Bottle and Pear

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I was lucky enough to take a still life workshop last week with artist Melissa Franklin Sanchez. She is classically trained and studied at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy, where she still lives. Sanchez shows at Grenning Gallery in Sag Harbor and this summer offered a workshop through The Hamptons Studio of Fine Art which is also in Sag Harbor. I have very little formal painting instruction and so was delighted to study with this wonderful artist and teacher. We used a very limited palette -  white, cad yellow, yellow ochre, cad red, English red, alizarin crimson, cobalt blue, and black. Sanchez stressed value, continually reminded us to squint and taught me a new way to soften my edges. I will try to demonstrate her technique in an upcoming post.

A Cool Pear

                                               
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I recently had a little exchange with plein aire artist Roos Schuring regarding her thoughts on still life painting. At this point in her career, she is fully invested and enthralled with the concept of painting out of doors, but at one time painted from photographs and studio set ups. I am breaking away from full reliance on photographs and I am just beginning to adventure outside. I asked her what aspects of still life study she thought would benefit my growth as a painter. She suggested I set up a still life in natural north light. So I did. She was so right! I have fallen in love with cool light... it is so elegant and quiet. Now that is a cool pear!

Oh Pear

                                           
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My husband never travels for work, but he was out of town this past week. That meant only one thing to me.... I could paint at night!! I have always loved the feeling that the track lighting gives to my kitchen at night. So, one night, with the house to myself, I set up in the kitchen and painted a pear. As part of my commitment to expanding my painting style, I was going for big strokes, pretty color, speed and I wanted it all alla prima! Loose and painterly are what I am longing for nowadays... and I quite like this effort.