Red is the Color!

The holidays are so busy, I've had trouble keeping up with postings.  Luckily, painting has still been on-going.  With the season in mind, red is the color I've had my eye on.  This little red pepper decided to go along with my desire for red and dressed appropriately.  She is for sale and can be viewed or purchased here, or you can view all of my paintings for sale at this link. 

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4x6, American Painting, Canvas, Contemplating Art, Holiday Fruit Painting, Oil Painting, Original Painting, Red Pepper Painting, Small Artwork, Small Kitchen Art, Still Life

Basking in the Sun

I almost forgot about this little painting. It is 6x8 inches as was painted one morning when I arrived home from a grocery run. Their bright red color of the peppers demanded that I put them on the table and paint first thing when I got home. The painting is dry and for sale with some of my other still life paintings at Etsy. Click here to view it in the gallery or make a purchase. It can be purchased for $65.00 plus shipping.

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Technorati tags: Contemporary Still Life Painting, Kitchen Art, Oil Painting, Painting, Painting on Canvas, Red Peppers, Red Still Life, Small Artwork, Southwestern Art, Vegetable Painting

Squash in Sunlight

Painting things that are white is tricky because it doesn't work out to actually use much white. I liked the way the light played on this white pumpkin, but I've struggled with getting the white to look like white. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out, but the secret is, I didn't use much white when painting it. Yes, there was white in the mixture, but as far as white from the tube, there isn't any. Everything is a mixture. So, this is my most recent challenge: painting white things. This painting can be purchased for $35.00 plus shipping by clicking here.

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Technorati tags:
Canvas Panel Painting, Color Mixing, Kitchen Art, Oil Painting, Painting Light, Squash, Vegetable Painting

In a Pickle

This is a silly little painting. I was captivated by the swirling colors and patterns created by the sliced pickles in this jar. I had to paint it. So there it is, my crazy inspiration--who would have guessed? The painting is 5x7 inches on a Raymar canvas panel.

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Canned Food , Canning Fruits and Vegetables, Contemporary Still Life Painting, Mason Canning Jar, Mason Jar Painting, Oil Painting, Original Oil Painting, Original Painting, Painting on Canvas, Pickle Jar Painting, Pickles, Raymar Canvas Panel, Small Kitchen Art, Small Painting, Small Still Life Painting, Vegetable Painting

Avacado Art, Original Oil Painting

One of my favorites is now for sale. For $24.00 plus $6.50 for shipping to US addresses, it will be yours. The standard 4x6 inch size allows it to fit easily into a standard sized frame or it might be displayed on a small table-top easel. Original art in your kitchen will add some class! Click here to purchase.

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Avacado, Avacado Painting, Avacado Slice Painting, Canvas Panel Painting, Contemporary Fruit Painting, Contemporary Painting, Contemporary Still Life Painting, Guacamole Art, Oil Painting, Original Oil Painting, Original Painting, Painting on Canvas, Small Art, Small Painting, Small Still Life Painting

Healthy Red and Green

Today's painting is one of those quick studies that worked out just perfect. The paint went on right where I wanted it and the colors didn't argue. It is 8x10 inches on a 1/4 inch MDF panel and this healthy choice is for sale for $125.00 plus $12.00 for shipping to US addresses. You can view more details at my online gallery, Small Impressions Paintings. Click here to purchase.

Cooking Lesson

Perhaps I was deprived, but artichokes were never served at my house when I was growing up. It wasn't until I was in college that a friend showed me how to cook and eat an artichoke. Simple preparation that I couldn't leave alone. I fell in love with artichokes or perhaps it was the mountains of mayonaise that always came along with the treat. When I eventually found out how unhealthy mountains of mayonaise really was and that an artichoke wasn't quite as good without it, I quit eating them so often. But, this one made a great subject to paint. It is a 5x7 inch oil painting on a textured panel and is now for sale online in my Etsy Shop, Small Impressions. Clicking on this link will let you put in your shopping cart for $50.00 plus $6.50 for shipping to US addresses. Or you might check out some of my other small still life oil paintings.

Painting with Red Again

Two bright red peppers on a black plate was my latest painting challenge. I loved creating the reflections on the black ceramic plate, but the bright red of the peppers mocked me. Red is such a powerful color, it is difficult to create the values necessary for a three-dimentional effect. I used Napthol Red, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, White, with just a touch of yellow and green for the stems.

Working in Red, Painting in Three Dimensions

Creating a three-dimensional effect is a goal I am always trying to achieve when painting fruit such as these pears. It requires careful attention to the values, reflections, and shadows in each shape. Although the theory of creating such an effect is in my mind, every time a change in hue occurs, I am challenged all over again. Reds can be tricky, so I worked in red the past few days trying to get it right.

