Carl Grauer: Two Hour Portraits
In 2012, Carl Grauer, a painter based in Poughkeepsie, NY started a project called Two Hour Portraits as a way to connect with people. He invited friends and acquaintances to sit with him for two hours, during which time he would complete a 12″ x 12″ oil painting. The project was so successful that it continues today, although with some adjustments to accommodate social distancing. Working from a photograph is not an option, as Grauer encourages his subjects to talk with him during their sessions. Some tell funny stories, while others open up about serious personal experiences. This exchange between the sitter and the artist is an important part of the project, and by the end of the session Grauer and the sitter have inevitably formed a bond.
For Grauer the Two Hour Portrait process is about ritual as much as it is about painting. His goal is to allow people to disconnect from their phones and social media and to experience connecting with another person. Since each session is limited to two hours, this puts some pressure on him to finish the portrait and also places the conversation within a fixed location and time. Having been a participant in the Two Hour Portrait project a few years ago, I can attest to this and more. It was a great experience sitting for my portrait and talking with Grauer about personal experiences, music, and art. I remember the afternoon so vividly. It’s not that often we are given an opportunity to almost slow down time and be present in the moment.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic has placed restrictions on face-to-face contact, Grauer devised another way to continue his project. He decided to offer his portrait sessions using video software and set up an online scheduling tool on his website. He wants to continue the project as a way to stay connected—for himself as well as for others—while this new way of life unfolds.
As Grauer adapts to this new approach he admits that it has been strange to paint from a screen: “Of course there is the challenge to paint whilst people move ever so slightly (even with the intent to be still), and the lens is still deceptive with light and color. Light points tend to spread out and colors are not as vibrant and sometimes there is a lot of pixelation if the wifi reception isn’t that great. With these limitations, I decided to place more limitations of my own. I’ve only been using titanium white, scarlet red, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue and lamp black. For this reason it’s been a great challenge but there is freedom in limitations.” Grauer observed that it will be interesting to compare the video portraits with the previous in-person paintings to see what differences there will be. The distance between the sitter and the artist has also created some unintended but interesting additions to the portraits. His sitters are in their personal environment rather than in Grauer’s studio, so the different backgrounds play more of a role in the paintings. As we shelter in place, the experience of bonding closely with another person is more important than ever. As evidence of this, online bookings for Grauer’s portraits filled up weeks in advance. For information about commissions or scheduling a portrait session visit carlgrauer.com. Additional Two Hour Portraits can be seen on Instagram @carlgrauer.
Images: Carl Grauer, Two Hour Portraits, 2020, oil on board, 12 x 12 in.
Watch the short video below to see the first hour of a Two Hour Portrait painted by Carl Grauer.
