Oil on canvas
In this portrait, a young boy wearing a straw hat stares directly at the viewer, a small smile on his face. His face takes up most of the canvas. His friendly gaze seems to invite you in. Why might Blain have choosen to paint his subject so directly?
Blain paints in muted colors: browns, dusty pinks, and pale yellows. The paint is piled thickly and the short paint strokes move in many directions. The effect is that from afar this might appear to be a simple picture. But when more closely examined it reveals a highly textured and complex composition of individual brushstrokes.
Artist Bio: Carel Blain, born on September 23, 1961 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. As a beginner, Blain worked with great artists such as Lesly Exume, Francoise Jean and the late Carlo Dayan among others. Carel specializes in portraits of children. He started painting children's portraits and village scenes in the 1990’s.
Blain is also a respected art teacher in Haiti. Jonas Exume and Sancois Francois are two of his most noteworthy students. His work has been exhibited in New York City, Florida, and in Haiti. Blain lives in Petion-Ville and he continues to paint.
