Two Steps Forward, One Step Back (and another new painting)

Added on by Lara Hoke.

I've been working on Rockridge Nightscape AKA Liquor Video for 4 weeks.  Because I only work on it during class - twice a week for three hours - each time I paint I look at it with fresh eyes.  I made several major changes (at least major to me) this past class.  Although the painting may look worse for it for now, the changes are for the best.  The tree that was dividing the canvas virtually in half is gone and I've brought back the green leaves in the foreground. Next up: bringing back the depth in the sky and foreground.

Lara Hoke, Rockridge Nightscape AKA Liquor Video, new on left, old on right

And you may recognize this painting.  It's a larger version of a study I did several months ago. I'm really happy with how the foreground is shaping up.

Lara Hoke, Short Sale

 

 

A New Painting and an Update

Added on by Lara Hoke.

This painting is from a photo I took with my phone this past Friday night.  It is the intersection of MacArthur and Park Boulevard by the high school. 

Lara Hoke, Oakland Nightscape, MacArthur and Park

And the latest iteration of "Liquor Video".  I've been trying to paint only with 1" or larger brushes to keep the stroke loose and painterly and force myself not to fall into my old habit of overworking details.

Lara Hoke, Oakland Nightscape, "Liquor Video"

Latest Work-In-Progress

Added on by Lara Hoke.

The last month was a whirlwind.  After EBOS I spent a amazing week in Bend, OR with my husband Ben's family.  During the last three weeks of June we made an offer on a house, went into escrow, closed, and moved.

My new studio is not functional yet, but will be soon.  I will share pictures of the studio's progress in my post.

In the mean time, I've been taking classes with Mel Prest at 10th Street Studios.  Below is the painting I am currently working on.  For those of you familiar with the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, you may recognize the glowing sign for what I affectionately call "Liquor Video" aka Eddie's Drive In Liquors. 

Rockridge Nightscape AKA Liquor Video

New Studies from the Studio

Added on by Lara Hoke.

With the first round of Nightscapes nearing completion, I've begun working on a new series of studies.  These ones are more abstract and less architectural than the first round.  It's tough to know if they actual look like anything or if they just color blobs.  They look like something to me, but of course I know what they are.  I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Brand New Oakland Artist Space, Studios Available!

Added on by Lara Hoke.
Are you looking for studio space or know someone who is?  
Fifteen brand spanking new studios available in Oakland, California directly across the Fruitvale BART station.
Features: 
New construction   
New bathrooms
Sink and wash area
1900 SqFt. common space
Roll up door
Great light
Next to Fruitvale Bart station         
850 SqFt. studios available for ~$800 and 250 SqFt. studios for ~$290 
Interested? Questions?  Contact Lisa by calling (510)530-6580 or emailing pfeiffer_lisa@hotmail.com

Oakland Nightscapes Update

Added on by Lara Hoke.

I've been continuing to work on my Oakland Nightscapes series.  It's been somehwat of a challenging venture, I'm not particularly good at working from photographs not to mention low-quality photographs taken at night.

Oakland Nightscape, StorefrontOne of the particularly challenging aspects is the inability to fully understand the physical structures. Edges and relationships between shapes are indistinct. However, and I think I touched on this in an earlier post, this may be a good thing.  The nature of these images is forcing me to try a new style, too keep my brush strokes loose. 

Additionally, because it is not my traditional way of working I'm allowing myself to work using different techniques.  Specificially, introducing charcoal and sandpaper into the mix.

Oakland Nightscape, Walking Away

Oakland Nightscapes, Continued...

Added on by Lara Hoke.

I've begun painting the fourth large painting in my series of Oakland nightscapes.  The reference  photograph (below, middle) was one the first that I took in the series and the color study (below, right) was the first in the set of studies that I created last June.

The new painting is in it's *very* early stages - it's just an underpainting.  I've probably only spent about an hour on it.  BUT I really like the gestural quality it has and am afraid that I will lose that quality and by continuing to work on it.  It's that fine line that I continue to search for - mixing looseness and gesture with line and fully realized form...

