SUFFRAGETTE
36 x 36 in.
2022
Acrylic paint on canvas.
A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organization in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members of the British Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), a women-only movement founded in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst, which engaged in direct action and civil disobedience. In 1906, a reporter writing in the Daily Mail coined the term suffragette for the WSPU, derived from suffragist (any person advocating for voting rights), in order to belittle the women advocating women's suffrage. The militants embraced the new name, even adopting it for use as the title of the newspaper published by the WSPU.
When blocking in color for any new painting, I typically work in three shades of color just to flush out the image. Dark, medium, and light.
A lot of the work is done at this stage to establish background and foreground elements that will be more detailed later.
Faces and features will always look a little rough until the end. Behind these canvases, you can see the different color palettes I am using for each piece.
Here is a look at the two paintings I am working on at the same time. More details about the Roe piece later.
Working on multiple pieces gives me the best use of my time, when one is drying, I can work on the other, back and forth.
Finally, the clothing is starting to come together along with shadows and highlights.
The faces are starting to soften up a bit. Everything looks a little harsh up until the end.
A little closer at the detail.
Some of the shadows and fabric folds are being sorted out in this shot.
Closing in on the final piece.
This is where I paint the edges, and then I will add three coats of clear matte varnish to the final work. Hardware will be added to the back and the whole thing will cure dry for two weeks prior to the show.
