Change and Experimentation

 "Two Oranges (Blue Scrap)"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

Click to bid in the online auction!

The last of my 8x8 orange paintings from Playa, and the only piece I made there that I'll be auctioning online. 

It felt good to have familiar subject matter to fall back on during my first week at the residency - in an unfamiliar studio, in an unfamiliar landscape...an unfamiliar landscape with schizophrenic weather, I might add! One morning, I wake up to a rainbow, the next, SNOW! These pictures were taken from the same spot - I was just reluctant to venture all the way out to the railing to take the second one. Can you blame me? (By the way, both shots were taken between 7 and 8 am.)

With nature in such a blatantly experimental mood, I felt inspired to try some new things myself. Here's a pencil sketch on Arches oil paper that I painted over - from memory. It's amazing how having the sketch underneath helped my recall of color details, even with the still life itself dismantled. 

I did spray-fix the graphite before painting on top. 

"Playa Vessels"

6 x 12 inches, graphite and oil paint on Arches oil paper

collection of the artist ;)

"White Object, Lemons" Still Life, Work-In-Progress, and Black-and-White Sketch!

 "White Object, Lemons"

12 x 24 inches, oil on canvas

Available here

It's been a while since I painted this little plate, let's see - can I find any examples from the past to show you? Yes!

It's hand-painted, which makes reproducing the design with my own hands so much more enjoyable. At one point I actually forgot I was painting on canvas. I felt like I was painting a plate myself! This twisting floral style is common to decorative pottery made in Jerusalem, where my mother bought it in 1979 - when she was pregnant with me! Can't say I remember much about the trip.

Here's a progression. I didn't tone the canvas for this one, instead letting the underpainting create its own tone. The color is a neutral orange I had left over on my palette - probably a mix of alizarin, cad yellow, cad red, ultramarine blue.....you know, all the primaries. As long as there's no white in the mix, it works.

...And my black and white sketch. I love love love making these. If you're going to use Arches oil paper, I recommend brushing a thin layer of Gamsol (or your OMS of choice) onto the surface before beginning. Although this does tend to make the finished product dry at a snail's pace, it helps with the absorbent/chalky feel of the surface I've heard myself some artists complain about.

"White Object, Lemons (sketch)"

8 x 11.5" oil on Arches oil paper

click to bid

Orange Light...And a video!

 "Orange Light"

9 x 8 inches, oil on Arches oil paper

$75

Available here

I've been enjoying taking these little time-lapse videos of myself while painting. I just prop my phone up, hit record, and forget about it. I'm not sure how long I painted in real time to get this 30 second video...and apparently, this will remain a mystery.

According to MacWorld: "We found that recording for a long time doesn't make for a significantly longer video. You will find that most time-lapse video recordings play back in 20 to 40 seconds, regardless of how long you recorded for."

The Sarah Bowl

 "The Sarah Bowl"

9.5 x 9 inches, oil on Arches oil paper

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I don't actually eat out of this bowl anymore, but as you can see, it's gotten its share of use over the years. It's as old as I am, after all! It was a baby present to my parents....36 years ago. Every time I paint it, I think about the artist who painted the letters on the bowl - and wonder which is more nerve-wracking - painting letters on pottery or painting letters onto wet paint. At least I have the advantage of being able to scrape off and redo - or leave the letters out altogether.

I have a new workshop coming up this weekend, in Eugene, at Oregon Art Supply. Intro to Oil Painting - a great way to start off your artistic year. All levels are welcome - whether you're totally new to oils or returning after a break. Ages 15 and up. It's going to be fun! Details here.

Fruits of the Season

"Fruits of the Season"

9 x 12 inches, oil on Arches oil paper
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 A dark pomegranate painting for a dark time of year. I used the same black-as-blue palette as my previous post, which I'm sure is contributing to the dense, velvety feeling here.

A Trio of Pears....A $1 Auction!

 

"A Trio of Pears (no.1)"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

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 A colorful little pear painting. No. 2 coming tomorrow!

Onward with the Auctions!

"Pretty in Pink"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

$1 Auction

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An oldie-but-goodie from what I kinda think of as my "reflective glass surface" period. I guess it was spring 2012? I was really into placing my still life setups on these large pieces of glass. Before and since, I've had other obsessions periods: colored bottles, skulls, colored papers....Chinese lanterns....

You can check out all of this week's $1 Auctions here!

The Little Violin: A $1 Auction

 "The Little Violin"

5 x 9 inches, oil on Arches oil paper
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Painting, Out and About

  "Three Bottles (sketch)" 

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

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Woah, this post is a throwback. I did just resist the urge to #hashtag that, by the way. Being behind on posting is not a bad thing, really -  more work than time to blog is a problem I'm never unhappy to have!