Avacado, Guacamole, and a Bit of Art

Painting this little 4x6 painting was especially fun. Working to create just the right color and the roundness of that seed is what I focused on as I painted. The wrinkled black skin of the avacado which can just barely be seen was another feature that gave the fruit its character and was a pleasure to paint. It is on the drying rack and will be ready for a new home in a few weeks.

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Technorati tags:
Avacado Painting, Avacado Slice Painting, Contemporary Fruit Painting, Contemporary Painting, Contemporary Still Life Painting, Guacamole Art, Original Kitchen Art, Painting on Canvas

Getting the Garden Ready

Even though there has been considerable rain lately here in the Pacific Northwest, April showers should be expected. It is almost time to start planting my garden and I need to remember it is the rain that will make the garden grow. I always grow tomatoes and zuchini and need to start turning over the soil. It won't be long until the fresh warm soil will be accepting my offering of seeds and small seedlings. Today's painting celebrates the produce that will arrive after the tending of the garden. It is 4x6 inches on a canvas panel and displays a canning jar full of preserved tomatoes and some fresh ones, too.

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Technorati tags:
American Painting, Canned Food , Contemporary Still Life Painting, Mason Canning Jar, Mason Jar Painting, Oil Painting, Original Kitchen Art, Original Painting, Painting of Summer Fruit, Painting on Canvas, Still Life Tomato Painting, Tomato Painting, Tomato Still Life Oil Painting, Vegetable Painting

Artichoke--Original Small Format Oil Painting

Quick, painterly strokes helped me created this 5x7 artichoke painting. It was fast and fun. I began with a neutral base coat on a hardboard panel. When the base coat dried, I sketched the shapes, painted the background, the shadow, and finally put the artichoke on top. Since the artichoke had so many leaves and I knew trying to paint each one would challenge my patience, so I focused on shapes, forgetting about the leaves. It makes it so much easier to paint when I force myself to forget about what I'm painting and look for shapes and colors. Thus, when finished, it was an artichoke! In a few weeks it will be for sale at Small Impressions Gallery. Until then, you might want to take a look at some of my other small still life oil paintings.

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Technorati tags:
American Painting, Artichoke Painting, Oil Painting, Original Painting, Small Artwork, Small Still Life Painting, Vegetable Painting

Adventures in Negative Space

This morning as I was contemplating my next painting adventure, I recalled an art lesson many years ago in which the task of painting negative space was assigned. The task required painting only the negative space from which would eventually emerge the subject of the painting. The sky behind a rather large oak tree was the negative space that begin growing from the bristles of my brush. Then, a distant range of mountains grew in front of the sky. All the while, the subject of my painting, an oak tree, was supposed to be emerging as did the subject from my exercise years ago. Needless to say, as I continued to paint, that which began to appear looked more like a blurry mess than a tree. After much dabbing and mucking around, I finally abandoned my efforts, placed the experiment on the drying rack, and moved on to something a bit more positive. While putting the exercise out of my mind, this trio of lemons wandered forth. My strokes were quick and fluid, feeling a lot better than my exercise in negative space. This painting is 6x6 inches on a canvas panel and felt pretty positive. Thus, is how I concluded my morning in the studio. This little painting can be purchased for $36.00 plus $6.50 for shipping to US addresses by clicking this link and putting it in the shopping cart.

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Technorati tags:
American Oil Painting, canvas panel, Citrus Fruit Painting, Contemporary Still Life Painting, Fruit Painting, Lemon Painting, Original Lemon Still Life, Original small artwork, painterly, painting negative space, Painting of Citrus Fruit, Small Oil Painting, small still life, small study, Still Life Painting, Yellow

Citrus and Pears--American Still Life Oil Painting

This one is finally dry and taking its place at Small Impressions Gallery with some of my other small still life oil paintings. Created on a 5x7 inch black gessoed hardboard panel, the fruit is bright against the dark background. I really like the contrasts. For $50.00 plus $6.50 for shipping it can be yours.

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Technorati tags:
Abstract, Abstract Still Life Painting, American Oil Painting, Black Gesso, Contemporary Oil Painting, Contemporary Still Life Painting, Fruit Painting, Lemon Painting, Oranges, original artwork, Original Lemon Still Life, Original small artwork, Painting of Citrus Fruit, Painting of Pears and Oranges, Pears, Pears Painting, Shadows, small format oil painting, small format painting, small oil painting, Small Painting of Pears, small still life, small still life oil painting, small study, Still Life Painting, Yellow, Yellow Pears

Peaches--Original American Still Life Oil Painting

Peaches on red velveteen inspired this 8x10 inch classical still life oil painting. I wish the season of fresh peaches was still here, but since its gone, I can only dream of their juicy freshness. This painting is for sale at Impressions Gallery at 1000 Markets for $125.00 plus $12.00 for shipping to US addresses. It is joining some of my other still life oil paintings which range in size from 8x10 to 18x24 inches.

