with the white of the wall.

She sat from 9:30am until about 1pm, with a few breaks.

Process:
First I did a drawing in pencil on the paper.  That took about an hour.  Then I painted the large mass, her hair, in thinned paint, and that set up the color structure.  And next I worked on her face.

She was fun to paint because she has lovely delicate features and striking dark hair.  And, she sat still.  I feel really lucky to have such great models.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

"The Agony and the Ecstasy", 11x14, pencil on paper, Patricia Bennett

I drew Chris as he worked on a very challenging copy of Michelangelo's stunning bas relief.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Two Coffee Shop Watercolors

On My Left, 5x8", watercolor, Patricia Bennett

On My Right, 5x8", watercolor, Patricia Bennett
At the local coffee shop.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Roxie Update

"Roxie, unfinished", 22x22", acrylic
I worked on Roxie's portrait today.  I added pieces of her owner's back yard: the tree,
a petunia, the fish pond.  And her favorite bone is near her paw.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

"Tuesday Night", 11x14", acrylic, Patricia Bennett
A live model.  I limited my colors and looked at black and white for contrast.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Pocadots

"Pocadots", 9x12", pencil, Patricia Bennett
She likes to go to Starbucks and eat watermelon.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Ken Oak House

"Ken Oak House"  9x12" graphite on paper, Patricia Bennett
A house in our neighborhood.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Pigtails

"Pigtails" 12x12", oil on panel, Patricia Bennett
She sat very still.  This was done several years ago.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Pebble

"Pebble", 9x12", graphite on paper, Patricia Bennett
An almost three year old boy on a spring day.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Ellen

"Ellen" 11x14", acrylic on paper, Patricia Bennett
Today one of my generous neighbors sat for her portrait.  She sat from 9 to 1:30.  The background colors are based on the view out of the window of a Japanese maple, grass and sky.

I used acrylic paints.  They are simple, compared to the sleek and extremely demanding oils.  They dry fast, so the painting is really done as soon as I am done; they don't emit vapors; they are very easy to clean.  I use red, blue, yellow, white, and black, and naples yellow hue paint, Utrecht brand.
And I use two brushes, a round and a detail.

She left with her portrait, as that's the deal: I get a model and the model gets the portrait.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Rose

"Rose", 9x12", pencil on paper, Patricia Bennett
Her name is actually not Rose, but tomorrow I'm going to add a rose to her hair.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Party Girl and a part-beagle

"Party Girl" graphite on paper, Patricia Bennett, 9x12"



A little girl. 
"First Sketch" unfinished.  Patricia Bennett 22"x22"
And this is my beagle portrait so far, as the first sketch.  I'm trying to decide if I should put the dog in a niche or not. 

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Coffee Shop Angel

"Coffee Shop Angel", watercolor on paper, 5x8", Patricia Bennett
An angel at Starbucks yesterday, checking her phone messages.

Friday, April 6, 2012

The Scrabble Game

"Scrabble Game"  16x20", oil on panel, Patricia Bennett
Painted on location, but the children were painted from references.  My favorite thing was the cow.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Living Room

"Living Room" 18x24", oil on panel, Patricia Bennett



I asked to paint this room because of the stone faces over the fireplace.  It was painted
on location over several weeks.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Sunday, April 1, 2012

The Scholar

"Scholar", 11x14", graphite on paper, Patricia Bennett
She was writing a paper in Spanish as I drew her portrait.