Birth of Venus Project

Right before the Corona virus thing I had begun working on a project where I was going to have a model pose for some iconic figure paintings from Art History. Knowing that most of these figural images were constructs, often not even utilizing live models and the end results were often physically impossible or anatomically improbable. The first one I wanted to do was the Birth of Venus by Botticelli, with its improbably long neck, dislocated left arm and sloping shoulders as well as it's engaged leg being far too far underneath her to keep her upright. So this is the result. I had hoped to make some corrections to the painting, but with everybody in quarantine, this is currently on hold. I do like the painting though and I did several other studies from the same model. I've included the ones that I like best.

In the Corona Era

So we are a month or two into this Corona thing and I am not going to comment on it as I am sick of every conversation being about this topic. I have time in my remote teaching schedule to catch up on some things, like updating the blog, filing paintings, transcribing and recording my sketchbooks digitally, etc...So this is the latest update on my Sisyphus project. The photo directly below is of last year's project. It climbs up the bluff about 60 feet, it was about the same distance along the base of the bluff. A couple of posts ago I recorded its destruction, but I wanted to add a postscript.

This photo was taken from the base of the structure after the bottom of the bluff was washed out. That stack of surviving stone is about 12 feet off the beach, balanced on the sheer wall of what remains of that section of the bluff.

Once the stack collapsed I began to salvage stone and tried to build a new wall to protect the base of the bluff. Got a pretty good section laid in and it washed away in the next big storm like it wasn't even there.

All of that stone tumbling down the bluff was also washed away, leaving only this little pile on the top of a ledge which was the highest point of the sculpture.

That would disappear with about twelve more feet of bluff leaving this bare wall of clay exposed. All told I would guess we lost about thirty feet of bluff. The base eaten away, the upper portion collapsing only to be washed away...rinse and repeat and there it all goes.

But I must say, this clay wall is really quite beautiful and it has already ended up in one painting and I'm sure it will be used again in the near future. A little consolation, I guess. If you are one of those fuckheads who still thinks climate change is some kind of conspiracy or something...please, please, please, don't reproduce. Let's just get those genes out of the pool now. I am writing this as snow falls out my window on May 8th. 100 year old trees were washed away by the dozens along the shoreline and lie up and down the beach, tossed by fifteen foot waves like they were matchsticks. Oh and by the way, Michelle, thanks for your comments. I started a new project for this year further down the beach. Hopefully it will still be up the next time you pass through.