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fairy dust

Posted on by Wess Foreman

This one started as two head-and-shoulders portraits---didn't like it so I scrapped the one on the right and put in a simple background of trees; then the fairies took over and the painting took on a life of its own. Now I've got this high-fantasy painting with a hint of anime styling to the large-eyed face and a painting that doesn't fit with the rest of my work, in terms of subject matter.

Anyway, if you know anyone who would love this painting, let them know I've got it for sale---and tell them to ask for a better price, you never know with artists and it doesn't hurt to ask . . . .

Fairy Dust, 24x30", $300

Here's a detail of the face. Maybe I should do a series of small paintings of faces---that would be fun---look for it soon! That is all.

dapper man

Posted on by Wess Foreman

Wanted another figure painting to pair with the Portrait of Mrs. White painting. I was initially going to make the entire coat out of newspaper but after applying the left side, I liked it better this way. He is supposed to be a Victorian-era gentleman but I think this could be from any era up to current times. Perhaps I should have added the dead-give-away oversize mustachio . . .

Dapper Man, 24x18", $300

coffee and beignets #6

Posted on by Wess Foreman

I've done a number of coffee paintings and a number of them with beignets, and I don't know exactly how many. Anyway, I'm calling this one #6, though maybe I should give it a more memorable name. "Breakfast at the Cafe" or "Intellectual Stimulus" or "A Cup of Joe and a Plate of Pastries". I dunno.

Coffee & Beignets #6, 16x16", $250

Coffee & Beignets #6, 16x16", $250

wish tree

Posted on by Wess Foreman

Several things are glued into this painting---a seed packet for sunflowers, a price tag, a bit of string, and four or five pieces of aluminum foil---making this a mixed media piece. This one, like many others, started its life as a different painting altogether---a painting not quite ready to be painted, perhaps. I had the idea of painting a simple tree shape, trunk and branches, and then I started adding the stars [for some reason]. The blue sky was too blue, so I went in strong with white latex house paint which, being of a thinner consistency, began to drip down the painting---this looked fine to me, so I continued to let it drip and dawdle down the painting. I left the bottom part alone until a dark shape near the trunk appeared to me to be a person kneeling (I had already named the painting "Wish Tree", so a person kneeling, making a wish, seemed to fit).

From Wikipedia: "A wish tree is an individual tree, usually distinguished by species, position or appearance, which is used as an object of wishes and offerings. Such trees are identified as possessing a special religious or spiritual value. By tradition, believers make votive offerings in order to gain from that nature spirit, saint or goddess fulfillment of a wish."

Wish Tree, 30x24"

portrait of mrs white -- 2

Posted on by Wess Foreman

I spent a long time changing the color of the hat, having already deciding on the yellow/orange background with the peach/violet face---for some reason the hat color gave me fits---then I decided to break out the newspaper. So now it's a mixed media piece. Acrylic and old media.

Portrait of Mrs. White #2, 16x14"

backyard with orange umbrella

Posted on by Wess Foreman

The strongest part of this painting is the expressive energy; it's fresh and untamed and honest. The weakest part of this painting is the weak title I gave it---what!? If a better title springs to mind, post it in the comments. I might rename this one. That is all.

youth untethered

Posted on by Wess Foreman

I composed this painting from a snapshot my mom took---thanks Mom. I weeded down the crowd in the photo to these five figures (though I think I invented the stoic gentleman in the back . . . perhaps it's a younger me?). I believe there was a sudden uptick of wind at the time, which sent this large flock of family and friends out leaping and frolicking about---a summertime reunion of my extended family tends to inject some amount of joy into the group anyway and the wind just sent these individuals into a fit of exuberance, I suppose.

Anyway, I figured the finished painting would have to capture a percentage of that joy, and I think it has done that. I'm happy with it.

Youth Untethered, 24x36", $450

bountiful

Posted on by Wess Foreman

Colorful abstract landscape. The pond wasn't there at first but a fortuitous sky-blue patch of paint seemed to suggest one, so I went with it.

Bountiful, 24x30", $400

the aerialist

Posted on by Wess Foreman

I have a handful of circus snapshots I took three or four years ago that I've been meaning to convert into a series of paintings. This is one of those, finally realized. The reference photo was taken horizontally but of course this vertical format works much better for the subject matter.

The Aerialist, 36x20"

River Bend

Posted on by Wess Foreman

I've been wanting to paint more river paintings. This image was one I've painted before on a larger scale. I like the colors in this one and I'm happy with the snappy-fresh feeling it projects.

River Bend, 11x16", SOLD

a beach without condos

Posted on by Wess Foreman

No place in particular. Just found a reference photo online of a touristy beach and added more palm trees and subtracted the people and the fancy hotels in the background . . . . thought about somehow incorporating this "omission" in the title but I'm not brave enough [or ego-driven enough] to take on the role of conceptual artist at this point in my life. I left the grayed out blotches where the buildings were because I liked the effect and the interest it created. Might do more of these . . . make it a series.

A Beach Without Condos, 20x36", $600 | acrylic and china marker