Steve Harlow and Ruth Parson
We've attempted several types of collaborative painting: on the same canvas; on separate but interlocking canvases; and completely separate works where the only collaboration was in using the same method of producing a painting.
This sample of paintings begins with the most recent collaborative portraits (pages 1 thru 4). Then our "quick" method of making a painting, in this case, of dogs (pages 3 and 4). Finally a juxtaposition method where we make an image each which fit together to make one (pages 5 and 6).
Not shown is our largest collaborative project, called, at times, "The Bodega Paintings", at other times, "Ghostdance". This project involved dozens of interlocking paintings each on 30" x 40" paper, some of which we mounted on stretched canvas. Most of them survive in photographs only, the physical works mostly destroyed by mold and other abuses from lack of proper storage.
Ruth and I used a traditional method of painting from studies to collaboratively produce portraits. In this case our studies were photographs which we gridded and enlarged on a gridded canvas. We each restricted our painting to "squares" of the grid assigned to us by random selection. The portraits are commissioned, clients pay half the fee to get us started and the remainder of the fee when they are satisfied with the portrait we deliver. We did a few, enjoyed it, the clients like them, we'd like to do more, if you're interested.
We then developed a quick method for making paintings together. Standing shoulder to shoulder in a darkened room, with a brush in each hand dipped in pre-mixed colors, we both paint, each with both hands, on one canvas following the pattern of a projected photographic image. This is a whacky four-hand adaption of the camera obscura or photo-realist technique. To keep us from getting bogged down in photographic detail and to keep the paint fresh and fun, we used strong, simple images, in this case, the images we picked were photographs of Ruth's sculpted dogs. Two of the paintings we produced this way are on pages 5 and 6. They were made in one evening session each, therefore qualifying as "quick", for us. We'd like to do more from other appropriately strong images.
