PORTRAIT PAINTING GOLD BY JOHANNA SPINKS

Chaos and Creation in the Backyard

2020-06-25T14:43:00.001-07:00

Johanna Spinks with her Sir Paul McCartney portrait.

I thank Sir Paul McCartney for the title of this newsletter. It was the title of an album he put out a few years ago, one that we have framed in our hallway thanks to my husband who worked on the album. I was walking past it today and the words suddenly struck me: They perfectly sum up the last few months of trying to create things amidst the utter world chaos in my own isolated backyard high in the mountains - also known as my studio.

It's hard to even find words to write about creativity when so many people have died, and continue to. When so many frontline health workers have risked their lives for others, and continue to. And when so many people of color are literally fighting for their lives in a battle that's long pre-dated the pandemic, and will continue to. Life is still in chaos let's be honest. The Covid 19 virus is surging today in Los Angeles County where I live. Art certainly hasn't seemed that important to me at the lowest of times, when one is scared for faraway family and friends - and for the world in general. Just give me a couple of Payday candy bars and a numbing Netflix binge. That'll do.

I have been creating though, specifically the pictures I show here. More importantly I have been thinking a lot asking myself: Why do I paint at all? Why do I have this fascination with painting people specifically? What gets me out of bed and into the studio? Should I do something else when this is all over?

I consider myself a storyteller through the faces I paint. I am telling the sitter's story, but also mine. I didn't have the easiest of childhoods, particularly in my teenage years when I was often a runaway completely unable to get on with my parents. I finished my high school living on a social security weekly payment, nannying for a child, and studying as best I could, determined to pass my final exams. My head teacher told me I was going to fail at life. I was lonely and afraid for my future. Not many people know this about me.

I grew into an uncertain young adult, worrying more about what others thought of me than I thought of myself. An unapologetic people-watcher my whole life, I studied people for clues about living. I also watched myself oh so endlessly. Don't mess up, don't say the wrong thing, don't wear the wrong thing, just don't get caught out.

Motherhood helped me start to understand myself - along with some great therapy - but it wasn't until I started painting, especially painting people, that I found myself. I found a higher connection, my spirit, my soul, my art God, and a deep understanding to trust this. I have trusted this every single time I paint a sitter from life. People often told me when I was painting my "Face of" public portrait project (almost 150 faces from life) that I had great empathy for their life stories being told to me as I was painting them, that I was a good listener. I considered this the highest of compliments and still do.

Like everyone else, I have no answers to the continuing Covid chaos. This situation is bigger than us all. But I do know the "enforced" thinking during this terrible time - of all this chaos and creation in my studio - has reminded me of my calling, why I paint at all, and why I want to continue painting faces in my own way until my time is up. I am in a renewed appreciation and grateful for life itself.

One of the things that's so remarkable about the pandemic - a story we've all been affected by in some way - is how many other people's stories have continued to unfold alongside it. Mundane, remarkable, heartbreaking, and unbelievable stories that may or may not ever be told. In its broadest sense, I think art exists to make sure some of those stories get told in some direct or indirect way. With any luck, I'll be one of the ones to tell some of them down the line.

I wish for everyone a safe harbor from this chaos, and wonderful creations in whatever form they may be.

I was contacted by a client from San Diego who wanted to commission a large figurative piece with the feel of Victorian painter J.W. Waterhouse who we both love. This was 48x58", oil and gold leaf. The presentation was a first for me being complete with masks, gloves and social distancing.

This mixed media commission was for a family in Kansas and created in hush hush tones as it was a surprise for the mom. It was created from many different photos with the aim of a 'beach-y' contemporary style. 22 x 28". Luckily my brave shipper remained open.

As the art guru Robert Henri said in his epic book The Art Spirit: "I would rather see a wonderful little child than the Grand Canyon." I agree. This is 12 x 16" and created via my palette knife.

Radical Beauty...

2019-09-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

Tonight, 6.30 pm, opening reception at Malibu City Hall. Group show of art created by local artists inspired to create after the fires. I will have 18 watercolor and ink portraits in this collective, please see below. "The Face of Malibu Rebuilds" was featuring weekly in The Malibu Times during the early months. The collective show runs for three months at City Hall.

Lazy Hazy Days of Summer?

2019-07-03T08:09:00.001-07:00

Recently, between my portrait commissions, I have been painting some new figurative pieces of kids at the beach, inspired by my own kids' childhoods, growing up at the beach.

It is a theme that I find gives me a lot of joy. I love to play with color especially. I admire the painters of sunshine like Sorolla, Potthast, Sargent , Azaro, to name a few. It's not so easy to capture sunshine at the beach. Here's to more!

