The Pink Toque - Painting by Sarah Myers

The Pink Toque, Sarah Myers
2019

   She faces us directly, her eyes sparkling like the rich jewellery ornamenting her sinuous neck. A large aqua-green collar wraps her warmly and a pink satin toque hat sits perched elegantly on her head. The canvas, even with its deep, intense red, recedes from woman's poised presence, her confidence filling the entire picture. This work was painted toward the end of 2019.

The Pink Toque, detail of face.  Sarah Myers.

The Pink Toque, detail of necklace.  Sarah Myers.

The Pink Toque.  Close-up of face.  Sarah Myers, 2019

The Pink Toque, detail of mouth.  Sarah Myers.

The Pink Toque, detail of eyes.  Sarah Myers.

Sidewards Glance - Painting by Sarah Myers

Sidewards Glance, Sarah Myers.  Acrylic on canvas, 2019.

The dashing sweep of her hat darts in same direction as her eyes… Black, red, blue all rush across the canvas of the first painting in my newest series of artworks. Simple, rapid brush strokes define the face with its sideways glance and slightly parted, slightly smiling lips. A wider range of play from a larger brush, loaded with rich, intense black, gives the rough outline of the hat. Yellow-orange and even metallic gold speak from time to time to detail the woman's lively expression or the edges of her stylish headgear. November 2019.

Sidewards Glance, Sarah Myers.  Detail.

Sidewards Glance.  Detail.  Sarah Myers.

The Cranach Hat - Sculpture by Sarah Myers

The Cranach Hat, Sarah Myers
Contemporary Sculpture in terracotta

    She tilts her head gently to the side, counterbalancing the elaborate flare of her velvet hat. Around her neck cling rich Renaissance jewels; the top of her bodice is embroidered with a scrolling pattern of stylized leaves and stems; a few stray locks of hair escape from her ornate headgear, which is also beaded and jeweled. Her sidelong glance is thoughtful and bright but almost wistful.

     My most recent sculpture was inspired, as its name implies, by the paintings of a great sixteenth-century painter, Lucas Cranach the elder. His vital, energetic but opulent portrayals struck me as perfect source material for a portrait like this one, created in a vivid red-orange terracotta at about half life-scale.

The Cranach Hat, Sarah Myers
Close-up

The Cranach Hat, Sarah Myers
Detail 

The Cranach Hat, Sculpture by Sarah Myers

The Cranach Hat, detail
Sarah Myers

The Cranach Hat, Sarah Myers

Three Faces - Drawings by Sarah Myers

Woman in a Sun-hat, Sarah Myers
Drawing in minimal charcoal on paper

    A lady in a sun-hat, a woman in a scarf and one with flowing hair – here are three drawings from my series of minimal sketches, black charcoal describing the outlines of faces, the glances of the eyes, forming expressive portraits from lines that are almost abstract in themselves.

Woman with Long Hair, Sarah Myers
Drawing in minimal line, charcoal on paper

Lady with a Scarf, Sarah Myers
Drawing in minimal line, charcoal on paper

Three Renaissance Hats - Drawings by Sarah Myers

Woman in Renaissance Plumes, Sarah Myers
Minimal charcoal on paper

    In my collection of minimal line drawings I found these three women with elaborate Renaissance headgear; hats of velvet and silk, laced with pearls and topped by plumes, clasped with a jeweled brooch, or set on top of abundant, flowing curls.

All of these drawings are in charcoal on paper and come from a long series of sketches in simple line.

Woman in Renaissance Turban, Sarah Myers
Minimal charcoal on paper

Woman with a Renaissance Hat, Sarah Myers
Minimal charcoal on paper

Winter - Art by Sarah Myers

Winter, Sarah Myers
Charcoal and cut paper

Do you see the cold wind blowing, the comforting ruffle of a great coat collar, the flying feathers clasped to a hat, as the lady glances back across her shoulder? Here is my paper cut-out, or decoupe, of Winter. It was made to be a counterpart to my earlier piece of 'Summer', and I finish it at a time when a mild winter has already fled from the desert. But perhaps my friends on the other side of the equator will see the coming season, and those north of me, who are weary of long wind and cold, will see that even this lady in her warm coat is turning away as if in farewell…

Winter, Sarah Myers.  Detail of face.

Winter, Sarah Myers.  Detail of hat and feathers.

The Hat - Painting by Sarah Myers

Hat, Sarah Myers
Acrylic on canvas

The lady leans forward in the shade of her brilliant red hat. Her chin rests on her hand and she looks just slightly pensive, lost in thought – but she is clearly ready for the summer, the sunlight and the long, bright days… Painted in acrylic on canvas.

Hat, Sarah Myers.  Detail

Hat
Painting by Sarah Myers