My Mom, Millie Irene Faust Jamieson MacMullen

A quick post to get my mother's painting uploaded, although I painted this a couple of years ago and it's been in several shows already (Not for sale of course).  In the past I had attempted to paint her and my sisters and others in my family who are deceased, but alas, it is too painful.  So I thought it would be ok for me to paint mom since she looks nothing like what I knew of her in her older age, from a black and white photo taken well before I was born.  But alas, again, I had some difficulty and teared up, actually wishing I could have met this woman in that time.  Perhaps it doesn't even matter as we may be all ending up in the same place with the same physical "window dressing" gathering in a perfect place feeling a perfect joy and love in a perfect paradise.   Corny but hopeful.

Anyhoo, this is an 11"x14" oil painting, currently framed in a beautiful gold leaf frame.

"Mildred" oil, 11"x14"

Enjoy.  Of note, come January 2020 I will be conducting art classes in my home in Sebastian, Florida, kicked off with a free plein air event for all.  Classes will commence the first and third Thursday of each month, payable monthly, with a maximum capacity of 8 people.  First come, first served.  I supply easels, tables, covers and coffee.  The beauty part is, no traveling or lugging for me!  To see more of my work, click on www.artbyburgarella.blogspot.com.  All mediums welcome, all subjects too which you will see at that other blog address.  Call me at 772-581-8281 for further information.

Have lots more recent portraits to upload, but must now get at my Xmas cards.  To see more, click on "Older Posts" below.

Enjoy!
Judy Burgarella
Blogger.

Skipping a few years ahead!

A STOLEN OPPORTUNITY!

On Monday October 14th, 2019, my husband Bob had to have unexpected surgery and so we were in a pre-surgery room when the physician who was to administer his anesthesia walked in.  That's when I decided what I would paint for the Portrait Society of America's competition, which was due in just a few weeks.  I hadn't decided what to do and was procrastinating, until that day at the Cleveland Clinic in Vero Beach.  There was my subject!  So I got permission from him and started clicking while he tended to Bob.  No special lighting, no posing ... just as it was.  So anyway, here it is, and I had a wonderful time painting him.  I submitted it November 7th, and am waiting to hear if it was accepted.

"The Healer" oil, 17"x20" by Judy Burgarella

VERO BEACH MUSEUM OF ART  FALL CLASS 2019 - MICHELANGELO

Arguably the most famous artist of all time.  Not too many images of him on the internet though, and the best one at the best age presented happened to have him in a turban.  It has been said that some artists wrapped their head in a turban to protect it from paint.  True? Maybe, but who knows.  Anyhow, I gave my students the option of painting him with turban or with hair.  Students were given step-by-step illustrated instructions.

"Michelangelo" (In Turban) Acrylic by Judy Burgarella

"Michelangelo" Acrylic by Judy Burgarella

VERO BEACH MUSEUM OF ART WINTER CLASS 2019 - PROSERPINE

Featured at the Museum, the American Pre-Raphaelites: Radical Realists, "Rroserpine" by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

VERO BEACH MUSEUM OF ART 2018 FALL CLASS - "PURITAN WOMAN"

Found this original painting falling out of its frame in a flea market and purchased it for almost nothing.  The only skillfully-painted part was her portrait.  Cut off the rest of her dress and legs (ouich!) Put it in the most perfect frame which I also purchased at the flea market, and it now sits on an easel on a decorative high shelf in my kitchen.  She was lovely to copy in acrylics, however I made her a little more attractive.  I hit the jackpot that day at the sale!

"Puritan Woman" Acrylic by Judy Burgarella

VERO BEACH MUSEUM OF ART 2018 SPRING CLASS - "CHILD BRIDE OF CEYLON"

My  journey to paint this little girl was an interesting one.  While visiting my sister in Connecticut, she took me to a "Junk" store, where I purchased books by the pound.  The book "Child Bride of Ceylon" probably cost me 10 cents or so.  It was very old, and each page was filled with adventure and interesting information about a long-ago and faraway culture.  While reading the book, I Googled Ceylon, an island country in South Asia, not far from India.  In 1972 its name was changed to Sri Lanka.  I perused the photos posted about Sri Lanka, and began to communicate with one of the photographers, who grew up there and spent most of his childhood barefoot playing with the natives, in a wonderful fairy-tale life.  Sadly, now there are profound political, environmental and human rights crises within the country, and that idyllic lifestyle of the photographer no longer exists.  The "Child" bride part of yore were commonly because of arranged marriages.  Such a small price I paid for hours and hours of entertainment and creative brushwork.  Who needs millions to have a wonderful time?

"Child Bride of Ceylon" Acrylic by Judy Burgarella

"MONA LISA ON A PALETTE" - VERO BEACH MUSEUM OF ART WINTER PORTRAIT CLASS

I have painted Da Vinci's Mona Lisa several times, but I thought it would be interesting to offer it on a palette as substrate.  The most complicated part of this painting is actually the landscape, for me at least.  I cannot pinpoint what her expression is, and perhaps that is why people find her so mysterious.  However I always enjoy painting her.

