Too Hot to Loiter

Too Hot to Loiter – 20” x 16” (50.8 x 40.6 cm) – Oil on Canvas

This painting was completed last week; it is one of the three large paintings started in July. And yesterday it was selected into the Eighth Annual “Something Hot” Regional Juried Show held at Gallery 222 in Leesburg, VA. I am pleased it is included in the show and somewhat relieved. I had expectations of having to return to the gallery to fetch it because it did not make the cut. I always try to enter shows with this expectation so as not to be too disappointed and if I am fortunate to be selected to really feel a sense of pleasure and excitement for the inclusion.

Last night the juror, Michael Davis, gave a presentation of what drew him to make the selections he did. His discussion was very good, though not everyone in the audience was very pleased with his choices. One unfortunate lady was quite sad and before the discussion started she was heard sobbing outside of the area where we were all assembled. Michael’s main point of what he used to qualify his choices had to do with the blending of technical skill with the expression of emotional content. He did not limit his selections to just realistic paintings, but instead applied the idea to all styles and mediums. The variety of mediums included pottery, sculpture, photography, pastel, watercolor, and oil paintings. Ted Reed also has a beautiful painting of his daughter in the show

This painting has been an incubated idea for some time. I drew a charcoal sketch of it last year sometime and then this summer worked on other versions of composition before settling on this design. The goal was to really emphasize the quality of the hot space before and around the table and plastic chairs in contrast to the colonnade that is in deep shade. The sense that this may be a pleasant place to hang out in the evening, but during the mid-day it is totally oppressive from the heat of the sun.