La Visitacion - 11x14 Egg Tempera on Panel

Recent painting. La Visitacion(The Visitation) 11"x14" Egg Tempera on panel

[PhilS]

Alex,
(I think you're getting the hang of this egg tempera...)
I've enjoyed watching your progress from your first posting to this one. Nice painting! Skin tones and shadow areas are done perfectly. I also like the texture in the white background. I'm trying to find something to criticise, but am having a hard time. Congratulations on a well-done piece.
Phil

[Alessandra Kelley]

Yes, you've improved from an already good start. I also like the expressions and the suggestion of a story behind the figures. Faces are very tricky, and you seem to have a good grasp of them. The woman's face is impressive because it is so small and yet so clear. The man's is really well done.

Apropos of not much, I have noticed that this bulletin board, while slow to receive new postings, always seems to have relevant ones. It doesn't get cluttered up with hourly "me too"s and "Wowwww"s. That said, sometimes a painting deserves a "wow".

Wow.

Coming from both you and Phil it means a whole lot and I greatly appreciate your time in looking and commenting.

Beautiful Alex!! Absolutley beautiful!
The technique is superb and the emotional charge is gripping. With my own work I struggle not to let precsion take control but rather emotion. It is in my humble opinion anyone with enough practice can render almost anything with any medium. I remember a friend of mine telling me "great painting Derek, it looks like you rendered that almost as good as it is in real life." From that point on I have and continue to have a constant struggle with the reason for painting. For me, emotion is the reason and precsion is secondary. This painting of yours exemplifies both perfectly.
Derek

Thank you Derek. I am always after the extra element in my work so I am glad you could see it starting to emerge.

[gdsanders]

This is fantastic. The facial expression detail and your choice of composition elements (light striped shirt, angled shadow, large area above the scene and positions of the subjects) are superb.

[BrianPark-Siart]

I have to say the expressions in this painting really gives this work a feeling of wonderment. It makes you wonder, what each of them is thinking and what must have been said before and after. Thanks Alex for sharing such a wonderful piece. Take care and be well.

Alex, I have been painting with egg tempera for 30 years, and I am very inspired by your work. I know you have not been working with the medium for that long, but you have a complete grasp of the medium. Congratulations. The 'Visitation' is quite a wonderful piece.

Someone commented about the 'mystery' component of this painting--- about what must have been said before and after,---and aside from the general inspiration I find in your painting about light and technique, etc., it also reminds me of the mystery of George Tooker's egg tempera paintings. Are you familiar with this particular master of egg tempera? He is my #1 favorite egg tempera guy. There is an excellent book of Tooker's work by Thomas H. Garver that you might still be able to locate (1992, Chameleon Books/Pomegranate Art Books).

all best wishes, Mona, Brooklyn, NY

Brian - I appreciate your comments, thank you.

Mona - Thank you for your input. I especially appreciate it coming from a seasoned painter in egg tempera as yourself. It helps to bolster my confidence a little more that I am headed in the correct direction.

Yes, Tooker is a marvelous artist whom I also name as my favorite painter. I look forward to the day I can see one of his works in person.

I would love to see some of your work sometime.

We have a number of seasoned painters here that I greatly admire and I am sure you will too.