Radishes

"Radishes"

9 x 12 inches, oil on canvas

$400

Click to buy

We've been getting a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box every two weeks, and it's fantastic! These ravishing radishes stole the show last time. Summer cooking has been great - in fact, all cooking has been great since quarantine. I haven't cooked this much in years, literally.

Almond Milk

"Almond Milk"

10 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

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Sometimes simple is best. :)

Pears en Rose

"Pears en Rose"

12 x 12 inches, oil on canvas

$450

Click to buy

I've been getting some painting in before I head to my next workshop, in Sacramento, CA. There are still a few spots open, at the fabulous Patris Studio and Gallery, if you know anyone in the area who'd love some Oil Painting Boot Camp! 

Boot Camp is a three-day workshop with an emphasis on loosening up your brushwork - and using a limited palette of three colors and white. Looking forward to it! More info here.

Political Pumpkins

"Political Pumpkins"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

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I didn't watch the debate, and only caught a few minutes of it on the radio, but when I saw this comment my painting got on Instagram, I looked up some images. Sure enough, this pair of pumpkins is evocative of our candidates - especially with Hillary in that white power suit! 

Though I feel bad for my orange pumpkin - he doesn't mean to be looming so ominously over his short, white friend. Don't worry, orange pumpkin, I won't do this to you.

Painting the Dynamic Still Life...in Shreveport!

"Green Apple Demo at Shreveport"

8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

sold

I just got back from a week in sunny Shreveport, Louisiana, teaching two fabulous still life workshops! The first was a group of new (to me) students, who spent three intense days delving into values, color, and brushwork, and made some amazing paintings.

We set up three colorful, communal still life tables, and gathered around. The students got to zoom in on the subjects that appealed to them. Some painted apples, some painted turnips. All got a chance to experiment with different colors and subjects throughout the weekend.

 In one of my favorite exercises, we limited the number of brushstrokes used to make a quick painting. Here's my demo: two lemons, in 25 strokes!

 It was an enthusiastic, talented, friendly, and fun group of artists! Grateful I got to paint with you all.

Look Who's Back...

...And it's about time! I didn't really intend to stay away so long, but life happens. Getting back into the studio has been a slow process, with the dreaded cold starts, and plenty of AA - that's Artist's Anxiety (...and yes, that's trademarked, but ok, you can use it!)

There is no slump-busting in my world that doesn't involve Figure painting - so here's my latest: 

"In Profile"

12 x 9 inches, oil on canvas

Available here

 Painted in approximately three hours, from a live model - and here's the proof:

Smile!

45-30-15: Cardio for your painting hand!

 

9 x 6"

oil on paper

45 minutes

 6 x 6"

oil on canvas

30 minutes

5 x 5"

oil on canvas

15 minutes

Today I did a test run of a painting exercise I read about recently. It's pretty straightforward - three quick paintings, done in 45, 30, and 15 minute time increments. I cheated and made my surface smaller each time too. It's so interesting to see how the paintings loosen up as the times decrease. Although it's rough, the third, 15 minute painting is by far the most successful.

Do you think you'd enjoy doing an exercise like this? If you decide to try it, send me a link!

"Makeup" oil painting still life daily painting

  

6 x 8"

oil on canvas

click to bid

I figured I'd better do something with this nailpolish, since the last time I wore any was two years ago. At the time, it felt quite momentous. I also have a very new-looking lipstick that didn't quite squeeze itself into this composition. Perhaps tomorrow, as I embark on a series of Valentine's-themed paintings....

"(Sketch for) Tahni" female figure painting nude woman girl original oil painting for sale on Etsy

  

9 x 12"

oil on canvas

$150 

available in my Etsy shop

Here is the preparatory sketch I did for the 18x24" piece I'm making this week, which you can see on the easel below. Isn't Gabriella's studio gorgeous? What you can't see is that the window on the left is actually a wall of six windows and the black cloth is covering up two more. Birds, squirrels, and, I'm told, a hawk frolic (and slay one another) in her backyard all day long. Bliss! 

