My Mother’s Store – 12×16 Oil on Gessoed Board
Oil Painting by Winifred Whitfield
On this particular day, I took a ferry to Seattle and climbed the hill to 1st Avenue. As I started walking North, I spotted a little store with some great looking boots in the window. I went in.seated with her mother, I immediately saw this adorable little girl in her very pretty attire holding her teddy. I ask her mother if I could take a couple of photos and I did. I love the way little children pose. They just stand there – no posing in fact, no pretense – just “here I am”.
This is the first time I have attempted a full environmental portrait. I love the idea of it but and wanted to tell the story in a rather realistic figurative manner, but what work!! The size of this canvas is 12×16, not really small, but still the face is only about 1 inch wide. It’s very challenging to paint facial likeness at that scale but I did it – but I hope never again. I will simply paint on a much larger canvas if I want to paint a room interior.
I did purchase a great pair of leather boots – my absolute favorites. The store was going to of business – there was a big sale.
This is not a finished finished portrait. I will make more refinements as I continue to look at it, but the elements and concept is pretty clear. Hope you enjoy
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This is beautiful, Winifred. I can only imagine your mind working as you decide on color, perspective, light/shadow — all so beautifully executed in this work. I always like to examine how an artist works fabrics — and yours are wonderful.
Thank you Isabelle. It is a very interesting process to create a painting, to go from some visual reference, and then to translate it to a different creative expression. You know this very well. I appreciate your comments. Winifred