Tag Archives: coffee house

I Sketched Patty Sylvana live at Link Coworking

January 1, 2012 – 5:18 pm

Patty always like to sit in the back section at work, facing the windows.  She is so happy in her spot, as I hope that you can see.  She always says: “Don’t you just love to sit and look out this window?” It is truly a fantastic view out the floor-to ceiling windows, with the […]

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in art, drawing, guerrilla portraiture, portrait sketch | Also tagged , , , | Comments (3)

The Change in the Weather at Epoch Coffee

October 5, 2010 – 9:24 am

The weather has changed early this year, and we are all enjoying being outside. I’ve heard from my horse-loving neighbors that their horses have put on thick winter coats already, and they are claiming that it will be a very cold winter. But for now, the weather is glorious, and the summer’s veil of heat […]

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, art, guerrilla portraiture, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting people from life, portrait sketch | Also tagged , , , | Comments (2)

He was in the Corner at Epoch

July 7, 2010 – 9:44 am

My friend Lauren Hamilton Levy and I set out for Epoch yesterday, and we got lucky – we found a pretty good table. The guy next to us, in the corner, was hunkered down for a long spell. He was very thin and East Coast in appearance. (We never wear NorthFace apparel in the summer). […]

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, art, guerrilla artist, guerrilla portraiture, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting people from life, portrait sketch, sketches | Also tagged , , | Comments (5)

The Difference Between Painting and Drawing

March 25, 2009 – 6:30 am

People ask me if I sketch in with pencil or charcoal before I begin.   No, I don’t.  So much of painting requires restatement in the process, why start out fumbling from the beginning?  I try to say what I mean from the very beginning. Think about the process of painting as opposed to drawing.  Rendering […]

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, art, figure painting, oil painting, painting, portrait sketch, sketches | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (19)

I Painted Another Barristra at Pacha Coffee

January 5, 2009 – 8:53 pm
By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, art, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting live, painting people from life, portrait sketch, portraiture | Also tagged , , , , , , | Comments (2)

I Painted This Artsy Man at Quack’s

December 18, 2008 – 7:43 am

I painted him on a Saturday at Quack’s.   He popped in and sat down two tables away from me,  providing the perfect distance and profile pose to paint him.  It was a very quick oil sketch, but I think that I captured him and his impish personality.  He came over to see what I […]

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, art, artist, figure painting, oil painting, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting live, painting people from life, portrait sketch, portraiture | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (5)

I Painted Two Customers at Quack’s Bakery and Coffee

December 16, 2008 – 7:46 am

She was just lovely in silver-blue, with sun-glasses on her head. I always call these women the “Horse women” – the Barbara Stanwick, no-nonsense good-looks. They always have those fine-bone structures, but these are rock solid, no-nonsense women. They age beautifully, and can let their hair go silver. The student next to her had great hair. I was afraid that he was going to cut out early, but I got him in the painting, luckily. Behind them you will see the first two type-writer buttons of the Italian restaurant, ASTI.

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, art, art journal, Austin Hippie, figure painting, oil painting, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting live, painting people from life, portrait sketch | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (9)

I Painted Ashley Dancing at the Spider House

December 14, 2008 – 12:05 am

I loved painting this at the Spider House.   Ashleigh was walking back toward the steps of the deck to place a customer’s order, and she just did this quick dance move to the music.  It was so delightful and free, I just had to capture it.  I must have painted her in less than […]

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, art, Austin Hippie, figure painting, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting, painting live, painting people from life, portrait sketch | Also tagged , , , , | Comments (7)

I Painted this German Professor at Quack’s

December 9, 2008 – 2:35 pm

I painted him at Quack’s.  I really don’t know if he is a German Professor, but he looked like one, and he was going over papers at Quack’s.  He sneezed, and a girl student sitting at a table facing him said, “Gesundheit!”  He looked up with a big, kindly smile.  So, who knows?  He might […]

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, art, artist, oil painting, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting, painting live, painting people from life, portraiture | Also tagged , , , , , | Comments (7)

Ok, My First Starving Artist Story

October 22, 2008 – 7:49 pm

Now, you will soon find out why I am obsessed with the cafe culture and painting in coffee houses. During the late 70’s, I worked at the now-defunct, legendary coffee house,  Les Amis.  Les Amis was ahead of its time, and I often wonder what it would be like if it had survived the expansion […]

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in art, artists, Les Amis, starving artist | Also tagged , , , | Comments (10)