The National Gallery has resumed the Copyist program, after suspending it for three years because of COVID. I had actually been on a hiatus since June 2019, because I was still working full time and just didn't have the energy to spend one of my two days off per week going in to DC and copying all day. Then the pandemic hit and they suspended copying. I retired in July 2021 and have been eagerly waiting for the Copyist program to resume, and now it has.
I am copying Edgar Degas' "The Riders". Here is the original:
I've been looking at this painting for years, wondering if I should try copying it. I stretched my canvas a little smaller than the original, as is required, and I stained it yellow. I wish I had used more of an orange color for the base layer, because that's what it looks like Degas did. I worked for about two hours today, blocking it in, trying to keep it loose and scribbly, like the painting. This is as far as I got today. I decided to stop before I was tempted to go too far, since the painting is so sketchy and thin.
It felt great to be back copying at the Naitonal Gallery. I enjoyed chatting with visitors who were curious about the Copyist program. One nice lady told me I should stop and hang it on the wall! But I'm going to keep going. To be continued next Wednesday!
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