Nautilus

A striking painting with what must be heavy layering of paints to have those hues and tones peeking out that can't be done with just one pass.  It adds a lovely realism and richness to the look of the flesh and patterned blanket even as her hair goes the full height of the side.  It has a gentle vulnerability of someone who has been emotionally wounded and now closed to the world.  

Thank you for the lovely insight Marcus, I can definitely see the source of your sentiment, and I am glad you were able to put those inspired thoughts into words.

Lovely piece, I wonder when it was painted?

Very Klimt and Schielesque

That's the second time I've heard that with Klimt... this was done around 2009 I believe.

A beautiful piece which in terms of style reminds me of Kent Williams, Phil Hale or even prime Lucian Freud. I am not mad on tattoos on females but it works here as part of a narrative you can read into it. Otherwise, Marcus covers everything else I could have possibly thought of and puts it much better than I ever could have. Good to see Michael Gaydos' art evolving as I know him mainly for his work  on Alias/Jessica Jones. 

Thank you for the style references, I'd hate to admit that I'm not too familiar with a name or two but I will look them up now!

I think he's recently done some life drawings, would be very interesting to see his fine art journey as it has been over a decade since this piece.

love it.

Gorgeous work, Bing, and at 3' by 4', it must truly be an incredibly striking piece.  I'm trying to project here, but at that size, the viewer has to be stunned by the colors; it has a very rich depth, but so much "base" flat grey has to lend a palpably bleak feel... and then that "mad explosion" (contextually) of red and orange on her blanket, explicitly detailed (among the grey "wash") must certainly pop twice as hard.  This is incredible.  Michael Gaydos is an artist who I find to be incredibly transportive - his work really resonates with me - and it must be an incredible experience to see this piece in person.

(I think the Klimt feel for me personally is the drape of the cloth, an echo of the rough shape used in 'The Kiss'...?)

Sincere congrats on this beauty, Bing - wow.  Stunning.

I really appreciate your kind words Jason! This piece actually came in framed, I had to dismount it to correct some warping and I actually much preferred the work by itself. I don't think any frame will do the colors justice... as you have excellently noted the colors just POP. It's the best way this phenomenon could be described.

I know Michael's work from his interior illustrations for White Wolf, but I really should give the comics a go :) Thank you again!

Totally!  If you like the White Wolf stuff, I think you'd get a real kick out of seeing what Michael can do with sequential storytelling.  It's REALLY great.  Much fuss has been made (and rightly so!) about 'Alias' (and I also loved the reboot as 'Jessica Jones' a few years later), but he and Brian Bendis have done three six-issue arcs of a new series called 'Pearl' that I absolutely adore.  Great writing, and Michael is working at a whole new level - gorgeous stuff.  All highly reommended!

(or you could, y'know, just stare at Nautilus some more. :)  That doesn't sound like a shabby use of your time at all.  Awesome piece, Bing!)

Gorgeous! <3