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Young Man Smoking
6 1/4" x 5 1/2" oil on linen 2016
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My son, Alexander, smokes, and this composition comes from a quick sketch I drew in June. He was wearing a Boston Red Sox cap and a dark grey jacket, but my vision was to go with a red palette against a warm background. The white and black notes work to energize the reds.
Smokers have been a recurring theme in my work for many years. For one, I smoked when I was young and can identify with the movements and rituals involved. I also very much like being able to use the interesting hand gestures made when smoking. While the gesture serves the narrative, it's also an important part of the abstract design of the painting, helping to keep the eye moving.
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initial sketch
4" x 3" drawing on light-yellow lined paper 2016
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Smokers have been a recurring theme in my work for many years. For one, I smoked when I was young and can identify with the movements and rituals involved. I also very much like being able to use the interesting hand gestures made when smoking. While the gesture serves the narrative, it's also an important part of the abstract design of the painting, helping to keep the eye moving.
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Woman Smoking: Eliza
7 1/2" x 6" oil on linen 2009
Private Collection, Maine
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Smoke Ring
9" x 9" oil on linen 2009
Private Collection, New York
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After the initial sketch of Alexander, it took three more drawings to fully develop the idea:
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drawing #2
4 1/4" x 3 3/4" pencil on graph paper 2016
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drawing #3
6 1/2" x 5 3/4" pencil on graph paper 2016
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drawing #4
6 1/4" x 5 1/2" pencil on paper with pastel tone on reverse 2016
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I've always like your smokers compositions. As you wrote, the hand gestures are fascinating. It was something I often talked about when I briefly worked on a cigarette account when I worked in advertising. Although red is a warm color, against the beige and taupe the color palette almost seems cool to me. Love it.
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