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8″ x 8″ oil on board
I find myself being drawn back to artists I was inspired by in my earliest painting days. I think it was the abstract expressionists who first made me want to use oil paint. In particular, I’ve always loved figurative paintings by abstract expressionists. Richard Diebenkorn went through a figurative stage in the 50s and 60s and I’ve always carried some of those images in the back of my brain.
I had forgotten about Alfred Leslie, who abandoned the incredible abstract paintings he was doing for figurative paintings. I had been trying to remember him but couldn’t recall his name until I came across it on the excellent Painting Perceptions blog.
Looking back at R.D. et al, I can see relationships with some of the younger artists I now look at.
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Bill Sharp - paintings blog 
What you do so well, in my opinion, is expressing with such looseness, a very sound drawing skill under that freely applied paint. You achieved lots of detail in this piece and kept it simple.
Even the sitters’ hands and face, while suggested, are so believable.
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Hi Bill, wow, how do you do it? It looks so loose yet the construction is solid. Must be all the sketching you do, like Bonnie said. I like this one a lot.
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Bonnie, I always love hearing from you. Thanks so much
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Silvina! So nice to hear from you. Thank you for the encouraging words.
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Bill, thanks for posting this rich, evocative painting, and also for the reference to the Painting Perceptions blog. I wasn’t aware of it, and it’s a super resource.
k
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Hi Kathryn,
It’s great to hear from you. I’m glad you like Painting Perceptions. I think I read on some social networking site that you injured yourself. I hope your mending quickly and generally enjoying life. I keep checking your blog for new paintings.
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