Winter landscape

Oil on linen
120x100 cm (about 3.9 by 3.3 feet)

Inspirations were the winter colors here in the Hague, the Irish landscape to the south of Dublin, the Dutch painter Tom Schulten, and the abstract expressionist painter Nicolas de Staël (1914 –1955).

Henny

Charcoal on paper
about 36 by 24 inches

This is a quick drawing of 30 minutes. You can see the model falling half-asleep, somehow capturing the atmosphere in the IAC club during the live model session. I like the relatively straight line from lower left to top right of the composition.

Long winter shadows, frozen lake, The Hague

Oil on Linen
30x40 cm (about 12x16 inches)

You can see pictures of the process of making the painting from yesterday's blog entry.(http://hagenoffindenhaag.blogspot.com/) It was painted from life. It is beautiful painting in the snow, I've always wanted to do this.

Green and yellow structure #1

Oil on canvas
100 x 120 cm (3.3 x 4.0 ft)

This is a former work of the week that I decided to revisit. (The original work is at http://erik-hagen.blogspot.com/2009/09/pink-structure-with-yellow-bits.html .) I like the color scheme of the revised, current painting better. I still have not decided on a final title. But I did enjoy creating this fantasy world populated by small people. Details of the painting are shown below.

PittyPat and TippyToe

Oil on Linen
30x40 cm

My mother grew up reading a children's book about PittyPat and Tippytoe. This is her favorite image from that book. If you are thinking, "Christmas present," you've guessed right.

Blue and Orange fields

Oil on Cotton
40x60 cm

Morning under the tree

Oil on Linen
120 x 95 centimeter

I get a Christmas-morning feeling from this painting, something about being a kid and enjoying the colors and presents under the tree. Festive!

Four Square #4

Oil on Linen
95x75 centimeter

A festive time of year, and a festive painting for you. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to all.

Li

Photograph.
Part of the 'Beauty Project'

I have been busy on a photo series for the "Beauty Project." You can see more pictures by clicking on "Beauty Project" from www.potamoi.com. The main idea of the project is to promote non-standard beauty ideals, with real women of all ages and body types. There will be a show in Antwerp, followed by a live jazz jam session on May 29, 2010, so save the date!

Owtin

Charcoal on paper, about 2 by 3 feet.

This was a 30 minute stand. It's pure fun to draw from such a powerful model.

Petra

Charcoal on paper
about 2 by 3 feet.

This was a short stand, about 10 minutes. Petra, the model, was so much fun to sketch. It was hard to choose which drawing would be the work of the week (you can see the other drawings at http://hagenoffindenhaag.blogspot.com/). The entire class was inspired. Portraits are fun.

Peggy

Charcoal on paper
about 2 by 3 feet.

This image is a sketch from a live model at the International Art Club of The Hague. The stand was about a half hour. The challenge here was trying to capture the model's wild tangle of blond hair. You can also see a quick sketch of the model's mouth and nose on the upper left side of the drawing, where I worked out some of the details.

Owtin portrait

Charcoal on paper
about 60 by 100 cm

This is a 25 minute sketch of Owtin, from a portrait class I'm taking at the International Art Club of the Hague. This sketch has the benefit of input from Pien Hazenburg, the docent. What I learned from this portrait class is that the tiniest details matter in a portrait, or the whole thing falls apart. In this portrait, the lessons have gelled and finally everything clicks- at least for this class.

You've got to use gesture (no problem for me) and be bold (again, no problem there) but you've also got to really focus on the exact line placement in every part of the drawing - not just get it close (for me, this has always been the problem with portraits). So, the lesson learned is this: when most everything is blocked in, step back from the drawing, compare by observing closely, and make minute adjustments, and the whole thing just might come together.

I had to choose which of the four portraits to use for the work of the week, but the whole series was fun, and you can see it on my blog (http://hagenoffindenhaag.blogspot.com/)

Chateau Cardinal Villemaurine

Photograph, wine cellar, St. Emilion.

These wines were bottled in 1978.

Invitation, two new openings

Greetings all,

You are invited to two new openings, October 17th and November 1. Details are below.

The October 17th opening is a group show for new members of the Voorschoten Kunstkring (artist's cooperative in Voorschoten). I will not be there, but Tamara will be there to represent me. I am including all of the Italian paintings from my trip to Tuscany that I can't bear to part with. It's hard to let go!

The November 1 opening is a show of landscapes and seascapes made while out in the dunes near Scheveningen in the last year.

Nieuwe Loten
Voorschoten Kunstkring
Opening Saturday, October 17, 16:00 uur (4 p.m.)
In het (n the) Ambachts en Baljuwhuis
Voorstraat 12
2251 BN, Voorschoten
(boven/above restaurant Floris V)

Scheveningen landscapes by Erik Hagen

American Women's club
Wine and Cheese Art Gallery Reception
Sunday, November 1, 2-5 p.m.
Nieuwe Duinweg 25, 2587 AB
just off tram #9.

Hope to see you there!