Bob Cairone Colored Pencil Paintings

Worn By The Wind

This was done in a different colored pencil technique than I normally do, using lighter finishing layers over dark base tones. That's a difficult method, since colored pencils are transparent, but the results were quite satisfying. This work was done as an exercise in a workshop taught by Bonnie Auten. There's a rugged determination about the model, an intensity in the gaze, that's fascinating. And there's a sense of independent, individual style in the snake wrapped around the brim of the hat, and the feather that's starting to fray, as she seems to be. I spent many hours wondering what this woman's life must have been like while I worked on this piece.

Collection of the artist.

Bird In Paradise

This picture was done as part of a workshop with Bet Borgeson in 1996, after I had already done a few colored pencil drawings on my own. As a classroom exercise, Bet placed a flower in a glass of water as a model. This type of flower provides plenty of opportunities for learning colorist techniques, and it's structurally simple compared to a flower with heavily nested petals. Color mixing with pencils is unique, since normal color blending is not an option. Rather, a pointillist technique using the juxtaposition of small, discrete color dabs is used. Broad expanses of flat color look dull and dead, but colored pencils are ideal for preventing this. As the pencil is applied, the texture of the paper holds pigments at the high points on the paper, leaving the valleys still white. With a very sharp pencil of a different color, these valleys are filled in. And color voids which occur in those valleys is filled in with an ever sharper pencil of yet another color. The method is labor intensive, but the result is a lively, vibrant area with surprising color saturation.

In this painting, the landscape, windsurfers, and distant schooner are pure fantasy, invented on the spot.

Collection of the artist.

Gina

Gina was the daughter of a friend I used to work with at Grumman. She was quite the little imp, and wouldn't sit still while being photographed for this portrait. This work was based on a combination of photographs taken one day, but the main photograph used was taken during a break, when Gina didn't know she was being photographed. This resulted in an informal gesture where Gina looked more natural and happier than when she was posing.

Private Collection

The Thrill of Being Three

This is a portrait of my youngest child. At the time I was building a large play set in the yard for her older siblings. The sounds of the power tools scared her, and so the site was avoided. But one day, while I was taking a break inside the house, she conquered her fears, approached cautiously, and began to climb. I was watching from the kitchen window, and ran to get my camera. Though only a few inches off the ground at this point, the expression of thrill was captivating. I can only hope I caught a glimpse of it on the paper.

Collection of the artist.

Teresa

My first colored pencil drawing, done in '95. I had just finished reading the books by Bet Borgeson, and couldn't wait to try them out. I have to admit this image was taken from an advertisement, and is not an original composition. The bright red hair reminded me of my mother, after whom this painting is named (even though it's done with pencils, the works are called paintings). I was quite pleased with the success of this first effort. A few other pieces followed to refine my techniques, but these were given away to coworkers as Grumman was disbanding. Regreatably, I did not get pictures of those. Because colored pencils are a convenient medium that doesn't require much studio space, I continued working in them following my relocation to Illinois.

Unfortunately, the original of this piece was lost.