Fortunate

"Fortunate"

12 x 12 inches, oil on canvas

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The fortune said "Pleasure awaits your company." :)

"Dark Gaze" A Zorn Palette Nude

 "Dark Gaze"

14 x 18 inches, oil on canvas

Available here

Summer is coming to an end, and Tuesday night figure painting sessions at Maude Kerns Art Center are back! Anyone can attend: 6-9 pm, drop-in fee of $11. We've got a great group of artists, and plenty of room for more. All media welcome.

A New Zorn Palette Portrait

 "Alexa"

9 x 12 inches, oil on canvas

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This was one of those paintings that practically fall off the brush. I especially enjoyed painting those eyes! I love how the subtle topography of her face demanded really controlled value shifts across the flesh tones. 

You can see a photo of the model with her portrait on Facebook.

A Treasure Trove

 

"Three Baby Eggplants"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

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I was wandering around my local Asian market last week - where I usually stick to the relatively recognizable soy sauce, noodles, and tofu - when I had a revelation: the produce aisle! It was a treasure trove, the perfect remedy for my midwinter apple-and-orange-painting malaise. 

These little beauties were labeled "Indian Eggplants," and were as delicious in stir-fry as they are to my eye. It's cold enough in my studio that some of them are still hanging around, posing. It's cold enough in my studio that my toes are looking a bit purple, too.

Brr!

"Asian Pears" fruit food kitchen wall art still life daily painting original oil

 

8 x 8"

oil on canvas

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No one in my family particularly likes to eat these little pears. They are a bit mealy and not very sweet. My mom has a tree that literally breaks itself every year overproducing them, though, so I thought I'd see if they'd make a nice painting, if not a nice snack.

"Kai" Female nude figure painting from life asian chinese woman fine art

11 x 14"

oil on canvas

NFS

I don't consider this my most "beautiful" figure painting, but I am pleased with many aspects of it, like the painterly/design-ey treatement of chair and the floor/background. In this painting, I tried to make every part of what you see on the canvas as important as everything else. I hope that's coming across. I "brought it all up" together, which is something I was taught to do in college, and something I teach my students now. Another way to say it is "Paint all around the painting." Someone should anthologize the language of art school. It would give linguists a laugh!

 

"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!

"The Kanji Vase"

 

8 x 10"

oil on canvas

I love this blue cloth against the oranges. Talk about your complements! Also, a word about the vase: I trash-picked it from the dumpster behind a local ceramics studio. A potter was throwing it out! What I was doing rummaging in their dumpster...um, nevermind.

And speaking of fun things to do in Eugene: if you're planning to come out for the Marathon on Sunday, keep your eyes peeled for Carol and I. We'll be running the Half!

"The Blue Scarf" nude female figure painting figurative art contemporary realism oil on canvas

 

11 x 14"

oil on canvas

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Here's my latest figure painting effort. Click on the image below to see it bigger - in-progress shots after each hour. Also, some behind-the-scenes action on Facebook.