Jen Jovan Art Musings and Random Thoughts

Boy in Blue, Skewed

8/29/2019

"Boy in Blue, Skewed" (inspired by Rufino Tamayo's Boy in Blue) - mixed media on paper, 19" x 13". Ready to frame. Available here and at Artfinder.

School in in session here in the studio, as I continue my home-grown study of Rufino Tamayo and the processes learned in the Stan Kurth workshop.

What do we do when we skew? Capture the essence, the gist and the general, without focusing on the specifics We pay homage but slant the piece in another direction. I love Tamayo's simple shapes, earthy, rough colors and scratchy textures. In my version, the watercolor and "library of elements" (Stan Kurth) underneath peek through and provide a pop of intrigue and texture. The two "windows" on the top right add depth to an otherwise flat piece.

Resisting the impulse to refine, clarify and de-ambiguate (I made that up) was really, really hard, but I walked away. Art is not for the wimpy.

Boy in Blue, Skewed

For those who enjoy the process pics, below is the sequence preceding the final piece, including Tamayo's original.

Boy in Blue, Rufino Tamayo 1928 Oil on Canvas

sketchbook

small sketch, adding crayon, pencil and watercolor with gesso

Readers!! You might have noticed a name change on this website. JenWalls.com is now officially JenJovan.com! But never fear -the old domain name will redirect you here, so you will never miss a blog post or an update. New name but the same malarkey and shenanigans!

8 Comments

Carl Stoveland

8/29/2019 09:33:23 am

Very Cool Jen! I love seeing the evolution of the piece.

Carl

jen

8/29/2019 09:37:14 am

Thanks, Carl! Sometimes I remember to take pics as I go along. But most times, it's more like "Ack! I forgot to take pics!". :)

Carlstoveland

8/29/2019 06:09:15 pm

Me too. Lucky for me when I paint on my iPad it records my strokes and can play back as a movie from start to finish. That’s fun.

8/29/2019 06:39:31 pm

No fair! But waaaaaaayyyyy cool!

Dorothy Seiter link

8/29/2019 09:37:24 am

Jen(Jovan):

You have got it going on, right across the board. I am in awe.

Those windows. Brilliant.

8/29/2019 09:38:51 am

Dotty! Woot! Thank you! These pieces are so much fun to make. I am obsessed!

Carol Edan link

8/30/2019 02:41:55 am

What a great student! Love the process images! A bit ambiguous about the windows, like the empty space in the crayon sketch! You nailed the essence!

8/30/2019 12:36:40 pm

Carol! Thank you. And thanks for the feedback on windows vs empty space. Since I generally leave empty space in backgrounds in my work, I have been heading the opposite direction. Always experimenting...

Boy in Blue, Skewed

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