Featured Artist/ Art In San Miguel/ discounted online classes

Check out this week's Art in San Miguel. I am the featured artist.
http://artinsanmiguel.com/wp/meet-the-artist-ezshwan-winding/?mc_cid=2ac80fb370&mc_eid=dc09c00985

Also, August is my birthday month and to help celebrate, I am offering 20% off my online Advanced Encaustic Techniques to the first 25 people who buy the 11 classes.You can stream or download them. This offer is good until Aug. 17th. https://vimeo.com/r/1zMI/NUdEL3c0MU

Below are a couple of my jazz painting I made in the 80"s. I spent 12 years only painting jazz musicians, until I realized that wasn't a part of my life anymore. 

Missing the beautiful blue eyes

People have told me that they really enjoyed my posting of the process of the 50 Faces project, so I am again sharing the changes in this face that recently went to live in its new home.

This is the only exception I made about dark glasses and now I wish I could paint the beautiful blue eyes behind those glasses.

Taking a Break From Our Studios

new encaustic work by Cynthia Hamilton

The art reception, and open studios, Sunday was fun for us. In spite of roads being blocked by Indignious dancers and some people not being able to get here in the usual 15 minutes, - (rather an hour and a half ) we had a constant flow of guests who came to enjoy the art, eat Cynthia's delicious food, (lettuce wraps and pasta salad) drink wine and talk about the portraits and Cynthia's encaustic process. The rain held off until 4 pm.

It took a lot of time and energy to prepare for the show and we are taking a break to go to Mexico City to refresh and inspire our creative spirits.

I only got a couple of photos when the first guests arrived.

Our first guests,(a coup;e of faces are missing, because they were purchased)

Marsha with her portrait.

Fifty Faces & Open studios, Sunday, June 28, 1 - 4

    You will get clear directions to our home/studios/gallery at my website: www.ezshwan.com

Face #48, A beautiful Woman; A beautiful Friend

An Exotic Beauty

It is much more of a challenge to paint such a young, exotic beauty.

Some days it just doesn't work

I worked in the studio most of the day yesterday and seemed to be working in circles. Some days are like that.

I managed to start a new painting and work some more on some others that I started a couple of days ago.

here are the ones in process. Top shelf is finished.

 "I am so intrigued by the under painting colors/strokes you use. Then they are painted over for depth, or ponderance? Your paintings exude passion in the initial stage with paint as the catalyst. Then how you manage to connect it all is mind blowing."

I received this comment  yesterday. I do work differently from some other figurative artists. Drawing is important in capturing a likeness, but I don't start these faces with a drawing because then I feel limited with the spontaneity and freedom of the brush strokes. To me it is like painting in a coloring book. The bold colors of the under painting do influence the finished work. Little pieces of color can peek through. Of course, I have to apply my drawing experience to create a likeness by the second or third stage of the painting. On the most successful faces, in my opinion, I still have the impressionistic brush work and colors.

It is natural for me to capture a likeness and in my student days I sometimes was criticized by fellow students, "That looks just like the model"...I would answer, "Isn't that part of the training in seeing the model?" The challenge I have set for myself in this project is to break away from any smoothing of paint; no photographic likeness ( a camera does that) and keep the face as painterly as I can.

Thirty Three out of Fifty Faces

I bought more boards and have to paint them with black gesso. I then will have all the boards prepared.

I finished # 33 today and have 5 more started.

More people are asking to buy their portrait, and of course they are available for purchase at $425 U.S. plus shipping. They can be purchased before the exhibition in June. I can go ahead with the book just with the final photos.

Portrait Project #29, Fifty Faces

I bought more boards, brushes and paint. My studio is filling up with faces.

I am asked, "When are you going to have the show of the faces?" I will have the exhibition when they are finished. I hope in a couple of months. I am planning the layout in my home gallery.

 I would like to paint everyday, but life, sometimes, gets in the way. Yesterday, I went shopping in Leon for the first time and I was able to buy comfortable shoes, for my old feet, that I can not get in San Miguel.

Today, I am teaching some 40 year olds how to start a blog. I don't think it will take all day, so I should be able to spend a few hours in the studio.

I know I asked for unsmiling photos, but when Janet sent me her selfie, I accepted the challenge, because I can not image her not smiling.

#28 of the Fifty Faces

My daughter, Cynthia , captured the photo of this man's face for my project. He willingly posed when she explained what I was doing.

John Singer Sargent was right!

John Singer Sargent said, " A portrait is a painting with something wrong with the mouth". Mouths are very tricky to paint because they are so "plastic" They are not like a nose that stays put. A mouth moves and changes and a tiny brush stroke can change the look and lose the likeness.

Sargent also said that every time he painted a portrait, he lost a friend. I am safe, since none of the faces I am making are commissions and no one has to pay for their portrait unless he or she wants it. Phew!