Thanks to Emily Slaughter for being such an amazing sitter and having such hair!  I’m thinking of cropping. I’d be interested in people’s opinions about the crop v. no crop issue.

All right. So every year for the past four years I have tried to do a holiday card and failed because I procrastinated. This year I’m getting started early, I’ve decided.  Here’s what I’ve got so far.  I think it’s pretty hilarious because the poses are really reflective of who we are as people: I’m an extrovert and silly, and Toby is introverted and thoughtful. I guess opposites attract.

Class last night was really fun. Here are some of my students. They are real clowns.

One thing that is difficult if you go to Mica is that you never really get to see teachers actually do their own work. That was so different from Water Street, where you could go and see Jacob work whenever he was painting in the next room or right next to you.  I decided to do a quick figure sketch in class so that people could see how I work. Here’s what I did:

It wasn’t the most beautiful angle, but I guess that’s probably why I was able to squeeze in where I did (the room configuration is not that fortunate for us).  Lots of the students came by to take a look and asked me whether I had ever painted non-representationally before.  I actually painted abstractly before I went to Water Street and enjoyed it a great deal.  One of my students asked if I ever got tired of painting realistically.  I was really surprised to be asked that, because I never tire of it. It’s like asking if I ever get tired of reading books, or listening to music or eating (well, may be not eating).  I understood from the student’s perspective though: she was looking at the arts landscape and seeing that realism is just one little slice of it all– and what a boring slice it is!  May be more later about why I don’t find it boring. For now, it’s time to do some painting.

I am going to wait a couple of days for it to dry, and then I’ll put some retouch varnish on it and see where I need to clean it up.

I’ve been really productive the last three weeks or so since moving my studio into the house, which is still being renovated, but seems to be moving along semi-steadily.  This is one of the paintings I’m doing. I have to get Toby to sit for me, but most of it is done (just got to do that damn shoe).

I got these tulips from Whole Paycheck and they’ve lasted a whole week!

Work above by Jennifer Presant.

More information to come… As usual, please don’t comment on the blog, but rather email me at hyeseungs@gmail.com if you have any questions/comments. Thanks!