With time to spare before going to sketch an event, I decided to order dinner at Stardust Video and Coffee (1842 Winter Park Rd, Orlando, FL). I decided to sit onstage looking out over all the tables and the bar. The tables are old antique doors that had been shellacked a million times. My Rob Reiner sandwich and Coke arrived and I sketched between bites. Pink fish and colorful Japanese lanterns illuminated the dark ceiling. The guy in the red shirt was nodding off to sleep while a young couple chatted with excitement. It was her 1/2-birthday and she was celebrating. I like the idea of celebrating half birthdays. I wonder is she celebrates her 1/4 birthday or her 1/8 birthday. Better yet why not celebrate every 1/365 birthday? I’d just be sure to skip the cake.
Most everyone else was plugged into their digital devises. Doug Rhodehamel had a series of sketches on display in the far room. They were all done strictly in blue. I suppose every artist goes through a blue period. In my senior year at high school I only did blue sketches to rebel against the football coach- Art teacher’s strict photo realism. I’m proud to say I failed art that year, but I partied hard with the actors and had a blast.
Along with most of your work, this is fabulous Thomas! I get great pleasure in painting people, and it's obvious you do too. Your style gives a great feeling of spontaneity to your paintings.