 

 

It's beginning to look a lot like...Thanksgiving

 

"Poinsettia and Pomegranate"

11x14"

oil on canvas

$200

click to buy

How many people have you heard say "I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week" today? Well, make that one more, because I'm a bit incredulous myself. In fact, it kind of feels like we're about to skip straight to Christmas with all the holiday cheer in the air.

I haven't gotten into the studio this week, and Tuesday's figure painting night was a total bust (no pun intended, ok maybe a little one), so the painting I'm sharing today is actually from two years ago (speaking of time flying), but hey, it's a fave. And it's so not seasonally appropriate.

If you're in Eugene, or coming in for the holidays, you are in luck! I'm going to be all over this town for the next couple of weeks. The annual Maude Kerns Art Center member show opens tomorrow night (reception 6-8 pm, 11/16), and I gave The Eugene Weekly a few quotable lines in honor of the occasion. I got a sneak-preview of the show, and it's phenomenal, so even if you can't come out tomorrow, try to see it. This town has so many talented folks!

More on the rest of my upcoming adventures as an artist-about-town to come.

A screen shot teaser. Go here for the whole story!

"Plums and Asian Pears" fruit food art still life oil daily painting and color palette

 

6 x 6"

oil on canvas

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More of the lovely plums, alongside the lovely but basically inedible Asian pears. Below you can see my work-in-progress, about halfway done:

 ...And here is the finished piece with the palette I used right alongside. If you click on the image, you can see it bigger. This my basic go-to set of colors. Sometime I add in some extras - like the Pthalos - to spice it up, but for most subjects, this is it. And yep, that's a disposable paper palette. My fave.

"Still Life with Brown Eggs" art original oil daily painting for sale on ebay

 

8 x 10"

oil on canvas 

click to buy 

Ok, I admit that I had some lofty ideas about my goals for the year, back around new years time (four months ago!), like doing some shows in local coffee shops, attempting to break into the Portland gallery scene, etc. Well, so far this year, I've been putting a lot more effort into my distance running goals than my art-showing goals, but I did manage to get a piece accepted into the Emerald Art Center spring juried show, which opens tomorrow night. If anyone is out searching for some art to look at tomorrow around 5:30, come say hi!

"Still Life with Apple and Cheese" daily painting fruit art kitchen decor oil on canvas

 

5 x 7"

oil on canvas

click to buy

Dear Cheese, 

I really can't explain why this is the first time in four years of daily painting that I've chosen you as a subject. I believe that, perhaps, at a very deep level, I want to keep you all to myself.

xo, 

Sarah

Thanksgiving Painting Giveaway!

"Sprouted Onions"

6 x 8"

oil on canvas

Want to win this original oil painting? Simply leave a comment on this post! Tweet or Facebook the giveaway and get an extra entry - just mention that you did in your comment. I will randomly pick the winner a week from today - so that's Sunday November 21st. Please enter, and share with friends!
-Sarah  ❤

"Black and White Christmas" - a winter holiday still life oil painting on canvas

 8 x 10"
oil on 1.5" thick (gallery profile) stretched canvas
click to buy

This is not a "black and white" painting exactly - these were the colors of the still life I set up, believe it or not. I was challenging myself to capture the colors in the whites and grays, but it ended up coming out more like a value study. I LOVE white and silver as a Christmas decorating motif - they look really good together on a tree or wreath.

My Thanksgiving Painting Giveaway details are coming tomorrow!

Purple Tulips

6 x 8"
oil on canvas
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We are having an early spring in this part of the world - and I can prove it right here! Last year, these tulips from my mom's yard weren't up until the first week of April - see them in my painting from April 7th, 2009.

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I've got a $1 auction going on over at Ebay right now, and plenty of free shipping offers in the Etsy shop - so no excuse not to get an early start on your mother's day shopping - or your Easter decorating! And if you know someone who might like to check out my blog, please click on the little envelope icon at the bottom of the post to easily email them a link! Thanks.

Black Eyed Susan Bouquet

5 x 7"
oil on canvas on panel
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It's been dipping into the low 40's every night this week, and the remaining flowers in our garden are leaning over and losing their petals. There won't be many more of these Black Eyed Susans to pick before fall arrives in earnest.