White Teapot on Blue Paper

 I completed this painting in four hours. It was one of those paintings that almost painted themselves, although it was the result of much study.  Like all good things, it took a lot of time and thought.

Summer Workshops

 I'm excited for my two summer workshops at Arlene's Artist Materials in Albany NY this July 17th and August 14th. 

Hope you can join me.

                       Click the links below for more information.

Introduction to Oil Painting, Why Value Matters Workshop

Working with Color in Oils Workshop

Pears and Wine

 

A classic still life composition with just the cheese omitted. 

 There is a passage from Proust about the author Bergotte, where he stands moments before his death in front of Vermeer's The View of Delft, whereby he becomes transfixed by a patch of yellow on a wall in the painting, causing him to reflect on how he never became the writer he should have been.

In my paintings I try and find that little patch of yellow.

White Teapot on Teal Plate with Citrus

 I've worked on this painting longer than I usually do because of the challenge of the teapot in shadow. I wanted it to have color reflected from the plate, but also be in shadow. A pop of Phthalo green, Cerulean Blue and White is fun and that's on the inside rim of the plate.

Maverick the Llama

 Commission

Broccoli on Blue Background

I've always wanted to paint a stalk of broccoli but I wasn't ready, silly as it seems.  I also found it a simple subject, but hard to paint. There are lots of fading in and out of the stalks and textures I wasn't as interested in; it was the colors and angles that mattered. I settled on these background colors that I felt went well with the broccoli.

Self-Portrait

Now that it's spring I see a lot of Robins hopping around. Never having painted a Robin before, I thought I'd give it a try. Pretty bird and fun to paint.

Btw, you can thank my husband for the corny title.

March to March Art Show 2021

The show at the National Bottle Museum in Ballston Spa, NY has a wide variety of compelling art. There are over 30 regional artists and close to 100 pieces of art. One of their largest to date.

The theme of this show is very specific. All art must have been created between March 2020 and March 2021.

I have three pieces on display. I hope you have the chance to come and see it. My three paintings are just above the sign.

The German Landscape Challenge

My painting The German Landscape Challenge, a 6 x 6 in. oil on gessobord from 2015, is on its way to Australia to join two older daily paintings purchased in 2012, In the Spotlight and Grapefruit on Pink Plate. It's funny to think a German landscape scene painted by me is now purchased by an Australian, we're so global!

In the Spotlight

Grapefruit on Pink Plate

Tiffany Cigar Box Painting

I enjoy painting and drawing my son's and daughter-in-law's cat Tiffany. She's a sweet furry cat that lounges around their NYC apartment. Here she is on the lid of a cigar box. A purrr-fect place to store small items.

Purple Cabbage, Scallions and Radishes

When I was at the supermarket looking for still life objects to paint I chose these three vegetables, a purple cabbage, scallions and radishes. It wasn't random. I had an image of a monoprint by Mary Beth McKenzie. It was the cabbage that drew me in. The challenge was to fit the other objects in the composition. I struggled to keep it simple, and at times felt like I lost the battle. I can still work on it, but I won't. It's time to move on.

Seven Lemons

   

10 x 8 in. oil on Ampersand panel

I set up my light box for this still life. I haven't used it in a long time, but there was so much ambient light in the room I had to limit its source. It helped a lot. Btw, I propped my still life on a Priority Mail Box. It's what I use to ship my paintings.

Five Lemons on Blue Plate

 

Sold

I know I can't attempt to paint anything unless I've already painted it in my head. I don't hope to figure it out along the way. To get inspired I look at art online and in books. I choose my subjects and imagine their layout, go shopping (for the lemons), set up the still life, do an actual sketch to get the dimensions right and then draw it onto my surface. The colors have already been picked and I know how I want to paint it and how it will look.

The interesting and fun challenge, is it same or different from what I imagined? 

Pink Glass Mug, Green Glass Saucer and Orange

 

I find drawing helps me decide what to paint next. If I can imagine the drawing as a painting, then I'll move ahead with it. If I can see it in color, then I'm excited to get started.

Most Viewed 2020

 

These are some of my most viewed images from 2020.

Thank you for a wonderful year and best wishes for a Happy New Year.

Green Vaseline Glass on Teal Plate with Lemon

 

Here I am again painting this interesting green vaseline glass. When the light is just right the glass fluoresces. 

The National Bottle Museum in Ballston Spa, NY has a huge collection of bottles including green vaseline glass. I purchased mine at a flea market. I'm told the glass is considered to be harmless and only negligibly radioactive!

A  previous post Green Vaseline Glass on Blue Plate has some information on this glass.