I am happy to say two have already sold. You can find more at the Daily Paintworks site, link top right on my sidebar. I paint these fairly fast so I am able to make my daily paintings affordable for all art collectors' budgets.

"Bucket List"
By Johanna Spinks
9x12"
Oil on panel via palette knife
Available.

"Ice-cream Sunday"
By Johanna Spinks
Oil on panel via palette knife
9x12"
SOLD

"Paddling Day"
By Johanna Spinks
5x7"
Oil on board via palette knife
SOLD

Winnie The Pooh

2019-05-31T10:56:00.000-07:00

"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." Winnie The Pooh.

An especially poignant life sitting this week via my palette knife. Art helped me through a very sad week.

"It All Comes Of Liking Honey So Much..."
By Johanna Spinks
12 x 12"
Oil on canvas

Surf's Up!

2019-05-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

Dare I say, there is something 'kinda' rad about being asked to put your portrait 'technique' onto a surfboard. I wasn't entirely sure how to proceed as I hadn't done this before but I sure worked it out. It was something I really enjoyed the challenge of working out how surfboards work; how to de wax them, prepare the ground for paint, and then get that paint to stick. The client loves them, a gift for her avid surfer husband on a favorite board of his that broke. So hang loose y'all. You can do anything you set your mind to.

Portrait Commissions on Reclaimed Surfboards
By Johanna Spinks

The Face of Malibu Rebuilds

2019-04-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

Don't forget folks as you go about your 'day to day', people are still displaced, working out how to rebuild their homes and lives in Califorinia including these 17 brave people who allowed me to interview and sketch them over the last few months for my "Face of Malibu Rebuild" series withThe Malibu Times, started in the early days of the devastating fire aftermath.

I too was displaced for four months, not in the best of spirits, and meeting this brave people was extraordinary and an experience I will never forget. The series is taking a breather now for a few months.

Be grateful and I will too. Never think tragedy like this can't happen to you. Check you home insurance. Enjoy your possessions, security of life and home.

By Johanna Spinks

2018 Dolphin Awards...Honored!!!!

2019-03-12T00:04:00.001-07:00

So honored...thank you to The Malibu Dophin Charitable Foundation, The Malibu Times and those that nominated me. Congrats to the other nominees.

You Tube Link

Seeing Dots...Calfornia Art Club 108th Gold Medal Show Opening.

2019-02-25T10:39:00.000-08:00

Seeing dots today.

Loving my custom somewhat daring "Paris chic" contemporary clear frame for this painting of mine "Visitor From Paris" for upcoming opening this weekend, The California Art Club's 108th Annual Gold Medal Exhibtion, March 3 -29, 2019. Details below and LINK to purchase Artist's Gala Reception tickets.

Lots of events going on around this great show. Honored to be in such fine painting company and thank you to The CAC for all it does for us artists. TY to Malibu Gallery too for always being amazing. And, yes, this painting will be for sale at the show with it's dotty contemporay frame.

GohereforGoldshow

Opennig Weekend
Former Pasadena Museum of Modern Art
Thank you to The CAC for all it does.

The Visitor From Paris
by Johanna Spinks
via palette knife
9x12"
Oil on Linen
Available for purchase at CAC Gold Show

Green Renewal of The Fires

2019-02-20T08:26:00.001-08:00

Chris Dali - "Renewal"
By Johanna Spinks
36 x 36", via palette knife

The Face of Malibu Rebuilds
By Johanna Spinks
A series of interviews and sketches by Spinks appearing weekly in The Malibu Times featuring the rebuild of people who have lost everything.

Green renewal on the fire torn mountains - and within me. This portrait of Chris Dali, relative of the great surrealist painter Salvador Dali, was started the day of the Malibu wildfires that took 600 homes and two-thirds of my neighborhood. Yet alone, the rest of the destruction through California.

It was started the day of the fires, from a three hour life sitting with Chris, and survived an absolute inferno blazing around my studio, home and neighborhood in a way that is hard to describe and nothing short of a miracle that my home, studio, and this painting and other paintings didn't burn. The fire came right up to my kitchen back door and studio front door but decided to go, unfortunately, to my neighbors. We have some big repairs but nothing compared to others.

I did lose quite a few commissioned portraits in Malibu homes that burned to the ground. I am so sad for these familes who have lost everything. It is going to be a long re-build. As some of you know, I been painting "The Face of Malibu- Rebuilds" with The Malibu Times, donating my time sketching, interviewing and writing about people who have lost everything in the fires while still being displaced myself. So far about 11 people have been featured. The interviews are painful and tears on both sides are often shed.

