Dark Beauties

Here are two more little paintings that that I've been working on for the Holiday Open Studio on the 30th. I used think, glossy, dark oil paint to cover the top of the gessoboards. Then I carved and wiped away sections of the surface as I started laying in the lighter, brighter colors. The contrast between the fragile subject matter and the deep, heavy background feels very Victorian to me. It's a total departure from my usual work, but I'm kind of digging it!

Don't Give Up the Ship!

Friends, if you are in the area please stop by on Friday, November 30, for a Holiday Open Studio! I am celebrating the successful launch of AS IS as well as the awesomeness that is your friendship with some seasonal cocktails and affordable art! All sketches, prints, studies and small paintings on display will be available for $10-$100 by way of a thank you for your support over the years. 

The two little paintings above will be there. They are the result of a little experimenting that I've been doing for my next project. Can you tell where the paint ends and the string begins?

I'll be mixing up the spirits from 6-9 PM! Pop in for a a minute to say hello-- I'd love to see you!

3838 Northampton Street

(Top Floor of the Circle Yoga Building)

Washington, DC 20015

Holiday Commission Season

How on earth is it already mid-November?? Friends, I apologize for leaving you in the lurch here with the blog. I finished installing my urban portrait project, AS IS,
 just in time to jump into my first scheduled holiday commission and I haven't stopped running! This beauty above is a detail shot from a series of reference photos for the piece that I am currently painting. Aren't the textures amazing?

While it was incredibly exciting to watch AS IS unfold, and while I certainly plan to push my work in new directions, I have to say that I really enjoy the seasonal challenge of these commissioned projects. When someone commissions a portrait, cityscape, house portrait, etc. they are essentially asking me to see with my own eyes what is so special about that person or place, and to produce something which they intend as a family treasure. These paintings mean more than a new tie or ipad because they represent something personal and beloved, and because they are intended to be passed down from one generation to another. I am grateful both for the challenge of really seeing the beauty in what others value, as well as the opportunity to play a part in that legacy.

If you are interested in commissioning a painting in time for the winter holidays, you can contact me by email or phone as listed on my website. I have two spots remaining on this year's calender.

Happy Fall, Friends!

Found

Friends, thank you for all of the lovely notes that you have been sending me about AS IS! Please feel free to post them directly into the comment section of any of the blog posts. I really appreciate your thoughts on the project and think that other people would love to read them as well!

Also, a friend sent me this picture that she snapped

while grabbing coffee at this place in Georgetown:

Seems someone has hung one of the AS IS portraits up at the Bean Counter. Does anyone know the back story? I'm curious. Will you share?

AS IS: A Recap

With the AS IS install behind us, and all of the urban portraits claimed, many of you have been asking: What was the result? What was the response? So I thought I'd share a few statistic with you:

* I knew exactly 0 of the people that I painted before I began work on this project.

*Since painting and installing these 10 portraits, I have gotten to know 7 of the subjects, 2 very well.

* All 10 urban portraits were claimed by the 2nd day after they were installed. 

* 8 out of 10 of those portraits were claimed by the subjects themselves, or were removed from the installation sites and delivered by their friends and acquaintances. 

* 7 portraits were taken in broad daylight.  

* 3 were removed during the night.

* Only 1 painting was left exposed to the rain. This portrait was installed in front of an art gallery.

* 2 portraits were tethered to nearby objects to prevent them from being blown over. Both of those were among the 3 paintings taken at night.

* 1 portrait is confirmed stolen.

* 2 of the  portraits' whereabouts are unknown.

Here are the portraits listed in the order that they were claimed or taken:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

 

7.

8.

9.

10.

It has been very humbling to hear your responses to this project. I wish that I could share every word that every one of you have written. Short of that though, I hope that you won't mind me copying a few favorite notes that I have received here. (I have abbreviated any signatures to protect the privacy of those who have written.)

"I just came across an article about you leaving Portraits  of Strangers on the Streets Where you Saw Them with a note: "IF THIS IS YOU, TAKE IT"!

Such a beautiful and simple thing... This is cool! Its like a memory of a moment on canvas. I got a chance to check out the art and it's stunning!

Congrats! I love your spirit!
C-A"

***

"Dear Nicole,
I hope that you are flooded with emails praising you for your AS IS project!

I've been doing portraits since I was 12 years old and it's always been a dilemma to me that to be successful (monetarily), I would need to paint people who are rich enough to buy portraits. I'd like to make money (so I could paint for a living rather than write grants!), but I'd much rather have people see themselves as valuable enough to have a portrait.

I carry paper and pencil and draw people all the time, and if the person wants it, I just give them the drawing. I've had people who were so happy and grateful for this little gift. But your wonderful and inspired idea is so much grander! I LOVE seeing the story of Keith Cook.

I also really like your response to the biker who took the portrait, hoping that he is appreciating the life and dignity of the man behind it.

So, I hope that not only you are lavished with blessings in your life, but that the blessings that your portraits bring to people's lives are multiplied as they see themselves through your eyes.

Hurray for you!!!

Truly best regards,
L. C." 

***

"Dear Nicole,

"I was pleasantly surprised to see the beautiful portrait of Feno at Ben's Chili Bowl this morning.

Your work is magnificent, and the WHAT touched me deeply.

(...)

Best,

V.A."

***

email subject line: "Thank you for Restoring My Faith in Humanity"

Text with picture of one of the installed portraits:

"I came across this painting on my morning walk. You made my day! :-))

L.M."

***

Thank you again, Friends! I treasure every one of your responses. In fact, I think that the success of this project can be measured in no small part by the community of notice that has sprung up around it!

 I would love to continue sharing your thoughts here. Have found your portrait,  or bumped into a portrait of someone else somewhere around the city? Care to share? You can posts thoughts here or send an email to nicolebourgea@gmail.com.

Empty Nest

AS IS is as much a project about letting go as it is about anything else. (Thank you to my friend, Carrie, for her beautiful blog post on that subject!) I have to say that it has been strangely emotional to have worked on these portraits for so long, only to have left them on the street. Come what may. If I am being really dramatic, I might even say that it feels a little like I dropped my ten children on various doorsteps around the city, and hightailed it out of there, hoping for a better life for them...

O.K., O.K., that was a little Ophelia of me, but one thing is for sure, my studio is feeling strangely empty without those ten faces staring out at me this week.

Do You Know What Was Really Fun?

Sneaking around the city at the crack of dawn installing art on the streets! Thank you to my old friend, Marcie Revens, for not only coming along for the ride, but documenting the whole thing!! More of her awesome pictures soon...