tiger, tiger

tiger, tiger
collage on paper, mixed media
click to see large

untitled (woman in a polka dot dress)

untitled
(woman in a polka dot dress)
acrylic on panel
click to see large

new work

sebastopol (summer)
acrylic on canvas
diptych 48" x 72"
click to see large

the impetus for this came this summer, taking walks up in sebastapol. There was a field of queen anne's lace and teasel that I walked past every day - that was the beginning seed of the painting, though those images have submerged a bit. Still, I like that it still contains the feeling of warm summer nights, the pulse of night in the country, stars, the sound of frogs and crickets.

untitled (daffodil)

acrylic on canvas
diptych 48" x 72"
click to see large


untitled (woman on a suzani)
acrylic on panel
12" x 16"
click to see large

from a figure drawing session. The model was on a scarlet colored cloth that threw up vivid warm light on her face. I made up an imaginary suzani (an embroidered cloth from central asia) later in my studio

untitled (woman on a suzani) - detail
acrylic on panel

night pond

untitled (night pond)

acrylic on canvas (diptych)
48" x 72"
click to see large

untitled (night pond)

acrylic on canvas (diptych)
48" x 72"
click to see large

inspiration -
pond weeds, lotus, salamander eggs, volvux

nanna

Nanna
acrylic on panel
click to see large

inspired by a detail from an old victorian 'carte de viste',
beautiful woman with a broad face, wearing black silk.

I just re-read (as books on tape) all of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, I loved them growing up, and my mind has been in that era.

I have always been drawn to daguerreotypes of this period, that strange flash and glimpse into another time. I love the weird crinkle and shimmer of the heavy silk, and the sheen on the carefully arranged hair. Especially, I like the posture and bearing of the subject, holding so still, so as not to blur the image.

insomnia

insomnia (night crossword)
acrylic on panel
12 x 16
click to see large


insomnia (night crossword)
detail
acrylic on panel
click to see large

re-painting a day - done

painted the face out, and started over, but now, I'm finally pleased with it.

a portrait from victorian 'carte de visite'

5 x 7 x 1.5
acrylic on panel
click to see large

painting a day - swedish woman

painting a day
a portrait from victorian 'carte de visite'

swedish woman (with slightly crossed eyes)

5 x 7 x 1.5
acrylic on panel
click to see large

new website, painting a day, woman in a brown poplin dress

painting a day

I'll be doing a painting a day (more or less) from now until open studio.
a portrait from victorian 'carte de visite'

woman in a brown poplin dress

5 x 7 x 1.5
click to see large

woman in a brown poplin dress -detail
5 x 7 x 1.5
click to see large

website
ok, finally, it's up -
my brand new website.
I'm still uploading and tweaking, but you can see it in it's rough state, there lot more details of the paintings.
I'll be uploading a bunch of new work in the coming weeks
clairebcotts.com

claire is in the new yorker!

woo hoo!

This is the third year the New Yorker has invited artists to submit their own takes on the magazine's iconic mascot, Eustace Tilley, originally drawn by Rea Irvin for the magazine's first cover in 1925.

12 winners were chosen from over 350 submissions.
One of my entries won, and was one of four to be featured in the Febuary edition of the magazine.



You can see a slideshow of all 12 on the New Yorker's website here.

gary also won, with a very funny take on grand central.

(if you aren't familiar with it, it's a play on the painting "madame x" by john singer sargent, you
can see the original painting here)

portrait of madame x

one interesting note - originally, he painted it with the strap to her
dress hanging down - there was so much scandal he was forced to
repaint it (which is a shame...it was much better before).
No-one knew this until 100 years later, when a black and white photo
of the original was discovered)

madame x, original state

new work - full fathom five

full fathom five
acrylic on canvas (diptych)
48" x 72"
click to see large

here are some process pics, showing some of the stages this piece went through.

stage 1

stage 2

stage 3

stage 4

stage 5

stage 6

stage 7

stage 8

stage 9