The green portrait of Chris has been sitting on my easel for three months, waiting for me to get back to it, defying me not to finish it after all it has been through with nature. The journey home and back to life has been slow. It was three and a half weeks before we could legally get to our home with roads opening, yet alone live there. We managed to hard-hike in once and it was just devastating to see the destruction and not be able to immediately protect your home from incoming rats and terrible smoke damage with broken windows. Nothing happens until those roads open! Now, friends' burned homes are being bulldozed to the ground. Humbling. Shattering. Something life doesn't prepare you for, to watch.

Three months later, I am feeling so grateful I got to finish this portrait of Chris. It will aways be a special painting for me, as will the new series and the very brave people I am also grateful to have met.

I also show the "Face of Malibu Rebuild" sitters who I have met so far. The series continues weekly.

Thanks
Johanna

Love is in the air...still.

2019-02-16T08:44:00.001-08:00

Love is in the air this week- especially for this couple, married almost 40 years, who face the prospect of rebuilding their lost Malibu home fortunately very much in love. Thank you to Carolyn Carradine and her hubby Chris for sitting for my "Face of Malibu Rebuild" series this week ongoing with The Malibu Times.. Article link below. This is a volunteer project for me sketching, interviewing and writing the pieces to highlight what people in my community are going through.

Article click here

Carolyn and Chris Carradine
The Face of Malibu Rebuilds By Johanna Spinks

Rebuilding After The Califorina Fires...

2019-02-09T10:09:00.002-08:00

A lot of hours are going into my Face of Malibu Rebuild series. with The Malibu Times.

I wish to remind people that life has not gone back to 'normal' for the thousands of people who lost everything in the recent California Wildfires.

This week's sitter is Jill Greenberg, the sketch and interview donated by me to The Malibu Times hoping to keep the community's awareness going of what this rebuild is looking like fore people who are suffering such great losses.

Here is a link to the article in this week's Malibu Times.

http://www.malibutimes.com/malibu_life/article_

Jill Greeberg by Johanna Spinks
For The Face of Malibu Rebuilds
With the Malibu Times

Golden Times - 108 Years Worth!

2019-01-24T17:14:00.001-08:00

Honored this artwork has been selected for The California Art Club's 108th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition.

Titled “Visitor From Paris", I painted this young Parisian in a single sitting via my palette knife, while she was on a short trip here from Paris.

Show runs March 3 -29, 2019 at the former Pasadena Museum of California Art, a beautiful venue I am lucky enough to have exhibited at before. Stay tuned.

Incredible this show has been running this long! It's always a great one and I am in some fine painting company. Thank you to The CAC for all it does.

Visitor From Paris
By Johanna Spinks
Via palette knife
For sale at CAC Gold show.

Losing Everything...Malibu Fires

2019-01-17T12:29:00.000-08:00

Katie Gorak is a 17-year-old senior at Malibu High School, on the water polo team, and in the normally difficult process of waiting to hear back from college applications. Under normal circumstances, Katie would also be mentally preparing to leave home—but the Woolsey fire took her family residence in the Malibu Highland mountain area and Katie’s expected way forward. Wise beyond her years, she normally loves going to movies, collecting things and listening to music. She was out of school this important senior year for 21 days due to the fire. In an emotional interview with me, at her temporary rental home, she spoke about the sudden loss of the home and foundation she loved so much.

To read the full article featured in The Malibu Times
Go Here

Katie Gorak

Special to The Malibu Times
"The Face of Malibu Rebuilds By Johanna Spinks'

Historic Defeat, Prime Minister Theresa May -

2019-01-15T13:13:00.000-08:00

A historic defeat today for The Right Honorable Theresa May today in Britian. I am a bit confused by Brexit , living out of Britain, but I do know the Prime Minister likes shoes, and therefore I like her. I also feel bad for anyone having such a rough day.

I painted this via my palette knife.

"Brexit Means Brexit - The Rt. Hon. Theresa May"
By Johanna Spinks
Via Palette Knife

The Face Of Malibu Rebuilds...

2018-12-27T11:18:00.000-08:00

Jerry Magusen
The Face of Malibu Rebuilds
Series By Johanna Spinks
With The Malibu Times

PLEASE READ FULL ARTICLE AT THIS LINK

CLICKHERE

Those who know me, know the California Wildfires hit very close to home with two-thirds of my neighborhood lost and over 600 homes burned to the ground in my hometown, let alone the other towns in California.