"Mona Lisa" on palette, acrylic by Judy Burgarella

VERO BEACH MUSEUM OF ART FALL 2017 PORTRAIT CLASS - LADY OF ELCHE

I came across an image of this mysterious woman in an old sculpture book wherein all images were in black and white.  The photo was not clear, and was just the upper torso, but the side-temple rosettes intrigued me.  I rather thought I had discovered a wonderful unknown artifact that I could bring to life!  However, I later found lots of information on it--some of it just theorized--but I had already planned to paint it.  A few people over time had done drawings or paintings of it, but all was guesswork as to color and actual fine detail, as the statue itself was deteriorated.  One guess was it was a funerary urn.   Made of limestone, the bust was discovered in 1897 at La Alcudia, an archaeological site on a private estate in Spain.  It is currently exhibited in the National Archaeological Museum of Spain in Madrid. The abundant ornamentation made me apprehansive to have my students tackle it, but tackle it they did ... and all dd very well I might add.  The mysteries of painting this subject was made easier by presenting students with step-by-step illustrated instructions (below), which I include with all my portrait classes except for the model workshops. The instructions also enables students to jump ahead if they want to start another portrait before the end of the semester.

"Lady of Elche" Acrylic by Judy Burgarella

VERO BEACH MUSEUM OF ART PORTRAIT CLASS, SPRING 2017 - GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING

This famous painting can compete in popularity to the Mona Lisa.  I have painted her many times, large and small.  Never tire of painting that lovely face, originally painted by Johannes Vermeer.

"Girl with a Perl Earring" from Vermeer, Acrylic by Judy Burgarella

More information will be posted about the below portraits when time permits.

"Maddona" Oil with 15K Gold Leaf by Judy Burgarella

"Waldo Sexton" Oil by Judy Burgarella

"Osceola" Pastel by Judy Burgarella

"Kate" Oil by Judy Burgarella

"Mandolin Player" Acrylic by Judy Burgarella

TOO BUSY TO POST ...

I have been remiss in posting portrait works since 2015, and I have done plenty since then, many of which are not finished.  However I hope to post any finished ones I have done soon.

ORCA MURAL

Below is a mural I did for ORCA (Oceanic Research and Conservation Association) in Vero Beach during the summer of 2019.  It was a collaborative project with 5 other people doing their own murals.  It's not exactly a portrait, however there are many portraits of animals and one person in there so I am adding it to my blog.

"Florida Uplands" 4"x4" Acrylic mural by Judy Burgarella

The six murals look fabulous together, each depicting a different habitat of Florida.  Needs to be seen by more of the public, as it's tucked away in a laboratory by the Vero Beach Airport.  Click on the image to enlarge it and view some of the critters therein.

Hope to post more later.  In the meantime, enjoy this and my older posts.

Regards,
Judy Burgarella,
Blogger

Pastel Portrait at the Sebastian River Art Club

On Saturday, August 15th I was having such a good time with my granddaughter Salem, that I forgot I was supposed to be painting a live model at the Sebastian River Art Club!  So arriving late, I took the only position left, which was a 3/4 profile.  It ended up being the most interesting angle and I had a great time painting Anthony Smith, a young black gent.

Brett Pigon, a Melbourne artist, was instructing many of the artists present, who were sketching in mostly pencil and charcoal.  I love color, so after a brief drawing of burnt umber pastel over vine charcoal, I dug into my colors.  Reds, greens, oranges, purples and ochre, layering and tweaking, from dark to light, on old smooth buff paper bound in a book.  So in about 2 hours I had a pretty good image going, with lots of color.  Couldn't wait to get back to it so when I got home I put another hour or so into it.  My plan is to dress him in an ethnic shirt, very colorful, and put additional color on his face.  Hair dreds also need work.

Anthony Smith, Pastel by Judy Burgarella

I usually do a demo for my Thursday class at the Sebastian River Art Club, and I saw this beautiful painting (actually it's a mixed media drawing) by Leonardo DaVinci--or so the experts think--and was so enamored by it that I decided to paint it, hoping I could create it fast enough to use it as a demo.  It was fun, and I brought it to class and demoed how to start and create many elements of this painting.

Painted copy by Judy Burgarella of "Profile of a Woman in Renaissance Dress" by Leonardo DaVinci

This painting is also not finished, as I must wait until it is dry to increase its color values, but I am very happy with the outcome of 3-1/2 hour's work, painted in oil on a 12" x 16" canvas board. I prefer canvas board because it takes up so little room in my studio, is easy to store, and will not get holes or dents poked into it.

My acrylic portrait class in the Vero Beach Museum is scheduled in September and this is in the running for what I may choose to get my students started.  She is beautiful, and her clothing is so interesting.  They'll love it.  What a Master ... DaVinci.

I'm excited to start my next portrait, which I believe will be a very interesting one for a very interesting competition.  It will be posted here as soon as it's done, so stay tuned!

Judy Burgarella
Blogger

Quick Post to get started again!

