artist « I Stare At People

Category Archives: artist

Big-Eyed Girl at Epoch

July 16, 2010 – 9:01 am

I’m at my happiest when I can capture someone in less than ten minutes, as is the case here. She sported a summer cut, a style influenced by the French (I lived in Paris for 6 months almost 20 years ago). She had it blackened, it was straight, and shiny – a fantastic look that […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, guerrilla artist, guerrilla portraiture, painting, painting live, painting people from life, portrait sketch | Tagged Big-Eyed Girl, Epoch Coffee | Comments (2)

He was Working the Crossword at the Spider House

June 16, 2010 – 11:41 am

When he very first arrived during morning rush hour, I thought that he was going to be there for a very short time. I was wrong: he was still there, four hours later. My friend, Lauren, and I moved from our table behind him, and sat where we could see his face. There were so […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in art, guerrilla artist, portrait sketch, Spider House | Tagged crossword, sketch, Spider House | Leave a Comment

Reading Proust and Duras at Epoch Coffee

December 30, 2009 – 1:16 pm

He looked very smart, and I just love sentimentalists. I myself have a thing for John Singer Sargent, who was a contemporary of Proust, so I can understand the attraction to certain artist of the Victorian era who weren’t particularly Victorian. Of Proust, I know very little. This young man could probably tell you a […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting, painting live, painting people from life | Tagged art, painting, Proust, Victorian | Comments (12)

I Painted the Guy in the Panama Hat at Epoch

December 9, 2009 – 12:20 pm

He was reading the paper, and chatting with two girls at Epoch Coffee. He had his folded hands resting on his forehead for just a few moments – long enough for me to get the gesture. He seemed to be filled with the youthful optimism that everything will work itself out for the best. But […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, figure painting, guerrilla artist, guerrilla portraiture, oil painting, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting, painting live, painting people from life, portrait sketch, portraiture, sketches | Tagged art, Epoch Coffee, paint, panama hat, sketch | Comments (12)

I Painted Enrique at the Apothecary Cafe

December 6, 2009 – 1:13 pm

The Apothecary Cafe is the new coffee house and wine bar that opened up its doors recently. It is in my neighborhood, and I can walk there. The young owners have done a perfect job of combining both the urban and the funk, all tied together with a touch of contemporary Middle Eastern decor. If […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, figure painting, guerrilla artist, guerrilla portraiture, oil painting, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting, painting live, painting people from life | Tagged Apothecary Cafe, art, Enrique, paint | Leave a Comment

I Painted the Man with Dreads at FlightPath Coffee

August 12, 2009 – 4:11 pm

This is the first time that I have painted at FlightPath Coffee. I’ve been in there several times, and always wanted to paint at Flight Path, but empty tables are hard to come by. This morning, I stopped in and asked the owner if I could paint there. This is also the first time that […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, guerrilla artist, guerrilla portraiture, painting people from life | Tagged art, dreads, oil portrait, paint | Comments (22)

I Painted Her at the Spider House

July 13, 2009 – 4:03 pm

I think that this might be Silona Bonewald, a local techie. She’s really smart – she’s working on “Transparency in government issues”. She’s kind of a local geek celebrity.

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, guerrilla portraiture, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting, painting live, painting people from life | Comments (10)

I Painted Maggie at the Spider House

May 21, 2009 – 7:33 am

I was there relatively early at the Spider House. Maggie showed up on the patio. She had on a flesh-colored sundress. She had brought along her needlepoint – how wonderful! That kept her quite still, but then her phone rang. I captured her anyway, thank goodness. She left at one point for the bathroom, and […]