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American Oil Painting, Contemporary Oil Painting, Contemporary Still Life Painting, Fruit Painting, Impressions Gallery, original artwork, Original small artwork, Painting of Peaches, Peach, Peaches, Red, small format oil painting, small format painting, small oil painting, small still life oil painting, small study, Yellow

Plum--Original Still Life Oil Painting

This morning I painted several little fruit paintings, but this one is one of my favorites. The skin isn't just purple, but has transparent red and orange with places that an opaque light blue tinges the surface. This painting is 6x6 inches on a canvas panel. It has SOLD, but I have other small paintings available for purchase at Small Impressions Gallery .

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Abstract Still Life Painting, American Oil Painting, Blue, Contemporary Oil Painting, Contemporary Still Life Painting, Fruit Painting, original artwork, Original small artwork, Plum Painting, Plum Still Life, Purple, Red, small format oil painting, small format painting, small oil painting, small still life, small still life oil painting, small study, Still Life Painting

Golden Pears--Original Still Life Oil Painting

When the weather gets cooler, I start painting more still life work. Today's painting is an 8x10 on a gessoed hardboard panel. It was created with a mixture of both transparent and opaque oil color and was inspired by three Bosc pears on a linen cloth. The contrast between the golden skin and the white of the cloth attracted my attention. I worked with a loose brush stroke and enjoyed the creation of this painting. It has joined some of my other still life oil paintings at Impressions Gallery and can be purchased for $125.00 plus $12.50 for shipping to US addresses. If you are interested in small format paintings, please visit Small Impressions Gallery for work that is 8x10 inches or smaller.

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American Oil Painting, Bosc Pears, Contemporary Oil Painting, Contemporary Still Life Painting, painterly, Pears, Pears Painting, small format oil painting, small format painting, small oil painting, Small Painting of Pears, small still life, small still life oil painting, small study, Transparent Oil Color

Lime Shadows--Contemporary Still Life Oil Painting

Today's little 5x7 inch oil painting was inspired by shadows and a bright little lime. It was a good exercise in values and color mixing. I'm debating whether to add some highlights to the lime when the paint dries. I've a while to think about it since oil paint takes quite a while to dry, especially when the whether cools. Eventually this little painting will join some of my other still life oil paintings at Small Impressions Gallery. It is painted on a hardboard panel that will last a life time. I also sell some of my still life oil paintings on canvas panels that are an affordable alternative to hardboard.

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Abstract, Abstract Still Life Painting, American Oil Painting, Blue, blue shadows, Contemporary Oil Painting, Contemporary Still Life Painting, Fruit Painting, hardboard panels, Impressions Gallery, lime painting, painterly, shadow family, Shadows, small format oil painting, small format painting, small oil painting, small still life, small still life oil painting, small study

Midnight Snack--Original Still Life Oil Painting--Bananas

Painting on black gessoed panels makes it much easier to create a painting with a dark background. I like the effects created with the dark background. It puts the focus directly on the subject without distraction. This oil painting is 5x7 inches on a black hardboard panel and is for sale at Small Impressions Gallery for $50.00 plus $6.50 for shipping to US addresses. The panel is 1/4 inch thick, sealed on the back with several coats of acrylic paint, and will last a life time. It will fit easily into a standard frame or might be propped up on a small table-top easel. It will make a nice companion to some of my other small still life paintings.

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banana oil painting, Black Gesso, Contemporary Oil Painting, Contemporary Still Life Painting, Fruit Painting, hardboard panels, painting of bananas, small format oil painting, small format painting, small oil painting, small still life, small still life oil painting, small study, Twilight Painting, Yellow

Dessert--Original Still Life Oil Painting

This morning it was raining which provided a great excused for me to hibernate in my studio. It was a wonderful day of quiet painting without interruption. First I finished a commission, then a number of small studies--animals, still life, people--nothing larger than this 6x6 inch painting. Loose strokes and bright color was the order of the day. When they dry, these little gems will probably be placed in my Small Impressions Gallery.

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Technorati tags:
American Oil Painting, Contemporary Oil Painting, Contemporary Still Life Painting, Dessert Painting, Dessert Pears, Fruit Painting, painterly, small format oil painting, small format painting, small oil painting, small still life, small still life oil painting, small study, Yellow Pears