Encounter's with Henri Matisse - Snail painting: ( June - Dec 2001)

I have always been blown away by Henri Matisse's use and understanding of color. But what impresses me more about Henri Matisse is his discipline and hard work. It is all of these elements that made me gravitate towards Henri Matisse's Snail painting. On a personal note Erika (my wife) and I had just purchased a property. I did not have a studio, and had to paint in the backyard. I stopped painting for ten days. We had new neighbors (not wanting them to think I am a wierd and a mental case). Conveniently I decided to shelter myself with someone elses art work. Who better than Henri Matisse (joy and colour). Just down the street from our new home is a local library. I made a photocopy of the Snail painting and wrote the colours in each box on the A4 black and white paper.

 

Encounters with Henri Matisse - Snail painting (II). oil on canvas. 34 x 34 inches. June 2001. Price:£900

 

Encounter's with Henri Matisse Snail (I). oil on canvas. 26 x 34 inches. June 2001. Price: £850

 

 

Photocopy from library Given to Agnese Barluzzi as gift

 

Sometimes you need to work / paint... and not think about creating inventing something new. I was pretty exhausted from the process of purchasing a property, moving all our household pocessions, and moving over 225 oil paintings.

 

As Erika and I settled into our new property I started to feel more at home. It took approximately two to three weeks before I started painting more intense, raw, expressive work... I continue with the Self Portraits. I would have to thank Scott Swager (friend and fellow artist) who came over to paint in my backyard.

I took a break from the Snail series for several months. Accidently the Slug series surfaced. In the process of doing the Tate Series...

 

 

The Slug (Encounters with Henri Matisse Snail painting- Photo #22 of Tate Series). November 12th 2001.

 

In December I tried to mess up the Henri Matisse Snail painting and transform it into a Slug.... see below.

Slug. oil on canvas. 10 x 12 inches. June - Dec 2001. Price:£150

 

Slug (I). oil on linen. 34 x 34 inches. Dec 2001. Price £550

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slug (II). oil on canvas. 34 x 34 inches. Dec 2001. Price:£550.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

thank you.