Why Design Matters and art update!

Once again, I know I have not been posting as often as I want to, but soon that will change as I will finally have more time on my hands in the next few months. I am still painting in conjunction with pursuing my interest in web design. One of the fundamental reasons for this pursuit is to incorporate my artistic skill in a unique way and explore new ways of integrating art and technology. I’ve always been fascinated by human interaction and perceptions of beauty. One of the best things about being an artist is watching how people react to my art.

Key to this pursuit is answering the question, what is a good design? Principles, such as The Golden Ratio implemented by the Ancient Greeks, are rooted in the human psyche. We, for instance, are built to seek patterns and expect certain types of interactions. For example, when we enter a mall, we expect the mall to have a certain layout and color, we might expect to have escalators at the center of the facility for easy access, and we expect the bathroom to be near the food court. This example also applies to colors. Certain colors make us feel certain ways for certain reasons. Why is this important? Simply put, good design is there to aid and improve human interaction. Good design creates an experience that is useful and impactful. It is no wonder that marketers place a great deal of emphasis in understanding human psychology. As an artist, I have learn quite a bit from these principles.

Would like to hear your thoughts about design! What do you think of when you think of a good design?

I am also happy to announce that my art will be permanently housed in the future Blacks in Classics Museum in VA. My Scarborough painting is already at the location. This ongoing project will feature select key Black figures that have influenced Classical thought in the United States. The Grand Opening will be on Juneteenth this year.

Portrait of William Scarborough, Oil 16″ x 12″ Panel, by artist V.W., 2021

The second painting I am working on is of Anna Julia Cooper:

Portrait of Anna Julia Cooper, Oil on 16″ x 12″ Panel

Other key figures that will be painted are Frederick Douglass and W. E. B. Du Bois.

I am also excited to be one of the featured artist for the Beaches Fine Art Series’ 50th Anniversary Celebration in Jacksonville, FL. My art will be featured alongside The GRAMMY® Award-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer in March 2023. I will provide more details on that event as well as two other solo shows this year.

View my upcoming art shows here. I will be updating this information this coming week!

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Classical Portrait Study with Oil

Classical Portrait Study with Oil on 12″ x 16″ Linen Panel by Artist V.W.

I previously shared a portrait study I was working on. Here are some more details to that. I was surprised to learn how much red is in this painting. I am always done with this one, and although it is not exact, I am okay with it because I have learned so much. I plan to do more of these in the future.

Here are some of the steps: Drawing and “Dead Coloring Stage”

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Portrait Study on 12″ x 16″ Linen Panel

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This is a copy of an Old Master’s self-portrait. I began this using the glazing method as taught at ARC, Boston. I still have two or three layers to go, but really happy with the glazing method so far. I usually work in alla prima and try to complete more during the first passes. However, working slowly step by step has taught me so much.

Memories: Oil on 16″ x 20″ Linen

Recuerdos: Oil on 16″ x 20″ Linen

I’ve always been attracted to the Chiaroscuro style, implementing the use of contrast and atmosphere to capture emotion. It is hard to tell from the picture, but the candle is highly textured to create a 3D -like affect.

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Classical Portraits and Art Shows

Portrait of William Sanders Scarborough on 16″ x 12″ Wood Panel by Artist V.W., 2020

I began painting this one a couple of years ago and it was initially commissioned for a public symposium dedicated to African Americans in Classical Literature in Savannah, GA. I was able to acquire this piece again and it will now be shown at The Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center for the Arts in Savannah, GA next months. What makes this piece important is that I was unable to locate a picture in color so I had to recreate this from a black and white photo. From what I know, there are very few paintings of him, if any. He is known to be the First African American Scholar in the Classics going from slavery to becoming president of Wilberforce University, in Ohio. He also wrote a classical Greek textbook for students.

Woman with Pearls: Oil on 18″ x 16″ Wood panel by Artist V.W.

This portrait is inspired by Vermeer’s famous painting “Girl with a Pearl Earing” and the style of Rembrandt. This is actually a portrait of the late actress Esther Rolle, the famous American comedian from the show Good Times. I used her as the model due to her beautiful smile. This painting will be feature at the Ali Cultural Arts Center in Pompano Beach, FL on October 30th until February 22nd, 2020.

1 Hour Online Live Portrait Study

This was a 1 hour sketch done on 11″ x 14″ Toned Paper using Conte Crayons. I tried to use the tone of the paper as the mid-tone only using the white crayon for the lightest highlights. I have seeing some people blend the white and black for a grey mid-tone. I think this can cool the drawing too much, depending on the color of the paper. It is certainly not a perfect sketch, at least to my standards, but I know it has been a long time since I sketched a live portrait. I will be doing these frequently along with some figure drawings.

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