Not About Alan Ebnother

I could probably write a thousand words on how much my life has been touched by the personality and painting of Alan Ebnother...but I won't. I'll leave that for my archives.

One thing I can gladly tell you is how I got to know Alan and his painting. We met in July 2004 when I made my first trip to NYC to visit our mutual friend Joseph Marioni. I originally thought that while sitting in my crowded and smelling greyhound seat for around 11 hours, which I didn't sleep at all through it. That I would simply be meeting Joe and hanging with him through my visit. Not so. After meeting Joe in the bus terminal and making my way down the street with my arms feeling like jello, and trying to take in the situations I was in. I'm a 29 year old guy, visiting the biggest city in the world for the first time. Going to visit and hang with my favorite painter. Trying to take in all the sites at once during that first stroll down 8th Avenue.

Skipping ahead a bit. We met Alan at Joes, and proceeded to hit up the Hells Kitchen Diner for breakfast. Awesome place with great food. Heading out to Chelsea to see the galleries, and hearing Joe and Alan speak about the different spaces, I felt for the first time like a real artist, hanging out with other real painters. Trying to soak in as much as I could, and writing this. Realizing I can remember a LOT more than I give myself credit for.



Since that day, it took me awhile to get back in touch with Alan, but I knew it was something that I really wanted to do. You know how sometimes you feel compelled to wanna meet someone. You feel that maybe they have something that you are supposed to learn from that person, and you wanna find out what it is.

It wasn't till about a few years ago...I think. That I finally met Alan again online. Thank God for Myspace and it's technology which helps you to get to meet and learn about other people. This was before everyone jumped on the FB bandwagon, which I have found far more interest in.

Alan is always on FB, sharing new photos of his new paintings and him mixing his own paints. He's given me countless ideas about painting and about life.



And I just realized that i've said too much. The rest is between the two of us, and all of our friends on Facebook. HEHEHEHE.



So go add him as a friend and get to know Alan and his wonderful paintings. The rest is up to you. You'll just have to wait for the Biography to learn more.

Cheers and have a wonderful week! J

Two New Paintings...and a dream.

It's been awhile since I last updated my blog. I've been doing quite a few things. Trying to plan for a book, trying to make some $$, researching painting techniques I have yet to try. Here are the results of my journey into more colors and more depth in my colors within the painting.

Both are painted within a month of each other. And are both the same size. 

24" W X 25.13" H.

07-23-2009



Within this painting, I was focusing more on creating color I have yet to use. I wanted a nice creamy color to try out. I feel it is a success and will be working more in these creamy types of colors in the near future.



I have begun to take my photographs of my paintings differently. In the hopes of giving the viewer more of a sense of the scale of the painting, and of the subtleties of the color and texture.

I was speaking with a painter friend who noted that when we cut the painting out of the background, we take away from the scale of looking at the painting where it belongs, on the wall. And therefore it makes our viewing of the painting unrealistic. So he suggested taking pics of the painting in three sections. First, to take a full image of the painting with it's background and the views of the shadows on the wall. Second, to take an image with more items around the painting, which gives more of a sense of scale. Just how big the actual painting really is. As it is in relation to other items. Third, take an image of the painting from it's side, as taking a photo from the side gives more a sense of depth in the painting, as it also gives you a sense of the texture within/on the painting.

I have been following this method and I feel it truly is making the imagery you see on this computer screen, just a little bit more like being there in reality.





The color got a bit away from me in Photoshop with this detail image, but from the previous images, you can see it's true color.
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In this set of images on this painting. I was experimenting with pearl colors. These are colors that have a slightly glittery look to them. Some people think of it as a gimmick, alas, others find it adds much depth to a color. I will not hazard to tell you my thoughts on it, as of right now I still have yet to form a concise view on the subject of pearls in color.

Using a great green for the ground and a paynes gray for the poured color. It creates a very deep sense of darkness within color. I haven't worked very much in dark colors in the past, so I'm still finding my way around with many many colors. There is much work still to do. Thank God!

07-02-2009

Hope you are enjoying your day. 

Jeffrey