Mary's Inner Beauty in Kimberly

"Mary's Inner Beauty in Kimberly", graphite on vellum trace © Mona Diane Conner

(click the image to see it larger)

Here is a study for my next panel painting for the Divine in Kimberly series, size still t.b.d.

Update and Scanned Detail from Kimberly With Roses

Scanned detail from my egg tempera portrait in progress of Kimberly With Roses

Sorry not to have posted an update in a while, but I have resumed working on the upper half of this egg tempera portrait of Kimberly, and I thought it would be interesting, even though my scanner bed is too small to encompass this 19 1/2" x 15 1/4" work, to try a scan of a detail from the painting at this point. A scan shows you the brushwork and details better, and also the depth I am beginning to achieve with the painting as the layers are building. My digital camera has perhaps only captured a portion of this in previous posts, but you can also see a bit of progress with the painting itself.

More Petals and Fringe

"Kimberly With Roses" in progress, egg tempera painting on panel (click image twice for a larger view)

Still adding more rose petals, and working on the gold fringe of her shawl, I'm also beginning to layer in a warmer tone over the background.

falling rose petals

"Kimberly With Roses", 19 1/2" x 15 1/4", egg tempera panel in progress (click the image twice for a larger view)

I'm so sorry that my work to promote portraits in general has kept me absent so long from this blog, but here's another update. As you can see, I'm starting to add falling rose petals and working on the areas around the petals as I add them to the painting.

Please feel welcomed also to visit Mona Conner Portraits, where I feature my commissions.

progress on Kimberly With Roses

"Kimberly With Roses" in progress

Here is what I'm working on; the current version is on top.

Progress Update 12: Kimberly With Roses

"Kimberly With Roses" egg tempera on panel in progress (click the image twice for a larger view)

Due to several projects I must work on this Fall offline, it's been a while since my last post, but my work on "Kimberly with Roses" continues. I have laid down an initial underpainting in two layers on the background, added to the bottom of the painting, and have also decided to re-work several portions of the veil on the left side, to balance out the amount of decoration on the left and right sides of the veil. One advantage egg tempera has over acrylic and oil is that I can still either wash off or scrape off with my palette knife an area which is already dry to the touch and completely re-work it as you can see me doing here on the lower left side of the painting.

Progress Update 11: Kimberly With Roses

"Kimberly With Roses" egg tempera on panel in progress (click the image two times for a larger view)

I've been continuing my work on her veil's gold fringe, and on related areas in the forehead, face and neck, continuing to establish tonal layers.

Starting the gold fringe, applying for a grant, and an important word about my blog themes

19 1/2" x 15 1/4" egg tempera on true gesso panel in progress

Here I'm starting the gold fringe, which will have further layers of paint applied once it is established.

Some of you are aware, and others may not be, that I run three active painting blogs, all of which are listed on my links (also a fourth blog, Windows of the Soul on miniature eye portraits is remaining online just as an intro to eye portraits in miniature). I truly appreciate your interest in my art no matter whether you just enjoy watching one of my blog themes, or all of them, but I thought it might be helpful just one time to explain why I prefer separating my art into separate themed blogs, and where the action will be for now.

With this spiritual portrait series in particular, which has continued for almost two years now, I am actually unfolding and at times discussing on-blog a personal theme through an ongoing body of work in portraiture for a gallery or museum show. So I feel it is more meaningful in the long run to develop this theme in it's own context, separately from Mona Conner Portraits which is more about portraits and portrait commissions in general, and separate from my miniature painting blog which is primarily about my work in miniature painting. I may, for example, get more into discussion of technical aspects of painting on Mona Conner Portraits, whereas here on Grander Joy of Spirit I'm really attempting to zero in on the spiritual aspects of the art and hopefully evoking responses from my viewers, too, on this level.

So far my spiritual portrait series has been done completely uncommissioned, and only with the cooperation of several interested friends who have willingly and kindly posed for me for this purpose. However, I am also quite open to the opportunity of creating a commissioned spiritual portrait if anyone desires one. I sometimes do a portrait in miniature, which may overlap with Mona Conner Portraits, and very much enjoy also the treasured theme of the Madonna and the Divine Feminine in my art, which at times I will also portray in miniature. Eventually you can expect men, too, to appear in spiritual portraits on Grander Joy of Spirit, so it is not only the Divine Feminine aspects which I'd like to explore!

And while I may need to spend time on Mona Conner portraits, to foster portrait commissions when sales of miniatures are not proceeding fast enough to cover costs, my single most important goal as an artist remains this spiritual portrait series of paintings on Grander Joy of Spirit. Right now I'm at work on an artist grant application, just to help me be able to continue with this particular body of work which is so very dear to my heart; so please keep my grant application and my efforts with this series in your prayers and wish me luck!

Update #9: Kimberly With Roses in Progress

Kimberly With Roses in progress, 19 1/2" x 15 1/4", egg tempera on panel

Another Update: Kimberly With Roses in Progress

19 1/2" x 15 1/4", detail of the egg tempera portrait in progress (click the image twice for a larger view)

Progress Update on "Kimberly With Roses"

19 1/2" x 15 1/4", egg tempera (in progress) on true gesso panel (click the image twice for a larger view)

While it's being repaired ~ another detail view

Detail from the arched panel painting

While it's going to my panel shop for a repair prior to the application of gold leaf, here's another detail of my other panel painting in progress, "The 'Mary' in Kimberly". I'll be so excited when this one is completed!

"Kimberly With Roses" progress update

19 1/2" x 15 1/4", egg tempera (in progress) on true gesso panel

Here I have been working on the roses and the area immediately around them.

Progress on "Kimberly with Roses"

19 1/2" x 15 1/4", egg tempera (in progress) on true gesso panel

Still laying in the first layer of paint on portions of this, since patterns take time, and I have devoted several painting sessions to this egg tempera portrait since my last progress report.

Progress update on the first "Mary in Kimberly" panel painting

(click on the art in progress to view it larger; as previously explained, the red clay bole background will later be covered with gold leaf and bordered with the mother of pearl, a sample of which is included at the lower right)

At this time I am working on the veil, hands, and lower portions of the portrait. This post shows further work in egg tempera, on and around the hands.

A start on the veil

Now that the outline of it is clearer, I am working on the translucency of the veil. (click on the image to see it larger)

Preparing the first panel for gilding

I've paused my work on this portrait to begin the gold-leafing for it's background which helps establish the outline of the veil. Later on I'll be adding mother-of-pearl as a border.

Further progress on the panel painting of Kimberly with roses

(egg tempera painting on panel in progress. Beginning to lay in the flesh tones here.)

Kimberly with roses egg tempera on panel - beginning the veil

I'm working from several photos I took, but this is my main reference picture

Detail showing my start on the veil

Kimberly with roses - Step 3