Pomegranate and Lemons Still Life

Pomegranate and Lemons – 6" x 8" Oil on Canvas Panel SOLD

This is a variation on the previous still life I just completed. I still have the yellow-green-blue color palette going with the addition of the red pomegranate. In comparing the two paintings, I realize that the red resulted in the green background becoming less saturated and intense. It is amazing how a simple addition of a complementary feature can alter the scene.

Yellow - Green - Blue Still Life

Lemons with Bowl – 6" x 8" Oil on Canvas Panel SOLD

This is a new still life that I really enjoyed painting. I like the bright colors of the composition. I purposely set up an analogous color palette for this still life to see if I could create something interesting without relying on complementary colors

Thanks, Liz

Summer Tomatoes Still Life

Summer Tomatoes – 8” x 10” Oil on Canvas Panel SOLD

I completed this painting during the summer. It is a particular favorite of mine, as it symbolizes a strong step forward for me in understanding light and shadow and how to paint it. I am going through an early “spring cleaning of my tiny studio” or else I would not post it on Ebay.

I like the bright colors of the yellow squash in the background and the deep red of the tomatoes. The light areas of the tomatoes are generally darker than the dark areas of the squash; this is a subtle but very important distinction when trying to get the right value levels for the painting. Another aspect of this painting that makes me particularly proud, is the shadows of the tomatoes, they were really a rich violet, with blue-green reflected light. I love the lush color and the texture the painting has. I am really looking forward to summer again, as I am planning on planting a few tomato plants…

Standing Figure

Standing Figure – 6" x 8" Oil on Canvas Panel

This winter I am taking a figure painting class with Danni Dawson. She is a very talented and accomplished artist, here a link to her website: http://www.dannidawson.com/. This figure is a small painting I completed on my own in response to the class. I typically focus on still life paintings, though I am interested in the human figure and thought this class would be good for expanding my skills.

I like the warm tones of the lady’s skin and the cool neutral background. It is a quite, but still active pose; I think that is why I like it so much.

Pomegranate and Three Mandarin Oranges

Pomegranate and Three Mandarin Oranges – 6" x 8" Oil on Canvas Panel SOLD

Here is a study of a larger painting I am working on. I set up the Mandarin oranges and realized something was missing. The red of the pomegranate really helps reinforce the warm tones of the mandarins.

A Single Granny Smith Apple

Granny Smith Apple – 6” x 8” Oil on Canvas Panel SOLD

Here is a still life with a single Granny Smith apple. I really like how this apple had a small area of pink, for I think a distinguishing characteristic of Granny Smith apples is the solid electric green color of their skin.

The amazing variation that can be found in the same kind of fruit is sometimes mind boggling to me. So even within the same type of fruit one can perceive the significant differences if one is looking to distinguish the defining individual characteristics of each piece of fruit. I guess this can be said of everything in life, items grouped together are given general unifying attributes, but in singular form those that made the group are distinct and possess specific identifying characteristics that the individual alone has.

When working on a still life, I am able to enjoy this aspect of reality, perceive it, and depict it in the paintings. I believe this is what keeps drawing me back over and over again to this type of painting.

Thanks, Liz

Green Apples

Two Granny Smith Apples – 6" x 8" Oil on Canvas Panel SOLD

A few months ago, an artist I admire, Kurt Schwarz, made the assertion that artists should paint green apples as they are lighter and are more challenging to paint than red apples. With this in mind, I chose to purchase a few Granny Smith apples and see what he was talking about. I believe he is correct, in the past painted I have Macintosh and Gala apples however with this painting of apples and another to follow, I learned that green can be an elusive color to capture.

Giant Pumpkin with Granny Smith Apples

Pumpkin with Apples – 6" x 6" Oil on Masonite SOLD

I recently purchased this large pumpkin to paint, after I had painted an earlier painting with three different pumpkins. When I started contemplating how I would paint it I realized I wanted to impart a sense of scale to the pumpkin by pairing it with an easily identifiable object. I chose apples as most everybody are familiar with them and they also remind me of fall, just like pumpkins. So in a way this painting is also representative of Autumn. Painting on a gessoed masonite panel was also a first for me, I typically paint on canvas panels or stretched canvas. I like the different texture and the way the paint handles, if I keep it up, it will definitely improve my wet-in-wet painting skills.

Thanks, Liz

D'Anjou Pear Still Life

D’Anjou Pear – 6" x 8" Oil on Canvas Panel SOLD

This is a close up of a single D’Anjou pear that I had painted earlier (Three D’Anjou Pears). As of late, all of my paintings have been still lifes. I enjoy the stillness and quite of working inside during the winter months. However I have recently been fantasizing about getting out side again once spring comes around… With the cold wind and shorter days I am happy to while away the time inside, cozy for the time being.

Three Bosc Pears

Three Bosc Pears – 6” x 8” Oil on Canvas Panel SOLD

Pears are a special passion of mine. About a year ago I started painting pears, and Bosc pears were the most challenging for me to see, interpret, and then paint the varied muted colors of a Bosc pear. I like the subtly of their skin, a matte texture with a muted color tone. To liven up the scene I added a bright purple background and a strong diagonal light.

I hope you enjoy it.