Compatibility Couple Sculpture Live Models

Dear Art Lover,

    Well, it is now past the dawn of a new day, but not the eve or the dawn of the next day!  I do believe that every kindness we do adds to our collective energies and a better life for everyone.

   Today I want to celebrate love (again).  In the couples Open Studio sculpting sessions I mentioned yesterday that I held in the drawing room of the AVAA (Austin Visual Arts Association in Austin, Texas, USA), I also hired one of my favorite models at the time.  I loved how she used her hands during her short poses, especially.  She invited her husband to model with her.  That was amazing since as I commented in yesterday’s post, it is a lot to ask for two models to touch in an intimate way for long periods of time.

    It was a wonderful time we artists had with our models.  They both said it was quality time for them, as well, since they hardly slow down in their lives.  They found this comforting and a good experience for them to be together in this way.

Compatibility - terra-cotts sculpture of snuggling couple

     The two images of me sculpting with our models was taken by a friend of mine, Carol Schumacher of Bastrop, Texas, who was doing her own sculpture on the other side of the models.  I did the crop and added the little modesty color.  I always insist that artists ask the models before taking any photographs.  I prefer that they do it in private and BEFORE the day they want the photos.  I am a bit of a model advocate and also, I am a shy person.  Sometimes when confronted with a question one was not expecting, it takes time to think a bit to figure out how one really feels before giving an answer.  I also do not like the models to be asked in front of other people because she (or in this case, they) may not mind one person taking images, especially if she knows that person… but it could open the door to bunches of cameras… in my mind, permission for one is not necessarily permission for all.  I prefer for the model to have full control over these sorts of issues.

Kelly Borsheim sculpts couple during Open Studio - Texas

   While I made and sold one bronze of this composition to a couple in Oregon, here is the original clay version.  It is available via Franklin Barry Gallery in Indianapolis.    Contact gallery owner Don Elliott at Don theframeshopindy@aol.com or just respond to this post and I will help you receive this artwork and feel the love.

Compatibility (original A/P)

8.5" h x 13" x 10"

terra-cotta

$1200 (US)

     If you like, please have a look at some more of my sculpture online here:

http://www.borsheimarts.com/sculpture.htm

and again, welcome to 2017.

Peace,

Kelly

P.S.  Subscribe to the art newsletter here (it is FREE):  http://www.borsheimarts.com/contact.htm

Compatibility - terra-cotta [fired clay] sculpture original art

Dave with Janet and SkySeries Tryptich Paintings

Dear Art Lover,     

     Today’s August offerings are two… but one is actually a combination of three small paintings.  Both artworks are from various life drawing sessions I attended in Austin, Texas, with great models.

     In case you missed yesterday’s post:     I would like to offer, for the month of August 2015 only, selected paintings and drawings for about half the price as my going rate these days.  These are older works, but ones that for one reason or several others, I cannot stand the idea of destroying.  Please contact me directly if you see something you love and would like to add to your art collection.  Here goes the first one for today … 

 "Dave with Janet" AVAILABLE ORIGINAL ART
22" X 28" Oil on Canvas  [framed]
2001 by Kelly Borsheim
[juxtaposed from two different live model painting sessions]
http://www.borsheimarts.com/painting/room04.htm

August 2015 Price:  $400  [plus any Texas sales tax and/or shipping]

     Dave and Janet were/are very well-known and often hired models during many of my formative years in Austin, Texas.  It is likely that every figurative artist in the past 20 years has drawn or painted them at least once.  Dave always likes to push himself, in his running and in his modeling.  He worked to make his poses interesting from many angles.  Even at his older age (from most of my colleagues and me), he designed poses that were difficult to hold.  The pose you see here of Dave is one that I have painted many times, from many angles.  He said he was inspired by Michelangelo.

     Janet is a lovely person.  I have painted her less often, but always enjoyed the experience.  I think that I painted at her session first.  I was in a stage of my artistic journey in which I felt overwhelmed having only three hours with a model and was still doing body parts and using them to find interesting compositions.  I often compose  triangles in my work.

