Merry Christmas

Lauri designs and prints our Christmas card every year. They always capture the spirit of the season in a unique and distinctive way. We want to wish everyone following this blog a joyful holiday season and a prosperous new year.

My New Portrait Website

I am happy to finally announce the publication of Charles Pompilius Portraits, a new website featuring my recent portrait work. The website was designed by my son, Gabriel. This portrait of Amber is on the homepage. It is oil on linen panel, 24 x 18 inches, from 2010.

This painting is available as a fine art print. Click here for details.

March of Dimes Benefit Auctions

I've been donating flower paintings for the March of Dimes Signature Chefs benefit auctions throughout Michigan. All are about 6 x 8 inches.
#81

Some of these are available as fine art prints. Click here for details.

George

This is a posthumous portrait of one of my three older brothers. It is based upon a photo that was taken around 1967.

Oil on linen, 14 x 11 inches, 2012
#80

Portrait Study

This is a study for a life-size formal portrait of Fr. Edward Prus, a retired priest. I began it from life and decided to finish it from a photograph. I'm working on the larger portrait now.

Oil on canvas, 10 x 8 inches, 2012
#79

Mrs. Talan

Mrs. Talan is a grade school teacher, and her class presented her with this portrait as a gift. The painting in the background was done by the students in art class. They were learning about Jackson Pollack.

Oil on linen panel, 9.75 x 7.75 inches, 2012
#78

Flower Paintings

 

Four recent flower paintings, all 8 x 6 inches, oil on panel. Usually I do these as donations to local fundraisers, but sometimes they are commissioned.
#77

Some of these are available as fine art prints. Click here for details.

Barbara

A recent portrait of a friend.

Oil on linen panel, 9.75 x 7.75 inches, 2012
#76

David Lowrie

David is in the Department of Geology at Wayne State University in Detroit. He is also an avid naturalist and outdoorsman. He actually made the hat he is wearing from road killed skunks. When I first saw it I knew that I wanted to paint it. We finally got together and I think the result is a very unique portrait.

Oil on linen panel, 9.75 x 7.75 inches, 2012
#75

Lauri Palmer

This painting is a personal family portrait of my wife Lauri. Although she has posed many times in the past, this is the first formal portrait I have done of her.

Oil on linen, 40 x 30 inches, 2012
#74

Frank Edwards, Chairman of the Board, NYLUBE

This is a portrait of Frank Edwards, whose great grandfather, Carl Gaither, founded NYLUBE in the 1930s, an international elevator parts manufacturing company. The business began in Detroit's Guardian Building, which is represented in the painting by a scale model. The Guardian, a striking example of Art Deco architecture, is registered as a U.S. Historic Landmark. Frank and his wife Ann are distinguished art collectors. Frank stands next to a Mission Style chair, and behind him is a painting by Brad Durham, a contemporary American landscape painter.

Available as a fine art print. Click here for details.

Oil on linen, 40 x 30 inches, 2011
#73

Governor Jennifer Granholm

My portrait of Governor Jennifer Granholm was unveiled Friday at the Capitol Rotunda in Lansing, MI. It was a long, exciting day with lots of fanfare and media attention. I believe the Governor liked the portrait, and so far it has been well received by the public. I want to thank Governor Granholm’s staff, as well as David Klein, Jonathan Boos, my wife and family, and everyone else who contributed to the success of this project. I especially want to thank Jennifer Granholm for choosing me to paint her portrait. It was an honor.

Oil on linen, 84 x 52 inches, 2011  

#72

Sorrow

I posted a smaller version of this a year ago, though this was actually done first.

Available as a fine art print. Click here for details.

oil on linen panel, 9.75 x 7.75 inches, 2009
#71

Samantha Sleeping

Now and then I enjoy taking on extreme foreshortening of the figure. She really did fall asleep. A fire alarm next door woke her up.

Finally, the portrait of Governor Jennifer Granholm is finished. It still needs to be varnished, put in its frame, and shipped to Lansing. The public unveiling is May 6, and after that I will post an image here of the painting. It has been a great experience for me from start to finish, and I really appreciate how well I was treated by the Governor and her staff.

oil on linen panel, 7.75 x 9.75 inches, 2009
#70

Model Fixing Bracelet

I liked the obscurity of this, and the underdeveloped surface. I worked only once with this model.

oil on linen panel, 9.75 x 7.75 inches, 2009
#69

Mother and Daughter

Clare's mother, Eileen, appeared serendipitously as I composed this. It seemed to fit with the theme of reflection.

oil on linen panel, 9.75 x 7.75, 2009
#68

Allison Reclining

Allison is lying on a sheepskin I bought at Costco. I was interested in the angularity of the arms in relation to the lines of the drapery. Also, the bird's-eye view is rare for me.

Available as a fine art print. Click here for details.

oil on linen panel, 7.75 x 9.75, 2009
#67

Clare with Gold Mask

As I continue to work on the Governor's portrait, I decided I would post a series of slightly older paintings which were done just before I began this blog. They are a bit larger than the blog paintings, and are mostly from 2009. The mask Clare is holding is actually a rather heavy plaster cast which I found at a yard sale.

Available as a fine art print. Click here for details.

oil on linen panel, 9.75 x 7.75 inches, 2009
#66

Merry Christmas

I had hoped to do another Christmas painting this year but I have been too occupied with the Governor's portrait. Instead I am posting our Christmas card which was designed and printed by my wife Lauri. For a number of years now she has been producing beautiful and very unique cards and it is always a pleasure to send them to friends and family.

I want to sincerely wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Near Year!

Kelsey in Dark Glasses

I finally got around to finishing this small study of Kelsey. There is a similar version that was posted last November. In this one I enjoyed how the light washed out the color in the sleeves of her shirt.

oil on linen panel, 8 x 6 inches, 2010
#65

Haley Roberts

Haley is part of the team at the David Klein Gallery, and it is a pleasure to work with her. It was her idea to base this on Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring, and I think it was a good one. The clothing and headdress were also her inspiration. All I did was apply the paint.

oil on linen panel, 8 x 6 inches, 2010
#64