 Two weeks ago, I was whiling away a lovely Saturday, painting at the Gallery at the Watershed, and chatting with some lovely people. I even got drawn, myself, by a young artist who brought a sketchbook to my demo. Loved that! 

 

The above is my sketch from the day, which I actually painted after the larger piece below. There's nothing like being warmed up! (I seem to say that a lot these days.) 

 

"Three Bottles, at the Gallery"

8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

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Tulips through time

"Tulips in Silver"

12 x 9 inches, oil on canvas

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Tulips, as every flower painter knows, need to be painted fast. Under strong light, they move and open! It's like a slow dance. I've been painting these red and white beauties for years - they grow in my mom's yard (along with almost everything else I paint during the warmer months). Here are the same tulips from two years ago, from four years ago, and even from six years ago. 

 Do any of those look familiar? How long have you been with me, dear reader?

Pretty Larceny

 "Early Camellias"

approx. 12 x 9 inches, oil on Arches oil paper

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The scissors in my glove compartment strike again! This beautiful Camellia bush lives on the front lawn of a real estate office downtown - conveniently located along my morning drop-off-the-people route. I'm sure the friendly realtors would be happy to know they'd donated some excess bloomage to the cause of Art. Not that I'm telling them or anything. 

One Dollar Auction Week: Now, with Persimmons!

 "Early Persimmon"

6 x 8.5 inches, oil on paper
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 The persimmon tree in my mother's yard is a step ahead of the seasons this year - loaded with almost-ripe fruit, and it's not even Halloween yet. I'll be clambering onto her garage roof to pick more as they ripen (because I love to live dangerously), but I've already got a huge bowl in my studio just waiting for their chance to be my subjects!

Here's a peek at how I began this little painting. That's a wash of Burnt Sienna, and a shot of my start. You can sort of see my underdrawing in Alizarin Crimson, and plenty of evidence that I don't paint from background to foreground. My instant-gratification junkie just has to paint the fun part first!

An oil painting on paper should be matted and framed under glass. Even though the Arches Oil paper I use is archival, and should stand up well over time, it's not a surface you'd want to be dusting or touching for any reason. Here's how it would look framed:

One Dollar Auction Week!

 "Fall Fruit Bowl"

6 x 6 inches, oil on canvas

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Fall greetings, friends and readers! Around our house the pumpkins are carved, certain silly decorations have emerged from storage, the leaves are gorgeous, and my four-year-old has her fairy princess costume all set to go. And in my studio, a week of $1 auctions begins today! Bring a truly unique gift to surprise your host at Thanksgiving dinner, spruce up your dining room for the feast, or get a jump on your Christmas shopping. Now is the time!

 "Fall Lineup"

6 x 6 inches, oil on canvas

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You can check in on my DPW page for each day's $1 offering. And tell your friends! Thanks for bidding.

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.

Grease and Getting Serious

"Three Pink Ladies"

oil on Arches oil paper, 9 x 7 inches. Image size 8.5 x 6.5 inches

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 ...And three more Pink Ladies, because I couldn't resist:

What child of the 80's did not watch this movie a thousand times? I wonder if my daughter will get it at all when her time comes. 'Where are their cell phones, mommy?' I can hear it now...

My waxing nostalgic aside, I have a serious topic to broach today: the price of art. Now that I'm placing my work in galleries, it's been pointed out to me that my internet-friendly prices are no longer appropriate. Yes, paintings are selling, but collectors are wondering why my prices are so low - what's wrong with the work?

In advertising, sales, and the art world, numbers and the image they convey matter. 

So yes, there will still be internet-exclusive deals, Etsy shop coupon codes, and one-dollar auctions promoted here and on my Facebook page, but my prices will be changing as of July 1st. 

If you have some advice or a comment about pricing, selling, or the awesomeness of Grease, don't hesitate to leave it below!

Sickness, Sketches, and a Windfall

 

"Spring Snowballs/ sketch"

6 x 6 inches, oil on canvas

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In the past, I admit, I've been a thief. But these were given to me, wholeheartedly, by a friend who sympathizes with my seasonal-bloom-painting obsession. You know who you are, and thanks! That said, I have had precious little time to do them justice this week, as my daughter has been down with a high fever and so I've been on juice, crackers, and book-reading duty for the past few days. The snuggles are precious, but so is my studio time. Hence, only a sketch, and a windfall for Sedwick collectors everywhere! Bid away....