Pitcher of Peonies

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I loved the abstracted, sort of frenetic way these peonies, stems and leaves arranged themselves in the pitcher. I say, "arranged themselves," because in truth, that's what happened. No matter how hard I tried to get them to conform and sit neatly in the glass, they just kept falling out in disarray. In the end, the negative space between the blooms and leaves brought a complimentary looseness to the tightly painted turquoise pitcher. This work is on view the Grenning Gallery at until mid-January.

Magnolia Blossom

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Reflection and light and form and color... painting ... the quest to capture the beautiful. 'Magnolia Blossom' is currently on display at The Grenning Gallery, in Sag Harbor, NY until mid-January.

Rocks and Reflections

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I started this painting at high tide, but as you can see, by the time I finished it was low. This is a new way to gauge how long I've been out painting!

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.

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!

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!