the Cloche Hat

"The Cloche Hat" is a painting I began in a portrait session a few weeks ago. The model arrived wearing a hat that reminded me of the period of time that the flapper image was all the rage. Although the model was in no way dressed like a flapper, I couldn't shake that connection in my own head.since I only worked from the sitter for 3 hours in class, I wasn't very excited about where the painting was going. Several times I thought of using gesso to delete what I had started. 


Then the references relating to her hat kept gnawing away at me. Then I was doing my mental reference work...the Cotton Club,  dancing at the Savoy, Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Harlem's Rennaisance, the Apollo Theater, New York's brownstone houses, Mulberry Street, Broadway, and so on... Eventually I decided to focus on New York City in the 1920's. But what a good time I had taking that mental trip to arrive at where I did in my painting! Even the clothing in the painting became altered to make my character jive with the times. This is an acrylic painting using a slew of collaged elements to complete it. It's a mixed-media/Collage piece of work. I bet this woman is surprised to find herself back in time!