I was one of the lucky ones with a miraculous escape. Studio and home repairs are slowing beginning for me, but not for others.

Life will not feel the same watching the loss of others.

As I was sitting in the hotel for four weeks evacuated, not being able to paint, I decided to start sketching some fellow evacuees who I was chatting with around the lobby area. It made me feel less helpless. Then I thought we need to get these stoires of loss and courage out there. I contacted The Malibu Times who I worked with over a five year period for my Face of Malbu portrait series recording people in the town throught paint along with interviews by Homaira Shifa.

"The Face of Malibu Rebuilds" has been born. We have had to move quicky on this series so I decided to do the interviews myself along with the sketches to save organisational time. I am donating my time for this series and not being paid in any way, just like the last series. I have a background in journalism so it wasn't too far a stretch for me to do the words. I have found the interviews so far incredibly moving.

Please meet Jerry Magusen, our first in the series, and read his story at the link. A really great guy and also his wife Patty. Thank you for sharing your courageous story.

It's RAINN-ING Portraits!

2018-12-08T12:38:00.000-08:00

My "Faces of Today"...many of these waiting to be unwrapped under Chirstimas trees nationwide as surprise gifts.

Thank you to all who donated to @RAINN in return for me painting a mini portrait sketch via palette knife. Still a few more to be painted. Let's end sexual violence once and for all and keep the 24 hours hotline open. Link below.

https://www.rainn.org

Mini Portraits Painted by Johanna Spinks for her @RAINN fundraiser this year. All 8 x 8" via palette knife.

https://www.rainn.org

The Other Art Fair - What Was This Show Like?

2018-11-29T12:25:00.002-08:00

It's been a whirlwind few weeks with the Calfornia wildfires and I have not had time to post having been evacuated. A lot of people are going thru so much. We lost over half our neighborhood. It looks like a war zone.

But I said I would report back on my POP-Trait! portrait showing at Saatchi's "The Other Art Fair" in Los Angeles at Santa Monica airport, especially for other artists who may be considering doing it. It was a very postive four day experience for me -which happened just before the fires.

The opening night was great, good foot traffic and I got some terrific leads, one of which was an inquiry about licensing my work. Contracts have just been signed. More on that later. Some commission inquiries too. Foot traffic on the Friday and Saturday could have been a little busier. Sales were not the point of exhibiting here for me. Some artists were definitely selling and some artists were definitely not. If you plan on doing The Other Art Fair for brisk sales, I would say, think again. For me, the aim was networking and showing a new collection/body of artwork in front of actual eyeballs, the general public, instead of social media. This was very postive.

The Fine Art Ledger highlighted my POP-Trait! collection as being among its' favorite artwork at the show. How cool is that!

linkhere

I also did a portrait demo at The Other Art Fair and that was well received and I thank ArtModelShannon for donating her time to sit for me. We also did a small POP-UP showing of her lovely white figure china sculptures called "Femme-guerines".

The Saatchi show organisation was good. The Saatchi people were friendly too. I think they could have been a little more generous with some free drink tickets though on the Opening Night.

Just so you know, you are hand-juried into this show. They had 800 applicants for 120 spots for my show. But you still pay a fair sum for the actual space rental, liability insurance, etc. Saatchi has a big PR machine behind it, one of the reasons I knew it would be good to show with them. Its' PR lived up to my expectations.

The Other Art Fair runs shows across the world throughout the year. Los Angeles will have two shows in under 12 months . I personally would perhaps wait a while until I did the next one rather than jump in to another one too soon.

Thanks to everyone who attended and showed me their support. It was much appreciated.

If you have questions about the show, feel free to email me at johanna@johannaspinks.com

Opening night with beautiful Rachel, one of my sitters.

Day 2...

Portrait Demo With ArtModelShannon

ArtModelShannon sits for me...

ArtModelShannon's POP-Up "Femme-guerinnes"

Lynette, a sitter, strikes a pose.

ArtModelShannon with her portrait behind from an earlier sitting.

Stuntman Patrick, one of my sitters.

The Gang.

The Demo, Two Hours.

Family

Besties....

Thank you to The Fine Art Ledger for giving a nod to my showing at The Other Art Fair. Los Angeles

Saatchi Art's The Other Art Fair - Almost Here

2018-10-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

POP-Traits!
By Johanna Spinks
Now accepting commissions.

My POP-Trait paintings are being packed and my business cards are at the ready. Saatchi Art's sponsored "The Other Art Fair" show, which travels from London to Australia with various U.S. locations/stops is almost here. It's a big production and I am honored to have been hand-picked by a Saatchi panel of judges to show.

