A Week of Commissions

A Week of Commissions

These past few weeks I’ve been working away on a pair of paintings, commissions for some fun collectors who have just bought a home and wanted to remember their time in Rome with a pair of paintings.Working together every step of the way on the project, we decided that they would each choose a part of Rome that is special to them and I would do a painting from each place. The experience has been special and a complete joy- working together to find the best spots to represent and remind them of the eternal city.I thought that I would share them here with you the process and my thoughts, as it is fun and something I would like to share.For the firt location, in one of Rome’s oldest neighborhoods, we selected this composition and I did several painting sketches and a charcoal drawing

Portico Ottavia, The Jewish QuarterCharcoal on Paper© Kelly Medford, 2012Then I made this tiny oil sketch to show the color scheme of the proposed composition for the painting. I had to make this oil sketch using my tiny hand held thumb box easel and stand hidden behind some bushes so as not to be shooed off by the Synagogue guards, it was fun, funny and exciting!

Portico Ottavia, The Jewish QuarterOil on Panel© Kelly Medford, 2012Now, the only problem I ran into (besides tons of cars zooming in and out of here and loads of tourists and school groups vising this historic place) was that this view could only be painted from across the street where the famous Synagogue is. The synagogue is protected by guards who have a booth and barracades here in my painting spot, so when they continually refused to let me set up my easel here, I had to hide between 2 planters with (luckily) bushy palms growing from them! I was caught a couple of times, but one guard was young and friendly and let me stay a few hours. Eventually I got enough studies standing here on and off that I was able to finish the final painting from these studies in my studio.Here is the painting in its final stages (still not complete, but almost!)

 

 

Portico Ottavia, The Jewish QuarterOil on Linen© Kelly Medford, 2012I still need to add a few figures and finishing touches to let you know that this is a lively place in today’s Rome (even though there

are no cars here!) and then it will be of to the framers.Here is the series of studies and sketches for the second painting done at the Roman Forum.Late Afternoon, The Roman ForumCharcoal on Paper© Kelly Medford, 2012here is the small oil sketch.

 

Late Afternoon, The Roman Forum sketchOil on Panel© Kelly Medford, 2012here is the final one still in progress

 

Late Afternoon, The Roman ForumOil on Linen© Kelly Medford, 2012As you can imagine, painting at the Roman Forum is lively and entertaining. Several times tourists wanted to take their picture with me and then an improvised Gypsy band complete with 2 accordians, saxophone, guitar and singer struck up providing crashingly loud entertainment for everyone. Concentration was the name of the game here and on principle I never wear headphones (or earplugs, though I was tempted this time!) so that I am somewhat available to interact with people.As I finish these paintings up this week, I am enjoying the full process with all of its hurdles and joys.