Paint the Town Red!

The Red Kimono

12 x 9 oil on panel

This painting, from my Theater Series, is of a scene in Act II in one of the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society's productions of The Mikado. It is one of two of my "red" paintings in the exhibition below. Every painting in this exhibition features red!

The exhibition is up for the month of December. If you are in the Edmonds area, please stop by during the reception next Thursday, the 15th. The Ten Ladies will be there.

Reception: Thursday 15 December 2011 from 5 to 8 pm

Coldwell Banker Bain, 108 Fifth Avenue S, Edmonds, WA

"Dressing Room: 15 Minutes to Curtain"

8 x 6 inches

oil on wooden panel

I love the way the mirrors capture the atmosphere of the theater dressing room. This is Caitlin Ross preparing for a Saturday evening performance of the Mikado. The rich colors in this painting may not show on your monitor.

"Sweet Lips"

8 x 6

oil on wooden panel

These maidens are getting ready for the stage - making sweet lips for the Mikado. This little painting was so much fun, I may use it as reference for a larger painting.

Click image to enlarge and see the brighter color of the actual painting.

"Repose"

6 x 8 inch

oil on wooden panel

In the Green Room at the theater during the Mikado, one of the maidens fell asleep on the couch. How could I resist such a pose along with the wonderful colors in the light and shadows falling over her gown? And so much fun to paint!

The painting is filled with rich colors of peach, rose, soft orange and deep reds. The images here look quite dull in comparison to the real painting. Clicking to enlarge the close up image of her face will give color more like the painting.

I will use this little painting to make a larger one where I will add one more figure.

Click on the close up image to enlarge and see the richer color of the painting.

"Theater Rehearsal"

8 x 6

oil on wooden panel

During an early rehearsal on stage I was struck by the light and dark quality of the figure and background. I also delighted in Yum-Yum turning her head to match the painted figures behind her. Great fun to paint!

This vessel is part of a collection of large "vase and jars" I painted for the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society. In this little painting I was able to capture the blue figures once again. My 10 July 2008 posting shows this and several other large vessels on stage.

Click on image to enlarge and see color more like the painting.

"Two Little Maids"

8 x 6 inches

oil on wooden panel

On stage in Act I of the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s Mikado. I enjoy watching the way the cast members interact with each other as the story unfolds. The color in the painting is much richer than it appears here.

Click on image to enlarge.

"A Secret"

6 x 8"

oil on wooden panel

This is from one of the early rehearsals in the theater. The next night was a dress rehearsal. Stay tuned - I will be adding some paintings from that as well.

Click on image to enlarge and see color more like the painting.

Act I on stage

The “clouds and flame” section in the center was the last thing we painted for the set. This was shot in a dress rehearsal earlier this week. I also caught the society’s photographer in this shot.

The show opens tonight and it is Great Fun! Tickets are available through the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Come join us if you are in the Seattle area.

Click on image to enlarge.

Act I on stage

I have been in the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan shop and at the theater. The Mikado opens tonight. This shows several images of the finished "vase and jars." The last two images show these with the 18 x 32’ “Japanese Screen” in place for Act I. You can see the screen in progress in my postings on May 25 and 26 and the "vase and jars" on June 15 and 26th.

Click on image to enlarge.

Crane Vase almost finished

Tomorrow this will be "antiqued" and made to look like porcelain when on stage.

Act I in progress "Crane Vase"

Yesterday I was back at the shop painting the last vase for the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s Mikado - two cranes and Mt. Fuji. I will finish it today. The lower edge of this image shows part of  a “tree” - part of  Act II.

The second image has the vase from my posting on June 15th in the background. I will be adding decoration to the neck of this one later today. The set moves into the theater this weekend.

Click on image to enlarge.

Act I in progress

This is also in the shop. More for the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s July production of “The Mikado”. The decoration is not finished - more later. Behind the vase is more construction for the set.

Act II in progress

I have been at the shop again helping Nathan paint the backdrop for Act II in the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s 2008 production of “The Mikado”. The panels shown in the first image are on the shop floor, shot from a high ladder. It is almost 18’ from the lower edge to the top of the mountain.

The second image shows some of the lower section of the backdrop. These 4x8' panels are being mounted on wooden framing. When they arrive at the theater, the sections will all be bolted together forming a drop 32’ wide and just under 18’ high.

Click on image to enlarge.