Kitchen Basics

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My dad recently sold his house. I ended up with lots and lots of stuff, including an electric mixer, which became the centerpiece and inspiration for this still life. It is most complicated composition to date.

Potato Leek Soup

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I am attempting to "complicate" my compositions. In this case, I chose to add dimension with a dark background and draped white cloths in the foreground. The cutting board extends off the table introducing another space -  one in front of the table. The elements in this still life are at different levels, notice the raised bread and tilted pot of potatoes and the interesting patterns of shadows and reflections. Finally, the colorful subjects are crowded together in the top third of the canvas while the other two thirds remain uncluttered with large shapes and subtle color and value changes.

Making Applesauce

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I have been using the internet with sites like Pinterest to look at lots and lots of artwork by a diverse body of artists, young and old, well-known and unknown. It seems I am drawn to a specific style, manner of execution and subject matter over the course of all this work. As a painter myself, I am trying to figure out what it is exactly that makes the paintings I deem "great" or "beautiful," great and beautiful. I have noticed that for one thing, many have very dark backgrounds which is something I would not have thought to do. I tried it here and I like it. I also notice that table lines are often broken up. I did that here, too, with the napkins and mason jars. It worked out nicely, in my humble opinion. It is good to finally be able to "see" what I am seeing.

Silverware Study

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This is a little study of the knife and fork I ultimately placed in the painting, 'Pottery and Silver' posted last week. I don't paint silverware very often and find it a bit daunting. Figuring a little practice might help, I put the bigger painting, 'Pottery and Silver,' on "hold" while I made this little study. It holds true again, "practice makes perfect" - or at least less imperfect!

Pottery and Silver

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This was painted with north light coming from directly above the still life arrangement and day light coming straight at it. These dual light sources combined with the surfaces of pottery, glass and silver made for a feast of reflections, transparencies and highlights - challenging and fun.

Soup Fixings

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The inspiration for this painting started with the white metal pot. Love it. Found it at a dilapidated antique shop on the north fork of Long Island and couldn't wait to get it into a still life painting. Getting the different textures - the sheen on the pot, the dusty skin of the potatoes, crispiness of the carrots and so on, was the ultimate challenge here.

Breakfast of Champions

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I always wanted to paint a banana. The trouble was that in a bunch it was too much yellow for me. A single one, peeled on a plate, just didn't sit right. Then I saw the work of Brian Busch and what he did with a banana, and my problem was solved.

Scallions

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I think it was important that I indicated the table in the upper right corner of this painting. Otherwise, the plate and scallions would have appeared to be floating. I loved painting all the different greens in the stems and found getting the glossy sheen on the ends of the scallions, equally absorbing.

Plated Fish

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So, the fish made it through a night in my freezer and was ready for another full day of modeling. It is amazing to me that the same fish, the same plate, the same artist could create two such different paintings only a day apart. Compared with the painting I posted yesterday, this painting is cooler in temperature and more raw in nature. I intended none of it. That's what makes painting so exciting for me; this element of mystery. It is always bigger and stronger than my plans... and that's a good thing.

Fish and Lemons

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I love painting fish! It is a treat right from the start; heading to the market and making my selection based on the color and shimmer of the scales. Then there's the still life setup; plating the little guy and surrounding him with colorful condiments. Of course, the actually painting process is the ultimate; trying to capture the glistening, soft belly and rendering the eye without making it look like the fish is giving you the "stink eye!" Finally, I think I always form a special little bond with my fish.  This one was gently placed in the freezer when the painting was complete. I am trying to get two days out of him. More of this fish tale in tomorrow's post!

Kelly's Carnations and Fruit

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I was lucky enough to "win" the centerpiece at my friend Kelly's baby shower. The bouquet of pink carnations came wrapped with pink and blue ribbons. For this still life, I removed the blue ribbon. Yes, it could be that the blue ribbon just didn't work in the composition, or....  it could be that I think she's having a little girl!!  ;)

Pink Carnations and Fruit

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I was so happy with my still life setup from yesterday, that I decided to add to it, and go a bit larger. Usually I work pretty small, on 6 x6 inch panels. It was nice to have a little extra "elbow room" today. This is an 8 x 10 inch !

Little Green Apples with Ribbon

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My focus here was composition and color. Regarding composition, I wanted the ribbon to draw attention up to the apples and then around the rest of the painting.  The pink of the flowers peeking in from above literally brings it full circle. Oh, and the greens... lots of fun making some warm and keeping others cool. Happy Valentine's Day.

Green Apple Stacked

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I love clean color. I love reflected color. I love color that bounces and moves your eye around the piece.   I love color that captures temperature. I love color that pops and sings. Hooray!

Orange Slices

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I had so much fun with this one. It amazed me to observe how those oranges literally changed color in response to the colors I put around them in the reflections, the background and the foreground. It only underscores the importance of setting the color, saturation and temperature of the painting's focal point first and then moving on to painting other aspects of the piece in support of those initial choices.  Otherwise, you can just chase your tail!

Large Ceramic Pot with Sunflowers

I have been attempting to create two paintings from the same still life setup. I usually start with a smaller panel, 6"x6" and then go a bit bigger for the second painting, 8"x8". Here is the second, larger painting from the kitchen setup I did yesterday. You would think that because I worked out the colors and light and values in the smaller version, this one would almost paint itself. Not so much!  ;)

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Sunflowers in Ceramic Pot

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I find painting still life in natural light to be so challenging. A setup on my kitchen table is especially difficult as there are two sources of light. One window lets in warm sunlight while the the other lets in cool north light. As the day progresses, and the sun moves around the house, that north light window eventually is warm with sunlight. Add in that the sun is basically down by 4 pm and I am literally racing with the clock. Ultimately, as I chase the sun, putting cool light down over an underlayment of warm, a wonderful vibration of color starts to happen. That is what I love the most and while challenging, painting still life in natural light is oh so worth it!

Sunflowers and Pears

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There is a wonderful little farm stand just down the road from my house. The other day in the pouring rain, I pulled over, ran in and grabbed up this bouquet of sunflowers. "Oh, won't these brighten up your house on such a gloomy day," said the owner as she wrapped them up. Little did she know what I was really going to do with them when I got home!

Half Measures

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This painting was as much about space and atmosphere and emptiness as it was about the the apples and the rose. I am loving the pursuit of these invisible entities and sensitivities in my paintings.

Tea Party

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 For the record, the title is not a political statement of any sort. It being election day, I just couldn't resist.