New start: Pitcher with Fruit

Started this still life today.  My concept is color: the vase is white with blue flowers printed on it, and the background is a silk throw, quilted squares.  I am hoping that the fruit will be the only items of saturated color, red, yellow and green.  I started with a block in with three values. I can tell that the upper right quadrant is going to be a little bit difficult.... 

I went on to put in the three fruit shapes... (pardon the hairclip at the top.  I'm looking for a used studio easel, but until then...)

Then the jug...

Lastly, the background, base and leaves in the pitcher.  I know they don't look like leaves...I'm a long way from being finished.  Just out of time for today, and won't paint again until next Tuesday at the earliest.  I need to remember it's only a start.

Challenges, challenges...

Well I'm not too proud of this painting, but I learned allot.  I set up the still life with two challenges in mind: clear glass (vase and small round bottle)  and a very busy porcelain plate.   It took me several attempts to get the verticals straight, never mind the rest of the painting. It's done because I am tired of looking at it....I'll revisit it another day.

Just Picked

Just Picked   16x20, oil on canvas

I worked on this painting, and I think I'm finished.  I added some greenery between the pumpkin and the jug to fill that hole, and generally worked on everything a little bit. Please comment freely if you see anything that doesn't 'work'.  

Pumpkins with Blue Jug

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Here is the painting I started today.  First the pumpkins... 

 I regretted using charcoal as a block in material as soon as I started to paint. I forgot how much of it stays on the canvas! I won't do that again...  Then the blue jug...

Then the background, cloth and lantern flowers.

I used linseed oil as a medium because I want the paint to stay pretty wet.  There are a lot of things to change, but I am out of time today and there is too much paint to continue working.  It'll turn to mud if I continue today. I hope to finish it on Wednesday morning. 

Three Amigo's

Three Amigo's    12x12    Oil on Masonite

Here is the painting I finished on Friday. Simple, but needed to be.  I haven't painted a still life in months!

Today's Start

This is the still life painting I started on today. This is a quick charcoal sketch on canvas.  I didn't want to commit to paint because it's been so long since I've done a still life this size. I just wanted to get the major values down to evaluate the composition.

(Pardon the hairclip at the top.  My easel is broken and that holds it in place.)

This is a large painting for me: 20x24".  The pumpkins are a beautiful rich orange and the jug is french blue.  The flowers are Chinese lanterns, rich red and orange. The concept of the painting is color/complements. 

With the exception of the painting I did earlier this week (I'll post it when I can photograph it), I haven't painted a still life since about May. Now that the weather is turning, I imagine I'll be painting a lot more of fruit and such.  I do love the challenge of setting up  still life, and leading the viewers eye. 

My drawing needs improvement, but hopefully the painting will survive that.

Art Show at Pembroke Public Library

Joy O'Keeffe, Yours Truly, Jody Regan, Lynne McCauley

Jody Regan, a mother, mathematician, and painting instructor at North River Art Society is a marvel.  Her art talent is matched only with her humor and compassion, all being extraordinary.  She recently organized a show at the Pembroke Public Library for her students.  She's obviously more than just a painting instructor.  Visit the library to check out the fantastic talent she has unleashed these past few years.   Support local art. http://www.pembrokepubliclibrary.org/

This is one of four paintings I have on display at the library.  Sorry about the bad photo--intended for record keeping, not marketing.

Workshop Exercise with Carol Marine

This 8x10 panel contains an exercise I did during the recent Carol Marine workshop, held at the North River Arts Society.  The instructions were to paint a simple still life with each stroke being a new color.  Every time I put brush to canvas, I had to make a tick mark on the panel to show how many and which colors I used.  Very painful but extremely worthwhile.  This exercise kept me totally focused on the colors and number of brush strokes that I use.  No fussing, no fiddling, no 'cat licks' with the brush. Carol also paints way outside the boundaries of the items, which I was trying to do as well.  The idea of doing that is to get some of the paint from the item into the 'atmosphere', so it looks as if it 'lives there'. Wow, I learned so much at the workshop. 

My first painting...ever!

This is this absolute first painting I ever did.  Can you tell it's of two green apples?  If so, I would be shocked. 
I started oil painting in 2006 by enrolling in a beginning class with Jody Regan at the North River Arts Society. That first day, that first color wheel, that first smudge of paint on my nose, I was hooked.  I absolutely loved it...and still do.  I will be forever grateful to Jody, Sue Charles and Margaret McWethy at the NRAS for their patience, humor and excellent instruction.  And Laura Harvey, for putting all those classes together!
I hope you enjoy this blog and my art.  Please comment freely. From time to time, posted paintings will be available for sale.