I am looking forward to the experience and will be posting here. It is a four day event in Los Angeles this weekend featuring about 120 artists from 800 applicants. Some artists are flying in internationally to show which makes me so grateful that I am so local.

I do still have a few comp. tickets. Emal me.

So far, the pre- show organisation, and its' team, have been impressive, not to mention friendly which is always good.

Stay tuned! I hope to see some of you there. I am at stand #30 with my POP-Trait! series of large format portraits painted in two sittings via my palette knife.

Thanks to Dave Teel Photography for this photo.

Comp. Tickets - The Other Art Fair, Los Angeles

2018-10-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks for following this blog and my artwork. It means the world to me.

As a small thank you to readers that are local, I have a few comp. tickets to The Other Art Fair, Los Angeles. Contact me at johanna@johannaspinks.com if you would like to attend. You can choose the day you would like to go at a link I will give you.

This promises to be a great show of contemporary art and I am excited to show my "POP-Traits!" for the first time which some of you have been following on this blog.

I will be blogging about the four day show so stay tuned.

Johanna

Naming Paintings...

2018-09-09T06:52:00.002-07:00

Very impressed with the folks at Saatchi putting on this show. The pre-show prep is very thorough.
My POP-Trait series featuring comtemporary portraiture has been handpicked by a panel of judges to show at The Other Art Fair presented by Saatchi Art in Los Angeles

Naming paintings is almost as hard as painting them...any ideas for a title on this one? Just finished this week.

My latest POP-Trait portrait of the lovely Alexandria Morrow painted in two life sittings via palette knife, 36 x 36"

My "Pop-Trait" Series Unveiled

2018-09-01T11:11:00.003-07:00

Excited my "Pop-Trait" series will be unveilded for the first time at this huge contemporary show. As many of you know I have been quietly working away on this series for almost two years now. All 36 x 36" and mostly painted from life in two sittings via my palette knife.

I have had the most encourging words from my dear friend and mentor Everett Raymond Kinstler, N.A., painter of eight American presidents and a who's who of America over the last 60 years.

Kinstler says of this new body of my work:

“I am impressed with your new striking portraits. I think you are on to something. They are fresh, contemporary and different. The new scale and size lend themselves to very modern settings and a new audience."

How cool is that. Thank you dear Mr. K.
www.everettraymondkinstler.com

I will be posting the whole collection over the next few weeks. Please stay tuned. Would love your feedback. There are about 24 of them now.

The Art Critic?

2018-08-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

Honored: invited to judge Simi Valley Art Assoc. Annual Open Show again in California.

Cash prizes. Open to all artists.

This ptg. a favorite of mine by Norman Rockwell "The Art Critic" painted in 1955. Oh boy, to paint like this master. It's just impossible. And he is still not in The Met in New York's collection.

www.simivalleyart.org

Summer Event Painting

2018-08-20T08:30:00.001-07:00

I was recently commissioned by a lovely couple to paint a special anniversary party at their home in the mountains.

These twinkling lights were a lot of work, along with the people, but very fun to paint and I am happy to say well received at the painting's presentation this weekend. I love painting light and party dresses so it was a win-win for me as an artist.

I also compiled a large journal of watercolor sketches from this event, see video below, which I started onsite at the party. I sketched the actual party scene, the cocktail hour, the dessert and champagne bar, the gift table, the couple's first dance and even the hostess's party shoes as they were amazing.

I used all this watercolor reference to help create the final oil painting in my studio. The couple also got to keep the watercolor journal.

I am looking forward to paiting more twinkling party light commissions. Stay tuned.

Mid-Summer Night's Eve
30x24"
By Johanna Spinks
Event Painting
SOLD

Life Thru Rose Colored Glasses?

2018-07-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

My latest POP-Trait portrait of Rachel Bailit, an actress and acting teacher at The Lee Strasberg Institute. She's a pretty incredible lady and loves rose colored glasses almost as much as me, plus pink eye glitter. One can't go wrong with either.

36 x 36"
Painted in two life sittings
Via my palette knife.

"Rose Colored Glasses"
By Johanna Spinks
36 x 36"

End of second sitting

Close-up

Close-up, yes there's glitter.

Knife Skills?

2018-06-15T08:29:00.000-07:00

22 large palette knife portraits now painted by me, from life, over the last 36 months for my new "Living Large" series...I have learned they have a mind of their own. Completely uncontrollabe chaos but I am always glas at the end of the sittings, I stuck with them.

Patrick
Living Life Large Series
By Johanna Spinks
36 x 36"
Via Palette Knife

In progress -almost there

The start - always risky!