Jacob Collins is a brilliant painter based out of New York City, where he runs the Water Street Atelier. He's best known for his figures, and I had the opportunity to see the above figure painting at Saint Anselm College's "Figural Presence Exhibit" and fell in love with the work. I never quite understood why leaving a thin paint body in the shadows (with the ground peeking through), while building up opacity and thickness in the highlights has such a staggering effect, but seeing it here in person, I almost fell over. Just for good measure, I thought I'd share the range of his talent by supplying a couple still lives and a landscape as well.