Tag Archives: Spider House

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 | Posted in art, artist, guerrilla artist, portrait sketch, Spider House | Also tagged , | Leave a Comment

I Sketched the Punk Rocker at Spider House

May 18, 2010 – 10:02 am

I’ve been working; some of you may be wondering. I have formed an art club with three artist friends that I worked with at Les Amis almost 30 years ago. At our weekly meetings, we have been going to Spider House, and drawing for 4 to 5 hours. They are not into painting, so I […]

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in art, guerrilla portraiture, sketches, Spider House, Uncategorized | Also tagged , , | Comments (7)

Hipster in Black Shawl Collared Coat at the SpiderHouse

February 27, 2010 – 8:47 am

I went to Spider House to meet my daughter, yesterday. It was sunny, and crisp. The two of us were not able to sit together because it was too bright for my daughter’s laptop. I found the perfect table, right in the sun. Very few people were outside, and I soon found out why: it […]

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, art, guerrilla artist, guerrilla portraiture, painting people from life, portrait sketch | Also tagged , | Comments (7)

I Painted this Tattooed Man at the Spider House

January 27, 2009 – 8:50 am
By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, art, guerrilla artist, guerrilla portraiture, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting live, painting people from life, Spider House | Also tagged , , , , , | Comments (2)

I Painted Sherry at the Spider House

January 20, 2009 – 10:18 am

I was painting at the Spider House as dusk was slipping out in under the threshold.  My first painting of her was so awful.  I made her move over to the table opposite of me and have her cards read by “Julian”.  His game might have been a  bit off, because I rattled him by […]

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, art, artist, Austin Hippie, oil painting, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting live, painting people from life | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (4)

I Painted These Lovers Under a Rusted Moon

January 17, 2009 – 6:30 pm

I know that it is very “poster-like”, but that is how it came together.  I painted this couple at Spider House.  They were so in love.  It made me happy.  The end.

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

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 Him at the Spider House

November 8, 2008 – 6:03 pm

I painted this man at the Spider House.  He had on a white box-tailed button-down shirt, leggings, and white mules.  I saw him again a few days later at Cafe Medici (another coffee house) in a similar outfit.

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, art, figure painting, oil painting, painting, portrait sketch | Also tagged , , , , , | Comments (11)

Painting at the Spider House

October 14, 2008 – 12:41 pm

I painted this while sitting on the decked section of the patio at Spider House Coffee.  I decided to paint at this spot because of the old gliders and the metal-worked lanterns.  Also, it has a nice living room feel which gives the painting a connectedness that you would lose if you were painting people […]

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, art, painting, painting technique | Also tagged , , , , | Comments (6)

Painting From Life at a Coffee House

October 9, 2008 – 6:11 pm

I painted this beautiful man from life at Spider House Coffee here in Austin, TX.  I loved his dreadlocks.  Painting from life is always tricky, because you don’t know how long people will stay, or stay put!   As an artist,  I never rely on photography, but paint the figure “live”. Here is another painting […]

By Lavanna Martin | Posted in alla prima, figure painting, painting, painting technique, portrait sketch, portraiture | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (12)