Welcome to the Winter Edition of Whitbeck Notes. I begin this News Letter with the happy tune of a productive painter. Ever since the end of the 2011 show season back in November, my studio, my brushes and my imagination have been at full tilt. You can envision such a space, and if not, I will paint a picture for you:
During the Summer show months, my studio is a pretty tidy place, usually one canvas is being worked on, but for the most part the walls are bare and everything is in it's place. On entering the studio now, you find panels and canvases leaning all around, some finished, some underway and a few with just an underpainting. Two or three still life set-ups are placed around the studio, each with a cloth backdrop hung behind, making a kind of maze you have to work through to reach the easels. Various books lie scattered about the studio work table, offering glimpses of inspiration for paintings in progress. Frames are stacked around the studio, waiting for their canvas or panel companions.
There is an air of productivity of the most creative kind, and so this is the space in which the paintings you will see in the upcoming show season have been created.
Being a candle-lit scene, I wanted to fully capture all the nuances of the flame as its light played upon the various objects, and so I decided to work on the painting at night. After dinner, I would return to the dark studio and turn on but one small goose neck lamp to illuminate my canvas, making sure it did not effect the scene before me. Then, with candle lit, I would settle in and begin work. What a feeling it was, engulfed by the surrounding darkness. As I painted, night after night, the warm glow of the candles flame brought a kind of mysteriousness to the objects, glinting onto the silver box, flooding over the Chinese vase and illuminating the pages of the open book. The globe in the background emerges from the shadowy corner, offering up the richness of the Indian Ocean and the lands which surround it. A stack of books crowned with a small skull at the back edge of the table only add to the mystery of the canvas.
The other center piece ( Banquet Still Life, seen at the top) is a banquet scene, measuring 30" x 40". In this painting, the inspiration of the Old Masters is obvious, and with the abundance of food and wine upon a well laid table with linen napkins, it would not seem out of place if hung on the walls of a 17th century canal side home in Amsterdam.
Even though these paintings were quite time consuming with their largeness and with the attention to detail in the many objects, I found them very rewarding, and I look forward to offering these new center pieces in the upcoming season.
I have decided, during the course of last seasons shows, to create a few extra- large center piece still life's. These are paintings not only abundant in measurement, but also subject matter. The largest, a candle-lit scene, measures a full 36" x 48" (not including the frame) and makes quite an imposing piece when hanging on the studio wall.
I would, once again, like to thank everyone for making their way to my December Open Studio. Each year it grows, and Gale and I are finding new ways to perfect it. Gale's daughter, Kathy, made the most wonderful spread of food and treats, and I am most grateful to her for this. The wine was abundant, the snow was absent, the company was great and sales were good. We even had friends from Pennsylvania who own one of our pieces, add two more to their collection. They arrived the day before, and beside the joy of seeing them, they brought along a home made salsa that was the best. Like I said, it just gets better and better. At least come for the food !
I find that the December Open Studio is a good way to break the cabin fever I usually get around this time, it's a good change of pace and a good time to see old friends.
One other note I would like to remind you of, is the addition of two Florida shows in February. Any one who is in that part of the country should mark these dates on their calendar. The first is Coconut Grove Arts Festival, which is on the 18th, 19th and 20th of February. The following weekend is Naples National Art Festival, the 25th and 26th of February. Both of these are well established, high quality shows, and I look forward to hanging my work there next month.
and I look forward to seeing you this show season.
All my best,
James Whitbeck,
www.jameswhitbeck.com
jameswhitbeck@comcast.net
413-695-3937
Banquet Still Life with Oysters, Fruit and Wine
30" x 40" oil on canvas
Candle-Lit Still Life
36" x 48" oil on canvas
During all of this busyness, my wife Gale and I were able to find time to accompany my parents on a visit to New York City and view the wonderful works in the Metropolitan Museum of Fine Art, as well as those in the grand Frick Collection. Here, I was once again, able to learn from the Old Masters. As we wandered and wondered through the various galleries, I made it my task to key in on candle-lit still life paintings and genre scenes that were similarly lit. These old canvases offered up to me colours and details that I could then take to my own candle scene back in Montague.
I had questions, such as: How did they handle the darkness surrounding the main scene? Was it cool in colour, or had it been warmed-up to give the feel of the emanating waves of candle light. How did they apply the highlights in such a subdued warm light? And, of course, the flame itself. Whether the flame of a candle or that of a fire place, the Old Masters had a technique which made one feel as if their painted flame was the actual source of light! It looked hot, and felt as if you could go blind by staring at it too long. How did they accomplish this?
Naturally, the best way to view a painting for its full intended effect is to stand at a distance. But I was there to learn, and so I leaned close, making nervous guards, and took from the old paintings what I needed.
Whenever we make a museum visit and come face to face with my very sources of inspiration, I find it difficult to fight the urge not to run back to the studio and start painting immediately. There is an overwhelming sense of wanting to bottle and cap that creative energy. To use it before it dissipates back into the gallery walls. Walking back to the hotel it's easy to let the energy of the museum visit slip away into the hustle and bustle of the city streets.
A little Italian restaurant with good food, good company and a couple bottles of wine certainly helped ease this dilemma.
