The Life of an Artist
8 x 10"
This is the third time I've painted this orchid - and each painting has been done during a different bloom cycle. This plant blooms about once a year, and the flowers last 4-6 months, so I've had lots of time to contemplate/procrastinate the painting each time. This year, it looks like I'm only going to get about five flowers...guess it's time to fertilize!
I worked on this painting over the course of three days. One thing I tried to focus on was maintaining the slight color difference between the cloth and the background - not easy when you've got a palette covered in nothing but murky blue-grey shades of paint! This particular piece of fabric used to be a very polyester sham pillowcase, but since I rescued it from Goodwill, it will now have an entirely new, and far less tacky existence - minus its formerly frilly border.
5 x 7"
I'm getting addicted to these $1 auctions. What can I say? I love putting paintings in the mailbox.
11 x 14"
I haven't gotten a chance to paint very much the past few days, but I got my taxes done, took Eleanor swimming for the first time, cooked, got some exercise...all in all, not a bad week.
5 x 7"
This is a view of part of my studio at night - you can even see a very small self portrait in the mirror!
6 x 6"
Ah, it's been awhile since I've painted this teapot, and I don't think I'll ever get tired of it! Every time I paint it, it seems to come out looking a little bit different - and I like the dark, lavendar-ey mood it's evoking in this panting. Most of the colors I used to paint this "brown" teapot are actually what I would consider purples, except for the darkest darks, and a few highlighted areas where I rubbed the paint away to reveal the burnt sienna undertone.
6 x 6"
I mentioned intimidating subject matter a couple of days ago, and I find myself returning to that idea today. I've seen other artists tackle onions, and always thought they would be too hard to try, but it's important to remember that no matter what you are painting, all the information you need to succeed is right there, in the still life. Just allowing yourself to SEE it, instead of looking too much at your painting is the key. When I'm really in the 'zone,' I'm more of a brain and a pair of eyes than a body with a hand holding a paint brush. Sometimes after a period of really intense observation, my arms will even feel a little bit numb.
6 x 6"
I had a lot of fun with the half-lemon seen through the glass. It's like a mini-abstract painting within a realistic painting, yet somehow our brains put it together so that it makes sense: "Oh yeah, that's a lemon inside of a green glass vase!" Of course it is.
8 x 10"
I'm really enjoying painting the dramatic shadows and highlights that come with painting at night, by artificial light. My backgrounds, and so-called negative space are becoming almost the most fun part of the painting for me! Almost, but still nothing can compete with my love of lemons. Enjoy the Superbowl, everyone!
6 x 6"
My friend and fellow painter Gabriella has a really nice studio in the neighborhood where we both live. A couple of weeks ago, I spent a Saturday afternoon painting with her - and realized that I hadn't actually painted with anyone else since art school days. I'm excited to be painting with her again tomorrow - and in honor of my happy mood, I'm starting this little painting at $1 on ebay, just for fun.
5 x 7"
I finally ate one of these, and it was a flavor explosion. Like a little vitamin C bomb going off in my mouth. I have a very squirmy baby on my lap right now, so that's all I'm going to say today!
5 x 7"
My mom has been coming over after work a few times a week to watch Eleanor while I paint. This arrangement seems to suit everyone just fine - Eleanor loves it, my mom loves hanging with her granddaughter, and it's good for me to be back in the studio, even for just a couple hours a day. Thanks, mom - oh, and thanks for the asparagus, too!
6 x 6"
When painting an avocado from life, you really have to work fast or those lovely bright yellows start to fade more toward yellow ocher, and worse. Rubbing lemon juice on the avocado will stop that from happening, but for once, I didn't have any lemons around. Which is probably why this avocado got painted in the first place! Go figure.
5 x 7"
This green vase was actually the first member of my colored-glass still-life-object collection. I have a bookshelf in my studio, and since, after three moves in the past three years, I hardly have any books left - most of it is taken up with painting 'props'. Someday I'll post a picture of the menagerie.
6 x 6"
I finally made it to my local "fancy" grocery store on Friday, to stock up on various pantry staples from their amazing bulk foods section. When I stumbled across a bin of these beauties, I knew I had to bring some home. Don't know what they taste like yet, but I'll probably find out after another painting or two!
8 x 10"
Wine touring and tasting are a big thing in the Willamette valley. There are at least half a dozen really good wineries within a (totally scenic) half hour's drive of our house, and we try to take advantage of it as often as possible. For Christmas, Jesse got me a club membership to my favorite local winery, Silvan Ridge. These are two of the bottles from our first shipment.
It's been a while since I painted on a smooth gessoed panel, and not on canvas. I've gotten really comfortable with canvas over the past year, but there's nothing like an ultra-smooth surface for capturing the texture of glass and metal objects.
8 x 10"
This pink is getting me in a Valentine's day mood! Bring on February. As my mom recently reminded me, we start getting daffodils here next month, so - something to look forward to, painting-wise! I don't have any daffodils in my yard, so I will probably be relying on donations, but there shouldn't be any shortage. Hey, it's for a good cause!
8 x 10"
Most of my paintings over the past year have been done using the wall of my studio as the background for the still life. Consequently, many of them have a greyish cast. In the future, I'm going to be using some different colored backgrounds, just to spice things up a bit!
First of all, I'd like to wish everyone reading this a very belated Happy New Year! Welcome back to my studio blog. My lovely daughter Eleanor is now closing in on six months old, and we are absolutely delighted to have her in our lives.
