Dave, given what I do for a living, the why is really important to me, but I hadn’t really thought about it for this painting. Of course, I used photos. I loved the colors in them and could see it as a watercolor. I’ll have to think about the why some more. There may be none for this painting, and I’ll have to move on to the next.

David, I’m glad you like the painting and think the colors pop. For this painting, I was thinking of color most. Next I was thinking about using angled lines to focus on the figure, with most other lines horizontal. Restaurant scenes frequently get into this show, so that was on my mind too. I guess what is bothering me is that I painted for a show and not for me. I like painting about difficult issues, and this one doesn’t have that meaning packed into it.. But it does have some qualities that will appeal to the juror for this show.

Harry, there are a lot of bare passages. I had a figure in the left foreground, but it didn’t feel right, so I took it out. That left a big passage of nothing. I was also worried about the shirt below the apron string. It may be too bright. If I put a layer of blue over that area, it may fit better. I’ll think about that some too, because once I do that, there is no going back. Thanks for your thoughtful comments.

Kate

Rick, thanks for your comments. Others have suggested reducing the value change between the bricks and the grout. I could put a light wash over those areas.

One of the reasons I love the Figure Forum is because it makes me think. I’ve been thinking about why I was drawn to this image. I like Rick‘s thought about thinking from the perspective of someone eating alone. But I have also been thinking about Dave‘s wondering about the “why” of the painting, and Harry‘s reaction that there is a sense of conspiracy or secretiveness. These comments made me think for several days. I have been teaching about class oppression lately, and perhaps part the reading and teaching I have been doing worked its way into this painting. Those of us that are wealthy enough to eat at fancy restaurants see only a server, not a full blooded human. One way to represent that perspective of privileged is to show those who serve, but not show their faces. Degas did this with many of his nudes. Degas often puts the faces of the servants who are helping women with their baths behind the towel, or darkens them so we don’t notice them like we do the central figure. That may be the undercurrent, but it may be too subtle.

Thanks again, everyone!

Kate