First Performance (Ellis)

by Godfrey J. Ellis – 12×16 Acrylic Sep 2019

This, the first public performance by one of my grandsons, 15-year-old Simon, took place at the Olympia Farmer’s Market in July of 2019. We were proud of him not only for his excellent music but also for his courage to perform in public for the first time. It was also my first painting in over 20 years and my first full human figure in 49 years. So “First Performance” kind of covers both of us! I painted this in September as a gift for the upcoming Christmas. It was around the time that I turned 70 and retired from being a university professor for over 40 years. Below is the reference photo of him in action.

He is trying to assume a similar pose to the one in the painting as he holds the portrait, Christmas 2019.

Here are three photos showing progress of the painting. I did the background first but didn’t keep photos of early versions of that.