Summer Solstice at Cylburn and portrait commission

Summer Solstice at Cylburn, 2013, 24x36 Patricia Bennett

This painting will be on display November 1, 2013 at Cylburn's Vollmer center for Patricia Bennett's Artist in Residence show. 

The Summer Solstice event sponsored by the Old Line Society at Cylburn was Thursday June 20.  It was lovely weather.

At 5pm I set up under a shady tree near the mansion.  Guests started arriving at 6pm and listened to the band, drank brewed beer and ate filling snacks.

I painted throughout the event, as the sun descended to the left of the mansion. Around 8:30 the sky became pink.

The girl in the foreground offered to pose for me, as well as the couple on the right...

Preparatory drawing for Preparatory Color Sketch

portrait color study, 16x20, Patricia Bennett

This is a portrait that I am working on.  The first stage is several pencil drawings.  I decided to add the dog, "Elizabeth Taylor".

The color harmony will be the dog's red bows and a rose I'll add to the child's hair.
I'm debating about whether to make the background a classic dull green or bright blue sky with a few clouds.

A more detailed drawing