 

Underpainting

Reference PhotographColor study

Stages of a Portrait

Added on by Lara Hoke.

I've been working on this portrait of my friend Ariyele for quite some time.  I intitally started it back in May 2009.  I worked from life, I think we had two sittings of about an hour or two each, and was very pleased with how the portrait was progressing.  After the second sitting, I continued to work on it from a photograph.  The portrait became very severe - as you can see below in the image on the far right - and I put it away in mild disgust for over a year.

Earlier this month I took the painting out of storage, sanded it down a bit, and began working back into it.  Using thick layers of opaque painting mixed with subtle glazes of color I was able to soften the hard edges and bring life back into the painting despite the fact that I was still only working from a photograph.

Ariyele, late October 2010

Ariyele, early October 2010Ariyele, May 2009

Paintings Series: Oakland Nightscapes

Added on by Lara Hoke.

Now that summer is over and a certain normalcy has returned to my life, I've been able to get back into the studio and start the full-scale Oakland nightscapes in earnest.  These paintings are based on photos that I took in the spring that I turned into studies (you can see both the photos and the studies in an earlier post here http://www.larahoke.com/larasblog/2010/6/5/reference-photos-to-formal-studies.html).

The goals is to create and ethereal space - something that feels not quite safe but is at the same time very familiar.  To produce that effect I am developing the paintings slowly over time by applying lightly tinted semi-transparent layers of glaze.  I use the classic 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 recipe to make my glazing medium - linseed oil, damar varnish, and turp.  I am also working to loosen the brush stroke and am introducing line in the form of charcoal and graphite.   

Walking Towards (work-in-progress), Lara Hoke

Leaning (work-in-progress), Lara Hoke

 

Walking Away (work-in-progress), Lara Hoke

Our Wedding and Our Amazing Photographers

Added on by Lara Hoke.

I'm so excited to share a handful of the beautiful photos from our wedding taken by our awesome photographers Heather and Grayson of Jagger Photography. You can see more photos of our Yosemite wedding at their blog, http://www.jaggerphotographyblog.com/ben-lara-yosemite/.

I first saw Heather and Grayson's work on Once Wed in May 2009 and fell in love with their romantic and personal photographs.  They were recently married themselves and after seeing photos from their wedding I knew that both their style and personality were exactly what we were looking for.

My beautiful friends

Getting ready in the AhwahneeAlthough our wedding was in Yosemite, we wanted the photos to be about us, our family and our friends.  Yes, the setting was extraordinarily important and meaningful to us but what made the wedding was the people.

Our "first look"

My parents and I

Work in Progress Update - Kim

Added on by Lara Hoke.

Just wanted to share the latest update to my painting of Kim.  I decided to change the time of day from night to dusk and use the window to give a greater sense of depth.  I have more work to do on her hands, the outdoors, and the plants on the windowsill but otherwise I feel confident that the end is in sight!

Lara Hoke, Kim

Video From East Bay Open Studios 2010

Added on by Lara Hoke.

Here's a clip from this past weekend's Open Studios taken by Stan Goldberg, self pro-claimed Senior Dad.  I come in around the 2:50 mark.  The other artist included in the interview is Laura Malone.

You can also watch the video by following this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3R7Kiuh5aE

Reference Photos to Formal Studies

Added on by Lara Hoke.

Below are three photographs juxtaposed with painting studies. My primary interest in comparing the two images was correcting spatial and color discrepancies.  However, viewing them as a set, what I find most fascinating and valuable is the difference between perception and reality.

Lara Hoke, Oakland, Walking Towards Painting StudyLara Hoke, Oakland, Walking Towards Painting Study

 

 

Lara Hoke, Oakland, Bodega, Painting StudyLara Hoke, Oakland, Bodega, Painting Study

 

Lara Hoke, Oakland, Walking Away, Painting StudyLara Hoke, Oakland, Walking Away, Painting Study