09 May 2009

If you have taken a class with me in the last five years then you will remember "passages" or you really had some substance help you forget. After giving my "painting as process" tour tonight at the Met to a few private students, I am very heightened to the fact that the artists 
from at least the 15th century have found the surface and form of the elements of the picture, people, plants, cats, Jesus, etc. to be worthy of depiction (showing). The space around the elements become a factor of unity, literally, physically painted or drawn to link all the elements. So consider drawing the surface and direction of the form you are depicting in a tangible way.

This generalized depiction, from a model, shows the torso in two views from the hip. It emphasizes the combination of lines in length with lines around. So a passage is a channel, a way through and not a style. Voyage, path, progress, change; a few more definitions of passage. All are pertinent to the practice. 

4 comments:

shirajG said...

Interesting idea for a blog Mr Gaffney. Im gonna keep tuning in to see what gems show up here. Nice drawings as always!

Shelley said...

PASSAGES WHAT

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT

mikecarloooyeah said...

Dammit I finally found your blog

Unknown said...

I finally found you! haha. I took a class with Mr. Stephen Gaffney around 2001-2002 at SVA and it completely changed the way I drew and thought about drawing. It was the only figure drawing class I ever actually learned how to draw in! I don't think I ever said thank you, so thank you, so much! I think it was one of the only classes on a short list at SVA that I really got my money's worth out of :)