TOM MAZZULLO

LIFE DRAWINGS

I love the challenge of taking a complex subject, placing it in front of me, and producing not only an accurate, sight-size representation, but also an artwork that has grace and subtlety. When I moved to Colorado, I drew the model as often as I could at the Art Students League of Denver. I also worked from botanical and zoological specimens at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and the University of Colorado Boulder, with appreciation to all these institutions. Many of these drawings are intended to be non finito, meaning purposely left incomplete. Given the few minutes I have to do a study, and the length of time it takes to complete a silverpoint drawing, working in an unfinished style is reasonable. Part of why I do this is bound up in the idea that life drawing should be a reactive rather than a decision-making process.

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, bird, nature, Tom Mazzullo

Northern Oriole, 2021, silverpoint on prepared paper, 7⁃x⁃7⁃3/4⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, bird, nature, Tom Mazzullo

Hoatzin, 2021, silverpoint on prepared paper, 8⁃1/2⁃x⁃8⁃inches. Private collection.

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, bird, nature, Tom Mazzullo

Mountain Bluebird, 2021, silverpoint on prepared paper, 7⁃x⁃6⁃7/8⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, bugs, nature, Tom Mazzullo

Giant Grasshopper (Tropidacris dux), Anterolateral View, 2017, silverpoint on prepared paper, 7⁃x⁃10⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, bugs, nature, Tom Mazzullo

Lantern Fly (Fulgoria laternaria), 2017, silverpoint with palladium on prepared paper, 7⁃1/4⁃x⁃9⁃inches. Private collection.

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, bugs, nature, Tom Mazzullo

Giant Scorpion (Heterometrus spinifer), 2017, silverpoint on prepared paper, 6⁃1/2⁃x⁃9⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, bugs, nature, Tom Mazzullo

2014 Bush Cicada (Tibicen dorsatus), 2018, silverpoint on prepared paper, 5⁃x⁃7⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, bugs, nature, Tom Mazzullo

Huntsman Spider, Malaysia, 2018, silverpoint on prepared paper, 7⁃x⁃10⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, bird, nature, Tom Mazzullo

Northern White-Eye (Zosterops palpebrosus), 2014, silverpoint on prepared paper, 7⁃x⁃11⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, bird, nature, Tom Mazzullo

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola), 2016, silverpoint on prepared paper, 10⁃x⁃9⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, bird, nature, Tom Mazzullo

European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), 2015, silverpoint on prepared paper, 6⁃1/2⁃x⁃7⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, bird, nature, Tom Mazzullo

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), 2014, silverpoint on prepared paper, 8⁃x⁃9⁃inches. Private Collection.

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, bird, nature, Tom Mazzullo

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), 2014, silverpoint on prepared paper, 15⁃x⁃11⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, nude figure, Tom Mazzullo

Flank Study, 2017, silverpoint on prepared paper, 10⁃x⁃9⁃inches

Profile of Summer, 2017, silverpoint on prepared paper, 8⁃3/4⁃x⁃10⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, nude figure, Tom Mazzullo

Thorax Study, 2017, silverpoint on prepared paper, 8⁃x⁃11⁃inches. Private collection.

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, nude figure, Tom Mazzullo

Pelvis Study, 2017, silverpoint on prepared paper, 11⁃x⁃8⁃inches. Private collection.

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, nude figure, Tom Mazzullo

Ajalee, 2014, silverpoint on prepared paper, 9⁃1/2⁃x⁃13⁃1/2⁃inches

Shoulder Study, 2013, silverpoint on prepared paper, 8 x 11 inches (sheet size)

Shoulder Study, 2013, silverpoint on prepared paper, 8⁃x⁃11⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, nude figure, Tom Mazzullo

Tattoo Studies, 2012, silverpoint on clay-coated paper, 10⁃x⁃13⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, nude figure, Tom Mazzullo

Two More Heads of Julia, 2008, silverpoint on prepared paper, 10⁃x⁃12⁃inches

Profile of Paul, 2008, silverpoint on prepared paper, 10⁃x⁃12⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, nude figure, Tom Mazzullo

Julia Propped, 2007, silverpoint on clay-coated paper, 12⁃x⁃15⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, still life, Tom Mazzullo

Lunchbox Apples, 2015, silverpoint on prepared paper, 9⁃1/2⁃x⁃15⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, still life, Tom Mazzullo

Density, 2009, metalpoint on prepared paper, 22⁃x⁃30⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, still life, Tom Mazzullo

Comet, 2009, silverpoint on prepared paper, 22⁃x⁃30⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, still life, Tom Mazzullo

Detail of Comet, 2009, silverpoint on prepared paper, 22⁃x⁃30⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, still life, Tom Mazzullo

Crabapples, 2008, silverpoint on prepared paper, 12⁃x⁃20⁃inches. Private collection.

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, still life, Tom Mazzullo

Sprouted, 2008, silverpoint on prepared paper, 8⁃x⁃10⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, still life, Tom Mazzullo

Six Seckels, 2007, silverpoint on prepared paper, 12⁃x⁃22⁃inches. Private collection.

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, still life, Tom Mazzullo

Pomme, Pomme de Terre, 2005, silverpoint on prepared paper, 10⁃x⁃14⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, still life, Tom Mazzullo

Sweet Potato, 2003, silverpoint on prepared paper, 12⁃x⁃9⁃inches

silverpoint, metalpoint, drawing, life drawing, still life, Tom Mazzullo

Bosc Pear, 2003, silverpoint on prepared paper, 12⁃x⁃9⁃inches. Private collection.

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