Painting Queen Elizabeth I

October 21, 2017October 21, 2017 | Katherine Scrivens

Every day I consider myself fortunate that I get to do what I love! Here’s a few of photos of my progress on Elizabeth I of England portrait. I am using the Armada Portrait by George Gower as my inspiration. I have included a couple of very short videos of me painting a shadow behind a pearl and also me painting a lace cuff detail. Be sure to check out the photos at the end of the post too.

I hope to have it completed in the coming days. I am loving the details of lace and jewelry. Painting the gems is almost as good as owning them!

Inspired by Vermeer

October 17, 2017October 17, 2017 | Katherine Scrivens

There are the greats and then there are those very few above the greats like Johannes Vermeer from Holland 1632-1675. I have been fascinated with Vermeer’s work my whole life. I was a very young child when I saw my very first Vermeer painting. It was a print of ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ Years later I would read Tracey Chevalier’s book with the same title. Then of course came the film with Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth.

I always told myself one day I would explore ‘The Girl with the Pearl Earring’ on a more deeper level and paint her. Here is my interpretation of this masterpiece. It was a journey of joyful and focused painting where time and space no longer existed. I got so caught up in the beautiful vulnerability of this exquisite art gem.

When the Duchess of Cambridge undertook her first solo overseas engagement she flew to Amsterdam. Here you can see her coming face to face with this beautiful little painting.