Somewhat Sublime: Art of Van Evan Fuller

kayceephoto: vanfullersublime: The Maiden Beset By Cruel...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:07:38 -0500

vanfullersublime:

The Maiden Beset By Cruel Beasts

This strange picture is based on source material from good-guy Keith of http://kayceephoto.tumblr.com. When he showed it to me, I knew at once that there was a painting to be made from it.

But what’s to be made of the painting? To me, it’s full of symbolism—sexual, religious, psychological. Of course I have my own interpretation, but I’ll leave you to your own.

I don’t know if you’ve ever been beset, but it’s a thing to avoid.

Good ol’ Van Fuller painted a digital shot of mine, depicting Miss Sera Ferron beset by the twin lupine menace of Ruby Slipper and Freshie Juice.

vanfullersublime: Toodles O’Reilly Is Nurtured By the Nanny...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:54:45 -0500

vanfullersublime:

Toodles O’Reilly Is Nurtured By the Nanny State

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” — C. S. Lewis

Tyranny is tyranny, even if it comes with a spoonful of sugar.

Mrs. Pockbother Makes Her Arrival There are people who ignore my...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:57:03 -0500

Mrs. Pockbother Makes Her Arrival

There are people who ignore my whimsical sketches, and there are people who love them and ignore everything else.

Because the former group is considerably larger, I have been disinclined to do this sort of drawing. But I am by profession a cartoonist: I have always worked from my imagination, and I was in my thirties before I made any serious attempt to draw from nature.

So here’s another whimsical sketch, the point of which is—well, beside the point.

vansfigures: Dressing Her Lady Every time I resolve to delve...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:21:20 -0500

vansfigures:

Dressing Her Lady

Every time I resolve to delve further into abstractionism, I end up painting something with an extra helping of realism. Here’s the most recent example.

The style here is similar to that of “cheesecake” magazine illustrations (usually painted in gouache) from the forties and fifties; and the subject matter (this could be a harem scene) has its roots in 19th Century Orientalism.

vanfullersublime: Vanessa At a Window This is my second...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:04:05 -0500

vanfullersublime:

Vanessa At a Window

This is my second collaboration with Vanessa. The first resulted in a very traditional picture; but this one is a bit more modern and experimental, featuring ragged brush strokes and colors found nowhere at the actual scene.

She has a nice face, don’t you think?

vansfigures: Muriel: Study With Torso and Hands Here is a piece...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:48:17 -0500

vansfigures:

Muriel: Study With Torso and Hands

Here is a piece featuring my model Muriel in an odd palette of pinks and cool greens. The style is crude but the overall effect is naturalistic.

vansfigures: Claire: Torso Study It’s a strange piece, but I...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:40:29 -0500

vansfigures:

Claire: Torso Study

It’s a strange piece, but I like the moody shadows and the limited palette of gold and rusty orange. The actual scene featured bright fluorescent lighting and pale pink skin—all very pretty, but this time I wanted to inject a bit of drama.

vanfullersublime: Blue Euphoria A pure abstract, one of my...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:32:43 -0500

vanfullersublime:

Blue Euphoria

A pure abstract, one of my happiest pictures.

There’s a little Kandinsky here, obviously.

vanfullersublime: Bill Maher One of my better likenesses.

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:24:12 -0500

vanfullersublime:

Bill Maher

One of my better likenesses.

vanfullersublime: Aquatic Fauna of Epsilon XII I am by no means...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:16:00 -0500

vanfullersublime:

Aquatic Fauna of Epsilon XII

I am by no means an authority on aquatic life, extraterrestrial or otherwise.

Here in Louisiana, all we care about is whether to boil ‘em or fry ‘em.

vansfigures: GreenieHere’s a study of a platinum-haired woman...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:04:48 -0500

vansfigures:

Greenie

Here’s a study of a platinum-haired woman on a field of absinthe green. The actual model was younger, and brunette.

vanfullersublime: In the Dream Forest Critics of the 19th...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:48:32 -0500

vanfullersublime:

In the Dream Forest

Critics of the 19th Century despised Impressionism for a long list of reasons: It seemed unpardonably sloppy, haphazard and trivial. But its greatest offense was its use of unthinkable colors—blues, greens, purples—even on human flesh. People portrayed in such colors were jokingly compared to dead and decomposing bodies. Of course it was the Impressionists’ objective to reveal that such colors actually existed in the most unlikely places, if one was willing to look.

Here’s the remarkable, red-headed Ruby—whom I know to be alive, because she answers her emails—in a colorful Impressionistic forest. Edges are fuzzy, suggestive of the soft glare of golden sunshine; and there’s the unmistakable hint of dreamlike magic that often accompanies the style.

This painting is based on one of Ruby’s splendid photographic self-portraits.

vansfigures: Pale Ruby Here is another work created in...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:39:29 -0500

vansfigures:

Pale Ruby

Here is another work created in collaboration with yaistillusefilm.tumblr.com and featuring the amazing Ruby of coconutdreamin.tumblr.com.

It’s a traditional piece, very much in the 19th Century mode: The fiery red hair (symbolizing passion) plays against the milk-white skin (symbolizing purity) in a way that would have shocked and delighted a Victorian viewer.

Nowadays there is no cause for shock; but there is (thanks mainly to Ruby) plenty to call delightful.

vansfigures: Gabby’s Green Shower Gabby has been the most...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:13:16 -0500

vansfigures:

Gabby’s Green Shower

Gabby has been the most dramatic of my models. Her facial features are large and expressive; her long-fingered hands can nearly speak; her whole body (wait and see) can assume the most wildly theatrical poses.

In this scene, her face and body language communicate only impatience: I believe she wants to take her shower now.

vanfullersublime: Untitled (But It’s Marci) This is just a...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:54:59 -0500

vanfullersublime:

Untitled (But It’s Marci)

This is just a simple Sunday afternoon sketch, but of course the subject matter elevates it to something special.

vanfullersublime: Arlecchina For a long time I have wanted to...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:37:46 -0500

vanfullersublime:

Arlecchina

For a long time I have wanted to paint a harlequin in the tradition of Picasso and so many of the modern masters. I hadn’t expected my harlequin to be female! But in the interest of sexual equality (or something like that) I am delighted to present Sara in the role. And just to be tidy, I have feminized the character’s name from Arlecchino to Arlecchina.

vansfigures: Ruby’s Morning Smile Usually I like to provide a...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:28:31 -0500

vansfigures:

Ruby’s Morning Smile

Usually I like to provide a bit of commentary; but here, I will let that smile do the talking.

vanfullersublime: Call Me IshmaelBut don’t call me late for...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:56:41 -0500

vanfullersublime:

Call Me Ishmael

But don’t call me late for supper.

This one was inspired (a little) by “Moby Dick,” and if you look you will see a few whale bones scattered about.

Line Art for Children’s Book Illustrations I began my brilliant...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:46:37 -0500

Line Art for Children’s Book Illustrations

I began my brilliant career as a children’s cartoonist. Here’s the line art for a few pre-digital pictures I created for a comical book about dogs.

vanfullersublime: Stephanie’s Rocker Here’s my latest picture...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:35:23 -0500

vanfullersublime:

Stephanie’s Rocker

Here’s my latest picture chronicling the pregnancy of my model Stephanie. It’s supposed to focus on her swelling midsection, but I think her lovely smile steals the show.