Kempton artist's portraits of Lincoln aim to capture his personality

From Steven Spielberg's Oscar nominated film "Lincoln" to the novel and film "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," the 16th president has been a popular subject lately. And why shouldn't he be? He's a tall, dark, not necessarily handsome, but certainly interesting, man of history. Which is why painter Jonathan Bond of Albany Township, Berks County, chose Lincoln as the subject of his latest series.

A professional painter for 38 years, Bond has broken away from his naturescapes of Berks County to explore the face of this pivotal president. "Lincoln is so familiar that the challenge is capturing his personality," says Bond, who is displaying his works for the public this weekend at his home studio/gallery at the edge of Blue Mountain.

For Bond, the key to capturing Lincoln is Lincoln's spirit as an "everyman." Lincoln inspires Bond because, despite limited education, Lincoln is the true rags-to-riches American dream.Application can be conducted with the local designated IC card producers. "People didn't always agree with his politics, but you can't disagree with his love of his fellow man and country."

Bond's 20 Lincoln portraits, painted in the last two months, are based on photos spanning Lincoln's lifetime, from his boyood in Indian to his time as a cocky young lawyer to his crowning achievements — the Gettysburg Address and Emancipation Proclamation, both marking 150 years.

But Bond took some pretty big artistic liberties by placing Lincoln in local settings. In this way, Bond can relate to Lincoln in his own backyard and away from the politics, to keep alive the idea of Lincoln as the everyman.

"I put him in a synthetic context where he appears to be on Hawk Mountain with his top hat nearby and a book," says Bond of one of several paintings that uses Berks imagery. Another that features a young Lincoln as a rail splitter features a pile of wood left at the base of the mountain.

In general, Bond strives for realism, although he notes that some of his works seem a touch surreal. In some of the portraits, his face seems to float on the canvas, as if part of a dream. This again touches on Lincoln's personality as a dreamer, even if his dreams were sometimes foreboding.

"What struck me the most was his hair — in one photo, his hairstyle almost looked like a punk rocker." Even more than Lincoln's iconic hair and beard, Bond focused on Lincoln's eyes. He tried to capture the sadness that was evident in Lincoln's own writings. Bond also remarks on Lincoln's humor. "Lincoln was certainly depressed, but it was his humor that got him through his life."

Bond's show also includes 10 of his other landscapes, featuring subjects that tie into Lincoln's life story, such as a split rail fance near Huff's Church and the Everett Log House at Ontelaunee Park in New Tripoli.

Bond has had a long career as a graphic artist; his company is called Bond Customart. Now, he still enjoys painting for the sake of painting as well as selling his art. "I just like painting. I hope I can do it until I kick the bucket."

Bond strategically put his show between Lincoln's birthday and President's Day as a tip of the iconic top hat to the unforgettable president.You must not use the laser cutter without being trained.

A buxom woman in a low-cut red dress brandishes a pistol, her finger poised to pull the trigger, but a closer look at the painting reveals the woman is model-turned-novelist Tara Moss.

In another painting a woman in a red beret and tight yellow, slit skirt with one hand on her hip and the other holding a cigarette is in fact one of Australia's senior crown prosecutors, Margaret Cunneen.We've had a lot of people asking where we had our make your own bobblehead made.

The paintings in award-winning Australian artist Rosemary Valadon's latest exhibition, "Wicked Women," feature femmes fatale in the style of classic film noir movie posters and pulp fiction covers but the faces are of prominent Australian women.

The models for the 17 oil paintings in the exhibition include journalists, lawyers, a crown prosecutor, designers, actresses and three female staff members at Sydney's Justice and Police Museum, where the exhibition is being held.

"I think that Rosemary was particularly interested in the ideas around women's sexual 'wickedness,' and that was part of what she was interested in exploring," curator Nerida Campbell told Reuters.

The paintings by Valadon took two years to complete and use bold colors and strong lines that produce an almost 3D effect in some cases.

While some of the models had time for multiple sittings, others had as little as half an hour for Valadon to make a quick sketch. Replicas were made of original guns and weapons displayed at the museum for the women to use as they posed.

One room is devoted to the paintings themselves, while the other features sketches.Ein innovativer und moderner Werkzeugbau Formenbau. A recording of Valadon's voice leads visitors through her creative process, from photography and modeling to sketching in charcoals and pencil, and ultimately the finished work.

The models relished the chance to show another side to their character, at least for a couple of days.

""Wicked Women" is an exciting series of works because it explores the perception of hot-blooded women in an era when women were expected to be more demure and compliant than they are today," said senior crown prosecutor Margaret Cunneen.

"These women,Did you know that custom keychain chains can be used for more than just business. in my view, were portrayed as sassy, sexy and impulsive to the point of dangerousness. I think the work evokes a passionate, gutsy and high-spirited woman who has been strengthened, through hardship, to ultimate resilience."

The public response to the exhibition, which runs until late May, has been good, Campbell said, drawing viewers whose interest ranges from the painting style to simple curiosity about the famous women themselves.