     These two wonderful models, real people and real friends, also posed together for me for the bronze sculpture titled, “I am You.”  They taught me so much during that project!

http://www.borsheimarts.com/sculpture/2004/I_Am_You.htm

____

 

Now, here is some more of Dave:

Sky Series Triptych
EACH painting is 4 x 4 inches - 3 framed together
mixed media on boards
2006 by Kelly Borsheim
http://www.borsheimarts.com/painting.htm

I offer this set of three 4x4 inch original paintings [framed as shown here] to you for only $200 US.  Texas state sales tax (6.75%) may apply.  There is also a $9.50 packaging and shipping fee.

Please contact me for more information.    http://www.borsheimarts.com/contact.htm

Thank you and as always…

Peace,

Kelly

~ Kelly Borsheim, sculptor and painter

http://BorsheimArts.com

Full Monty Life Drawing

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Since I have been back in central Texas, I have been trying to attend at least one of the many life drawing sessions in Austin. The Austin Full Monty session is held each Sunday evening, hosted by artist Leslie Pierce and sponsored by AVAA (Austin Visual Arts Association). As you can probably guess, Leslie hires only male models.

Earlier in the day, there is a session that previously offered life drawing with alternating male and female models, but for the last several years, those hosts have drifted towards only the female model. So, as it turns out, if I can tear myself away from my studio on Sundays, I can be sure to draw a model from each sex.

The Austin Full Monty starts off with about ten 1-minute gesture poses. These brief, usually more dynamic poses help the artist to loosen up and shift the mind to the spatially thinking right side of the brain. They also give us artists the opportunity to try to record action. Instead of focusing on detail, we try to capture the essence of a gesture.

The following are not the best images I have ever taken of my art and I tried to increase the contrast to help you see the pencil or charcoal marks on the paper.


Sometimes I see a gesture that I would like to turn into a more formal work of art. One of my better known works is “Ten”. This bronze bas-relief sculpture was inspired by a one-minute gesture sketch that I had done eight years before and just could not forget. Click on the sculpture’s name if you would like to see this sketch.

After the quick gestures, we move into several 15-minute poses and then try for two 30-minute poses.


Sometimes I try to create a perfect gesture with flow lines and an energy that moves me. Other times I simply focus on one body part, such as the foot. In the last image of the torso with the stretched out arms, I was most attracted to the triangles and the light and dark shapes within.

Even if I never use these images to create a painting or sculpture, I still could not imagine NOT drawing from life.

Check out the Austin Full Monty Life Drawing Sessions.

Art Model in Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Artists depend on good models for great figurative art. Here in Florence, Italy, a lot of artists have worked with a great male model, Ernesto. He has worked for Florence Academy and also Angel Academy of Art, as well as posing privately for artists, including myself. Ernesto is wonderful to work with and is also a terrific person.

So, you can imagine how difficult it is for artists here in Florence to lose Ernesto. He and his girlfriend are leaving Italy. Ernesto’s last day of modeling was last Friday at the Angel Academy of Art. So, as much as his girlfriend told me that he hates surprise parties, that is just what he got.

Student artists and teachers alike signed a card and pitched in to help me buy some torte (cakes). The chocolate cake with the powdered sugar on the left was made by scratch by our friend Skye Campbell. The other two cakes (one fruit covered in typical Italian style and the other a chocolate torta with a wee bit of alcohol inside) came from Patrizio Cosi on Borgo degli Albizi, near Piazza Salvemini. This is one of my favorite pasticcerie. There are many wonderful pastry shops here in Florence, but I happened to be drawing another model, Sarah, that afternoon at a friend’s studio on Borgo Pinti, and logistics being what they were . . .

I still cannot tell if he was really surprised or if he had a heads-up, especially when he whipped out a bottle of limoncello to share. Limoncello is a famous lemon liquor made in southern Italy (although I have several Italian friends here in Florence who enjoy making their own as well). Allora, the drinks, fruit, and chocolate were pouring! It was a sweet gathering.

Anyway, since I rarely post photographs of people on this blog without their permission, I decided to share with you a charcoal drawing of Ernesto. This drawing was created by my friend Joseph Farris, during Ernesto’s last modeling session at Angel. He is not finished with it, but I was at Joe’s flat earlier today photographing other works of his and asked him if I could share this drawing with you.

Next time, I will show you some of the works I have been creating of Ernesto. I have been working furiously to try to finish these (or get them to a point in which I could finish them) before my friend leaves bella Italia.

Ringrazie tanti, Ernesto!