As some of you may recall, earlier this year we discussed what Jesus looked like. The debate was prompted by Reverend Wright's declaration that JC was black. The topic was of some import to me, since I had worked on an unfinished Pieta a couple of years earlier, and had used modern Palestinians and Lebanese as reference points.Well, I have finally finished the painting. At least, I've reached the stage at which it is what it is, flaws-n-all, and I must stop thinking about it.
Many thanks to those readers who offered suggestions as to how to complete the thing. The color scheme finally works, methinks. It was suggested by the fact that white is the color of mourning in many cultures.
Much of your advice was taken to heart, although the re-painting of Mary's face won't be apparent in the small version seen here. (Click on the image for an enlarged view.) Now if only I can think of something to do with it! Ah well. Art for art's sake...
Elsewhere...
Cannonfire in the international media! The Pakistani Spectator, believe it or not, has been interviewing bloggers. They finally reached yours truly. The results are here. In the interview, Alan Moore's Promethea is misspelled; apologies. Also, "Professor Hex" accidentally came out as "Professor X." My apologies to this fine scholar, and to Stan Lee.
12 comments:
Oh - that's a beautiful work, Joseph!
How can you say (in the interview) that you are "a failed artist" when you can paint like that?
The sky is gorgeous, and the drape of the materials, and - well all of it.
It's sad that you consider that great artists (in the Louvre etc.) mock you, I don't understand that.
You are you, you are of the 21st century, they lived in a different world - why try to even compare?
Modern authors don't compare themselves with Chaucer or Shakespeare and feel mocked by them.
That's a gorgeous painting.
I think the art piece is MAGNIFICENT. Colors & composition glorious.
Constructive critisism? He doesn't have finished knees. He needs knees. His face is so detailed but he has no knees. Poor knee-less fella.
I had no idea you were so talented in a different field as well. I think you create because you can. Purpose enough. Well, except for eating.
Are there any images of Jesus with a shaved head? I was reading Milton's Upon the Circumcision again (oy, is it dense of syntax!) and wondered at these lines:
For we by rightful doom remediles
Were lost in death, till he that dwelt above
High thron'd in secret bliss, for us frail dust
Emptied his glory, eve'n to nakednes
Irv
the painting is wonderful. This is fast becoming my favorite blog.
This work is just....luscious, I should be so failed!
You're only a failed artist because painting is a dead medium. All that is left is David Salle, Kostabi, Schnable ...cheap knockoffs and whores. There's still a little pulse in the underground, like Juxtapoz, a hopeful sign of life, but the medium has seen it's day (imho killed off by tripe like Maxfield Parrish & Snoreman Rockwell) that being said, and Knees aside, that is one fine painting, Joseph!
...and not as full of cliches as say, the cover of the New Yorker
lee, I appreciate your comments, and you have my deepest thanks.
That said, I've always been a fan of Maxfield Parrish. The great American illustrators and "popular" artists of that generation -- Parrish, N.C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, and John R. Neil (Master Image-Maker of Oz) -- had an enormous impact on my imagination when I was very young. Their work inspired me, as did that of the great Renaissance masters. As for the stuff that came between -- well, I didn't learn to appreciate it until later.
Parrish had a very unusual technique of laying on color. He used transparent oil glazes exclusively, always beginning with a layer of cyan blue. One day I'd like to emulate his practice, just to see what happens.
I took lessons in color from an under-appreciated abstract painter named Bob Stoller (friend of the family), who later taught full time. For years, he sneered at Norman Rockwell. Then one day we saw a Rockwell "in the paint" at LACMA. Without saying a word, I pointed to a small passage which seemed to exemplify his thoughts about color. "Jesus," he snarled. "The fucker could actually PAINT!"
Read your inteview in Pakistani spectator, very interesting!
Liked the honesty, appreciate the directness, and gave me great insight into your blog.
Fantastic article.
Texas Hill Country
http://texashillblog.wordpress.com
That's beautiful, Joseph. Beautiful. And powerful.
Perhaps you could donate it as a gift to a church somewhere in the so-called Middle East?
Just my thought. I apologize if it strikes you as wrong in any way.
In a more just world, you would be compensated for your time, effort and talent with a modest dwelling on a patch of land, and friends, some painters and poets, or musicians, dropping by from time to time to share stimulating and beautiful thoughts and works.
Good work Joseph. You are not alone.
Painting is not dead...in fact it is now enjoying a 'new' renaissance.
To see what I am talking about two newish books and one example of a gallery:
Classical Drawing Atelier: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio Practice
by Juliette Aristides
Classical Painting Atelier: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio Practice
by Juliette Aristides
And see this gallery for example: http://www.johnpence.com/
That the corrupt modern art museum is ignoring this is of no concern. New ateliers for classical instruction are being established and artists are flocking to them.
Here's some discussion of (above mentioned) Rockwell's work - The Homecoming Marine (1945), with an illustration of the painting.
http://ruleofreason.blogspot.com/2008/07/four-great-american-paintings-part-ii.htm
or if that's too long, same here,
http://preview.tinyurl.com/6j9kp3
I love Rockwell's work because, to me, it reflects the world and culture I grew up in. I know that shop and those people's minds intimately. I'm the 12-year-old kid in the picture (even though Rockwell created this in the year I was born, not in 1958 when I was 12.)
The web page is one of four (linked there) discussing R's work.
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