This One's for Duane_ Enjoy!

It's called "Waiting." I traded it many years ago, and that in and of itself is quite a story. I have been functioning like an artist for much of my adult life.

Help! I need somebody! Help, not just anybody!

I am re-writing this post to reframe/ clarify that I am seeking to be found by the right person. The person who can support me as a working artist. What this means is I am seeking a matron/patron as I have written before.
Not a common search to be sure yet, I do not seek what might be commonly found. Commonly found or accepted such as people who buy the good art that is in the marketplace, as opposed to someone who would gain pleasure from supporting the progress of one. One whose work pro-actively participates in the world's healing process!
My painting reflects strength out of which comes sincerity about what I see. Perhaps reflections of my own lifelong healing process, and thus a body of work reflective of intimacy that can only most effectively be communicated without words.

The one who "would want me" is of a weave who knows them-self gaining in equal pleasure supporting the progress of another. A sincere happiness to the self that does not frighten the one who makes such commitments. A commitment that happens in recognition for work that beautifies the world in such a way as to solicit peaceful respite. A pause in recognition to consciously connect to what is inherently possible in each one who recognizes truth. Possibility inherent in each one, even as this recognition is sometimes journeyed to through many challenges. The mystery of healing this unlearning attachment and aversion. That healing is a unique process found in the rhythms occurring as in a symphony, or visually as in a tapestry or painting woven or painted right before one's eyes_ a unique process occurring each in one's own time. One's own rhythm! To be true to that, is to experience delicious risk. The risks that leads to one's own courage. In that place when consciously guided, is found one's own solidity. But I run up the path a bit quickly, when matronage/patronage is the subject here. To experience adequate support is to spread the capacity to share non-verbal seeds of healing more widely. Come forward now. It is a good time to show up.
At the core of my unique working/creating path can be found strength, articulation, persistence. A working project proposal of which the universality in my own journey can be found here.
This particular project would also be a good point of contact for those who may only want a more finite experience in supporting the working life of an artist's productivity. Contact me about it. Let's talk.
If, on the other hand you are reading this and know (of) someone who is this dear longterm supporter yet, who may not be particularly computer oriented, tell them about this site. We may both be looking for each other. Help them take a look.
Thank-you.

Rufus- 3 working sketches

Here are 3 initial images that capture the vitality of my subject. They range from the portrait focusing on Rufus' face while abstracting the frontal body mass, to working on proportion and foreshortening in the 2 outside images. In one, I started with mass, volume, contrast; too many considerations at once to get an early feel for the occupation and placement of any kind in space. Still, it was a good warm-up and practice that informed what I was able to accomplish in the linear drawing. In the linear drawing, I have just very simply blocked the whole figure in a horizontal composition at this point to gain a more successful feel for his particular mass in space, even though ultimately the final painting will have his proportions standing in a vertical space.

In the next drawing cycle, I am interested in turning up the details such as the moistness of his open mouth area and the eyes. I will also work the drawing to develop details of his eyes so they read more prominently, even though in life they are truly nestled in his voluptuous black coat without distinctive contrast. Never-the-less, I welcome all of that black information that makes up his whole external self to visually decipher.
I also notice that I am not yet satisfied with his legs. Rufus is deceptively a massive dog on very tall legs! It is an interesting combination to work out visually because he is big and yet, his height distributes his mass interestingly when you look at him for awhile. Meaning, as I understand looking at him right now he is big and tall, yet his mass distributes out to match the height he occupies!

The background is still percolating from several photo sources provided me at this stage, and find I am partial to elements in several of the photos. This means, I will be watching the overall "bones and body of painting notes" as I begin working up the next round of drawings. I am always curious to see if the background will get "built" along with the figure, or as in this particular painting, will I continue to be dominantly focused on working out all considerations for Rufus' physical demeanor first?
Stay tuned... as time is truly the center of making art. It is process by nature.