Whining, Crying, and Painting the Nude

"Male Figure Study"

14 x 11 inches, oil on canvas

 Available

After a ridiculously long session break, Tuesday figure painting night at Maude Kerns is back! I painted this as an anatomical study, mixing my colors by value rather than the skin tones I actually observed, and not focusing on the head much at all. I even partially decapitated him just to show how much I don't care - a particularly good exercise for me, since I usually cry when I can't capture a facial likeness.

☺

A Burning Question

 "Leaning Lanterns (sketch)"

approx. 8 x 10 inches, oil on board

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I'm loving these Chinese Lanterns. They are, by far, the cream of my yard sale shopping crop this summer. I scored a TON of them, too.

See?

I'll be blowing this little sketch up into a larger painting, but what size canvas to use if I want to keep the same proportions? Once again, the internet has the answer to my burning question, and here it is:

Hope you're having a great day!

Milestones, Prizes, Birthdays, Weddings, and a Painting of Chinese Lanterns

 "Chinese Lanterns"

10 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

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It may be my birthday, but the gifts are all for you! First, a One Dollar Auction, and second, a HUGE thank you to everyone who has helped me get to 900 Likes on Facebook!

When we reach 1000, one lucky Liker will win a $100 gift certificate to my Etsy shop. To enter, all you need to do is share my Facebook event, or any of my posts about the giveaway. Thanks!

 I'm especially happy on this birthday because I put the finishing touches on not one, but two

 commissions this morning. I've also got a huge event to look forward to this weekend: my little sister is getting married! Matron of Honor, here I come!

The Plein Air Workshop That Wasn't

"Flowers in the Gallery"

18 x 14 inches, oil on canvas

Available

I taught my "Painting the Figure en Plein Air" workshop this past Saturday, at the Gallery at the Watershed. It was pouring, so instead of plein air, we did a lovely interior scene instead! If you're going to paint in Oregon, you have to prepare for rainy contingencies.

It was a great group, in a great space, with a great model. We also enjoyed the fabulous paintings by Angelita Surmon and Renee Manford. 

Here I am, demo-ing:

 

The Tale of Kanji

 

 "The Kanji Vase (Reworked)"

10 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

I painted this crazy drapeyness seventeen months ago. At the time, I was satisfied - I really liked that slippery turquoise cloth - but something was off. Fast forward a year or so, and "The Kanji Vase" escaped the Great Art Destruction Party of 2013 by the skin of its teeth. I suspected I could save it, but I'm not generally in the habit of working back into old paintings. Better to start fresh! Going randomly out-of-character, I attacked it one day, and voila: redemption.

Step inside...

...My new studio!

Early in the Morning

 "Composition with Peaches"

12 x 9 inches, oil on Arches oil paper

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I have been waking up before dawn - call it an autumn resolution - and spending my extra two hours either running or painting. This is not a new idea, but hey, it's new to me! I worked on these peaches over the course of two or three mornings this week, intending it to be a warmup before heading out to work on a commission I've been doing (more on that soon), but it turned out as more of a finished piece. I love how the oil paper can be create either a smooth or rougher effect depending on how much paint you slather on. I painted this one thinner in the background, and much thicker in the foreground. Thick paint always draws the eye.

Seeing Red

 

 "On the Red Table"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

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I think I love my new studio. What a relief! Especially because it would be awfully hard to take back my old one, already on its way to becoming a man-cave family room. Jesse wasted no time taking over that space! I didn't waste much time myself - there's no better way to settle in than to sling some paint, or, um, spray diet soda all over the room.

I didn't do it, for the record!

Today I started on a fabulous new commission, which I'll be sharing much more about soon!

An Homage to the Swedish Flag...

 "Blue and Yellow Stack"

10 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

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...Or maybe just an homage to the Ikea logo. I've had Ikea on the brain a lot lately, working on setting up my new studio. In fact, this is the last painting made in my old studio. I'm ready to take a deep breath and dive into my new space. I feel like I should ceremonially break a bottle on the (as yet non-existant) doorframe. Maybe I'll just shake up a can of soda and spray it around a little.

Maybe. 

Anyway, if you happen to be near the aforementioned Swedish mega-mart, could you pick me up a carload of shelving and some lingonberries? Thanks.

Mellow Yellow

 "Yellow Tea Party"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

$200

Available here

We are busily working on my new studio - also known as our useless third garage bay - and all the studio (wall) painting has been getting in the way of my studio (canvas) painting. It's for a good cause, though, and I should be moving in very soon!

Meanwhile, here's a dose of yellow to get you ready for fall colors, also coming soon...