Gaining Perspective--Time Will Tell

Yesterday I raided the pantry for bottles, arranged and rearranged the set up, and painted from life. I prefer to paint still life subjects from life rather than photographs. Photographs hide the subtleties of color and shadow that are so crucial to an attractive depiction. The two paintings, 8x8 and 6x8 inches will take a while to dry since they were rendered in oil paint. While they are drying, I like to let them sit for a few days in a place where I can get glimpses each time I pass by. It helps me to get some perspective. Sometimes I will have a wonderful time painting a subject and fall in love with the experience only to find a few days later that the painting really isn't very good. Then I either paint over it, wipe it out, or restretch the canvas and start something new. On the other hand, sometimes I will struggle with a subject and want to wipe out my work only to find that with a few days sitting on the easel, the work is actually not as bad as I thought. Finished work sitting on my easel needs a gestation period before it is released into the world. These little paintings are still in that gestation period. I think they will probably be hatched in a week or two when the paint is dry. What do you think? Wipe out, paint over, or birth?

Red and Yellow for the Blues

Since this last week provided more damp winter weather, I spent my time inside painting colorful little fruits and vegetables. Red and yellow paint helped to elevate my winter spirit and manifested itself in these little small format paintings. They are all either 4x5 or 4x6 inches and were created on canvas panels with professional grade oil paints. I have began stocking my Etsy Shop with these babies and will continue to do so over the weekend. Hope you will stop by and take a look at these little miniature paintings.

January is Home Decor Month

It appears that January is home decor month. Last year at this time, one of my little landscape paintings appeared on the cover of This Old House Magazine. It was exciting to see my work displayed in a national magazine. As it turns out, this year another little painting was included in the January/February print issue of Country Living Magazine with a link to my Etsy Shop. Check out page 69 of the print edition to see the painting. It is tiny painting of a cantaloupe slice I created on a blue background that appears at the top center of the page. The little painting sold immediately, however, it wasn't the only small format oil painting listed in my Etsy Shop. Stop by my Etsy Shop to see more original small format oil paintings.

Kitchen Market Adventures

Everytime I go to the grocery store, my eyes are enamoured with the produce section. Stacks of fresh fruits and vegetables are colorful and full of unique shapes. Sometimes I buy fresh items just because they are beautiful, even when I have no idea how to prepare them. After I get them home, the first thing I do is create a still life painting, sometimes an entire series of paintings. When the fresh items have done their duty, they head to the kitchen. This time I brought home Anaheim peppers. I didn't know if they were hot or mild, all I knew was I loved their color, that mellow green, and their long, robust shape. After I painted them, I did some research and they ended up as Chile Rellenos. So good. The original 6x6 inch oil painting is available for purchase here. Larger reproductions are also available at this address.

Peach Harvest

Visiting the farmers' market recently led me to painting peaches.  Bright, colorful, and juicy, my brush created several square format paintings of little fruit gems.  The original oil painting is 6x6 inches on stretched canvas.  I'm also excited that this painting can be reproduced in square format up to size 36x36 inches, just right for a kitchen wall.  In addition to this little creation, I have a collection of square format art that needs to find a home.  In the next few weeks I'll be adding to this collection. I hope you will stop by.  If you are interested in purchasing the original, I will be listing it in my Etsy Shop in the very near future.

Golden Light Pear Art

Yesterday was a great day!  Sometimes I stand in front of my easel and my mind is blank, but yesterday I was in the zone.  For five hours straight everything that came off my brush delighted me.  Now I have several little oil paintings drying in my studio.  As soon as they are dry, they will be listed for sale in my Etsy Shop.  In the meantime, I've listed this little 6x6 original.  When I created it, I was working on producing the warm light that reflected off the skin of the pears.  I rather like the effect and now that the oil paint is finally dry, it can be purchased.  Click here for a direct link.  I have quite a few other small originals that are still available.  Visit this link to view my original small fruit paintings.

In the Kitchen

Working on the values in white ceramic and glass are always a good challenge.  My first attempt on this 12x12 inch painting was wiped out with a paper towel and a some mineral spirits.  When I finished the second attempt, I decided oil paint loves me.  It is so forgiving.  To go from a muddy mess of malformed objects to an entirely new painting feels really good.  Right now this painting is for sale at my Daily Paintworks Gallery along with my other 12-inch square paintings.  Most of my smaller studies are still available at Etsy. Click here to purchase this painting or view it in the gallery.