September Sunflowers

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This was a BIG painting for me to paint en plein air - 20"x40". It took several sessions outside and then a little bit of tweaking in the studio. I was attracted to the different stages each flower was at: one just opened and others already well on their way to seed.

Sunflowers and Blue Bottle and Pears

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This is a painting I did a few weeks ago, and have been meaning to post. Creating a still life in plein aire and alla prima was a double challenge. I had to work quickly. I had to be precise about what I was seeing. I had to really look at the values. I find this all to be very rewarding because my primary purpose as an artist right now is to stay loose and painterly. Plein aire and alla prima sort of force that to happen. When I work this way, not every painting is a keeper. In fact, some are truly bad. The ones that work out, however, are very satisfying to me.

Sunflowers in Sunlight

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I love setting up a still life in direct sunlight and then, having a go at it. What a challenge! Perfect, however, for keeping me loose and painterly. Sunflowers are key to this plein aire adventure... they don't wilt in the sun and you usually can get a few days of painting out of one bouquet!

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!

Copper Pot of Sunflowers with Pears

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Since sunflowers last a long time, I decided to create a large painting of this still life.  It is 11"x14" - way bigger than my usual 6"x 6" -  and took two sessions to complete. The sunflowers held up nicely. Overall, they are a very forgiving flower to paint, unlike roses where one false stroke, and you might end up with a tulip on your hands... or canvas! Think I might be off to buy another bunch of these beauties tomorrow. Available as a note card.

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!

Sunflower Farm

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I went down to the harbor today to paint more boats, but it was way too windy. So, I made an about face and headed out to the farmland where I found this little cluster of charm -  beautiful white farm in the middle of the big bright blue with a great big tree, surrounded by sunflowers! Pinch me.

Roadside Sunflowers

All around my little village of Sag Harbor, are wide open fields that in the summer sprout the most loveliest of things such as these sunflowers. I painted this from a photograph that I took of the fields last summer. This coming summer I am plan to give it a go, plein aire.

Sisters and Sunflowers

    This is one of my first commissions. I remember how nervous I was driving to the client's home to take photos. My mind was racing with ideas of how to pose the girls. Sitting? Standing? Looking at the camera?  Each other? Still anticipating the shoot, I spied a flower stand on the side of the road.
  

   

     I pulled over and bought a bunch of sunflowers. Those flowers calmed me. They ended up working beautifully as a way to tie the girls together. They were a graceful touch to the finished painting. And now, any time I see sunflowers, I think about that day and smile.