It's good having lunch with artists - some wine, some cheese (will you have a venison burger with that?), perfect weather, green trees all around and conversation that just might change the world, or more likely supply some thoughtful lines to mull over later by yourself in the studio. Tipsy but "no worries" Leah's driving home.
After our art meal started winding down, Jamie and Marie had to leave because of a previous commitment. Rhoda and Mike, Leah and I decided to see what Jeff was up to in his studio.
When you've had a bottle (or two) of Spanish wine, his flagstone walkway is not the easiest to negotiate. Once inside, I sobered up faster than an ice water bath. The paintings Jeff has been working on are stunning. One in particular made me gasp. It was of his wife, Desiree. She was painted larger than life, glowing with golden colors, arms resting on a table and completely surrounded with a vivid inky blackness that only the encaustic technique can manage; believe me I know, I've tried many times with oil paint. No gold or diamonds could be as priceless as this enveloping blackness that held all possibilities and promised everything.
Part of my esteem for this painting came, of course, from respect for the technical achievement. But several glasses of wine and Jeff's skill alone could not account for the awe this painting inspired. The reason in a way is simple, though art history scholars will start backing out of the room at this point. With preternatural skill he has fashioned a portrait of his wife into an arrow of meaning that simultaneously strikes both the head and heart. This most intimate of paintings has, paradoxically, a universal quality. It's a marriage of analytical and intuitive, logic and poetry.
P.S. Of course, no repro can have the punch of an original, this is especially true for encaustic work. As far as Jeff Schaller's painting goes it's simply impossible. If you want to see Desiree's portrait you have to travel to West Chester, PA this fall. I assure you it will be worth it.
------Adrian Martinez
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