Clear Glass Bowl on Blue and Yellow Papers

 I'm pleased with this painting even though it looks simple and it took me a while to figure it out. I had to get the shape of this fluted bowl right and its shadow to work. I wanted the viewers' eye to go to the bowl, then to its shadow and then finally the bowl's distortion of the background. I'm excited about painting glass and it's definitely going to be one of my next year's challenges. 

Honey Jar and Lemons

This painting is all about color, light values, color temperatures and a sense of transparency. What is better than a honey jar to create a warm golden glow and cool yellow lemons and gray background for contrast. Once you think about all the component parts to creating a painting, it's as much an intellectual process as an art.

 

Getting back into the swing of things

 I've had a difficult time thinking about participating in art shows during this pandemic and political season. My current strategy is to carefully select what I listen to on the news and read in the paper. It helps that life is on track to normalcy.  I'll practice mindful meditation, that is, choose what I think about, live in the moment, paint and relax. 

Yellow Pepper on Pink Plate

 Painting glass is as much a looking, thinking and planning process as it is a painting process. It's fun, but it makes you question what you're doing from the very beginning. I had a firm vision of how I wanted it to look and once I set up my still life I knew it could sustain my interest. There is a lot to look at in this little painting. I hope it gives you some ideas on how to paint glass and encouragement to try it out for yourself.

Clear Beer Glass and Yellow Pitcher

 

It's clear glass month at the ASL remote class. Clear glass is made up of lost edges, reflections and refractions. These can be seen clearly on a white background. Refractions are the objects behind the glass which show the shape of the glass. Reflection is what is shown on the glass from a nearby object. The challenging part is color changes that are very subtle. They aren't necessarily value or saturation, but small temperature changes. 

Clear Glass Plate and Orange

This painting is my copy of Karen O'Neil's demonstration. I began  thinking about clear glass watching this painting take shape. Painting glass is abstract and difficult because there isn't much to see. It's not about painting the glass, but what's around and behind it.

69th Stockade Villagers' Outdoor Art Show 2020

 The Stockade Art Show this year was different. It wasn't advertised, but it turned out to be a beautiful day and well attended. Everyone who displayed and those who visited wore masks and socially distanced.  People were  happy just to be out. I was especially happy since I sold eight small paintings. I guess those people who came had intentions of buying art and many purchased work for the winter holidays. Thanks to all for a successful day!

My 100th drawing on Pinterest

 This is my 100th drawing I've posted on Pinterest. I started in February 2018 with a sketchy drawing of my neighbor's dog Dipper. What have I gotten out of this personal challenge: more confidence, much nicer drawing pencils and papers, and I hope, improved mark-making skills.

"The reality an artist has to express resides, as I now begin to understand, not in the superficial appearance of the subject but at a depth at which appearances matter little."

Marcel Proust

Nectarines on White Oval Plate

I continue to use the idea of cool light and warm shadows in my paintings. My studio window faces east and the morning light is getting  stronger. Maybe it's the sun coming in at a direct angle. So I decided, it's better to paint in the afternoon or by indoor lighting. I painted this over several days. The plate of nectarines was painted with natural light, and the rest was done with artificial light. 

Red Pepper II

 

Painting in east morning daylight. 

I love the warm and cool colors I get paintings in natural light.

This is the best of several images and most like my painting.

69th Stockade Villagers' Outdoor Art Show 2020

It will soon be that time of year again for the Stockade Villager's Outdoor Art Show. 

My favorite art show of the year.

It will be a little different this year, like everything else, COVID - 19 rules.

There'll be lots of wonderful art and friendly people.

If you get the chance,  stop by and say hello.

August Daylight Paintings II

These objects were painted in different lighting conditions through my east window. One in indirect natural light and the other in full daylight for my ASL class.

                        Red Pepper on White Plate
                                  Indirect afternoon light
                                    8 x 8 in. oil on paper

 Plum on Blue Paper

 10 - 11:30 AM

Full sun

5 x 5 in. oil on paper

Paintings by Daylight August Light

   Three oranges on orange paper in daylight at different times of day

  

8:30 - 10 AM                                                         12 - 1:30 PM

Rainy morning                                                       Indirect sun

                            

2:30 - 3:30

Indirect sun

White Cup on White Paper

This white cup on white paper was painted in indirect sunlight. One of several paintings of a white cup painted at different times of day and in different lighting conditions for my ASL class.

White Cup on Blue Paper

When you see a subject and it immediately speaks to you, you know you have to paint it. That's what happened to me with this set up. There was no second guessing, no dragging my feet or doubting my skill or concept. I got caught up in the color and couldn't resist losing myself in it.