Studio post · March 26, 2026
I feel like a follow-up post is warranted after my previous declaration that I was in “hot pursuit” of a new large-scale canvas. At the time of that post I felt that I was smooth sailing with clear skies and the wind billowing in my sails- my vision as a North Star to guide me. All of my references had been gathered, models and poses selected- I had gotten as far as this linear drawing to study the rhythms of the composition and was preparing within 2 days to start on the big canvas. It was on this day that Andrew met with me following his business trip, to catch up on the progress I had made while he was away. He brought up many issues with the painting, most important of which was that the story would not be clear to an ignorant viewer walking into a museum without the context of my thoughts behind the inspiration. The female figure in particular did not resonate with him as an important part of the story. I had intended the story to be about her death and the transition of her soul (the ball) into another realm, using the metaphors of fetch with Cerberus to suggest the cycle of rebirth or “return” that comes after loss. Andrew’s interpretation was that death had tricked the eager dog into his demise by throwing the ball off of the cliff, making the story about “looking before you leap”. Of course this interpretation could be very easily graspable to a viewer, but to me it lacked the healing quality or hope that I had initially intended, and which I thought fit the idea of “rehumanism”. Since that initial meeting, Andrew and I have begun to meet more regularly to open up dialogue about what changes would be necessary to create a successful painting. In the meantime, he has also suggested a completely new topic for me to consider which may make for a new series of portraiture in the coming months- more on that as it develops.
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