Golden Sun Flowers

 

I never get tired of painting sun flowers.  There is something about them that keeps me coming back.  Perhaps it is that they have been the subject of so many great artists before me.  I totally "get" their attraction to the subject, great shapes, great colors, great meaning to people.  Here is my latest sun flower painting entitled Golden Sun Flowers 24x18 oil.

 

 

Progression of a Still-life

 

 

Here is a new 20x16 oil painting still-life, so new it is untitled.  I attempted to shoot photos of the painting at different points of completion.  It offers a look at how I work.  I generally map in the design.  Then I add my middle tones, then my darks and then my lights.  I like the idea of a progression to show how I work.  Perhaps in the future I will attempt this with a better camera or perhaps a time lapse, but for now this will have to due.

Working Title: "Cut Flowers and Oranges"

 

I always have such trouble coming up with the titles of my paintings.  I always want the painting to stand alone and not need a title to complete it.  So often with still-life the name will be the objects that are in the painting.  In this case I'm going with "Cut Flowers and Oranges" but there is a voice in my head that I may have used that title in the past.  Perhaps that is the stumbling block with representational art in general, why must we be literal when after all we are not painting things we are painting the way the "things" feel or how the things make us feel.  Perhaps I should really call this one "Happy to be Alive Painting Flowers Today".

Seaside Morning

Seaside Morning 11"x14" oil

 

It is amazing the vibrancy of life living by the sea and enjoying the sun dancing around with the sea breezes.  I always want my paintings to be visually interesting to look at.  I want to the viewer to come into the painting and move around, engage with it.  I also want to convey that moment of beauty or place or good.  I think this piece does both.  It pulls you in as you move around the subject and it also captures that moment of peace, beginning, sun etc.  Nothing is still about nature and most still life's painted very still...but in the moment many still life's are life, vibrant and changing.  

Sun Flowers and Oranges

 

Some subjects practically paint themselves and the subject is so commonly beloved and related to that you can set yourself free of the details.  It is very fun to cut loose and a still life such as this.  Please let me know what you think of this 20x16 oil.

Dutch Treat 40"x30" oil

While visiting Amsterdam I took a lot of reference photos at the Kokenhoff Gardens.  Yes I do paint some still-lifes from photos.  This bouquet was so big and colorful I had to paint it.  I hope you like it.

Sunflowers in Blue Pot

Jennifer's birthday flowers inspired the latest still-life. I love the colors of nature and all of the abstract areas withing the overall painting. Look closely and it is like a thousand small abstracts. The move has helped me to shake things up as well as go back to my roots and hold close the things that matter. When I am painting the only worry is the painting itself everything else dissappears.

Charity begins at the studio...

I am asked periodically to donate paintings to charity and sometimes I do. This year I donated a piece to the Western Heritage Museum in Cheyenne,WY. I also donated a piece, as I do annually, to the Bradford School auction. The Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design approached me about painting a canvas for their upcoming auction. I became acquainted with the school during my last show on the campus at the Steele Gallery. It is an excellent art school and I felt honored to have a show there as well as honored to be asked to paint a canvas for there auction. I painted one of my favorite subjects a partially peeled orange. The 3rd annual Art Bash is December 6th and the funds go to the scholarship fund. These auctions are a great way to get a painting (sometimes at a significant discount) and at the same time donate to charity.