Hi folks,
Haven't posted in some time, my older computer died which messed me up until I got up to snuff on this new one.  It's 3 am and I woke from a sound sleep with an idea on how to get back on and it worked!  And so I will make a quick posting from recent events.

Below is "Girl with Wild Hair," and oil "Wipe-Out" painting I demoed at the Sebastian River Art Club.  Process is, I put dollops of sap green and alizarin crimson all over the canvas, then brush them together, slightly mixing them, leaving a rich red-brown covering with variations of greens and reds.  Then with a rag wrapped over my finger I pull the image out, refining it at the end with Q-tips, turpentine, and little touches of other color here and there.  It's fast and fun, and the audience loves it.  This is the second time I've done this one, the face of which was inspired by one of Rembrandt's ladies.

"Woman with Wild Hair" Oil Wipe-Out by Judy Burgarella

Another "sort of" portrait was part of a mural project Christine Thomas was doing on the exterior of a school.  She was nearing deadline and just ran out of time, so I pitched in and painted the principle parachuting, with a boat underneath, pictured.  Used acrylic, and it was tricky painting on the rough bricks, but ok for a quickie.

Detail from Mural at Vero Beach school, acrylic

I also added one of the teachers poised sitting on a turtle.  Christine painted the turtle, which is her forte.

Below is a beautiful portrait from a student, Eugene Dail, who was in the Vero Beach Museum class.  He finished it up in my studio under my direction, and did a fabulous job of his wife.

Eugene Dail with his acrylic portrait of "Kathy"

 Yesterday I pitched in at the Museum in a children's class, "Kidz Art" with Christine Thomas, and dropped off  the prospectus for my fall acrylic portrait class.  And so I will begin another session when the weather cools down.

Now that I have found the formula to update all my blogs, I will do so when time permits.  Hope you enjoyed this one.

Judy Burgarella,
Blogger

New Acrylic Painting

"Flamingo" 20" x 24" Acrylic Painting

This one doesn't fall into the category of an actual "portrait," but it is an animal portrait that just happens to have a little landscape in it.  I had planned to just do a base coat of acrylic, then overlay with oils in full detail, but got carried away when handling the acrylic and just finished it off.  Spent many days on this one, but it sure was a pleasure to do.  I must do more birds, I love the looks of them and they are all around us here on the Treasure Coast. This was painted from a photo I took at the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, a wonderful place to find animal subjects to paint.

"Flamingo" 20"x24" acrylic painting

I painted this for the Vero Beach Art Club's Art By The Sea show in the Vero Beach Museum of Art, next weekend.  Looking forward to that one, I'll be helping out with QC and hanging.  The Opening Reception is Friday night, 5-8.  Hope you can join us.

Judy Burgarella
Blogger

Lucy Finished!

"Lucy" oil portrait by Judy Burgarella

Finished this oil portrait of "Lucy," Ruth Steer's great granddaughter.  Ruth, my student and friend from Grand Harbor in Vero Beach, had started the portrait even though she had limited time left on this planet.  She tried her best to get it done but her time just ran out.  I helped her paint from her sickbed, she loved to paint.  She was no longer able to finish "Lucy," but I put the brush in her hand and she painted a lovely rose in a vase, which was exhibited at her memorial service.

Ruth was a great lady, an accomplished artist, and I felt privileged to be her art instructor and friend.  She gave me much wise advice on many topics over the years, and I admired her strength, courage and upbeat attitude in spite of her condition.  And she sure did love her family, and chatted about them often while painting.  I hope she would be happy with what I've done to the remains of her painting.  I sent it to her family just before Christmas.

One of Ruth's old wooden paintboxes is on the easel, with the Mona Lisa's beginnings on it.  Since Leonardo took over 4 years to complete his Mona Lisa, I think it will take me a while to finish mine.  On one other of Ruth's wood paintboxes I painted a rooster and donated towards the Sebastian River Art Club's scholarship fund.  Also, I recently purchased an old wooden ironing board which I will soon paint a portrait of an old black woman hanging clothes on a clothesline, leaving much of the wood untouched.  What a wonderful conversation piece--can't wait to work on that one too.  The design is drawn out, now to paint it.  Perhaps I'll paint coordinating wine glasses to set on it as a cocktail table.  Life's a banquet when you paint--full of adventure, color, interesting people, and new ideas that just keep rolling around in your head just waiting to come out through your paintbrush!

Looking forward to new creations and art experiences in 2015!  Happy New Year to all!

Judy Burgarella
Blogger

Pretty Little Brittany

To see me paint, click on http://vimeo.com/78406931

"Brittany" 12"x15" Pastel by Judy Burgarella

This is a sweet little pastel I started over a year ago, and just finished it up to bring to Connecticut for a wedding in October and give it to my beautiful niece Brittany.  But as things go, we had a mishap involving hospital, delays, visit cancellations, and it ended up going back to Florida with us.  And so I am finally getting around to the tedious job of packing it up tonight, redesigning a box for it, and all that stuff.  Shipping paintings can be costly unless you do it yourself, but one must be fussy when shipping glass.  I hope it still looks like her.