A Simple Pear

Bartlett Pear 6” x 8” Oil on Canvas Panel Sold

I enjoy painting pears because of their seemingly simple shape, however once light is shining on one and I start to draw/paint a pear, it a whole other experience. My objective is to convincingly depict the pear in an interesting manner, while also effectively capturing the form.

It is with this type of painting that I also play with color. For this still life, I used a predominately complementary color palette, with the yellow tones of the pear playing off the purple shades of the background.

I hope you enjoy the painting.

Still Life of Heirloom Tomato

Heirloom Tomato 6” x 8” Oil on Canvas Panel

This is a simple image of a summertime pleasure, fresh garden tomatoes… Growing fresh tomatoes provides wonderful culinary opportunities. I love homemade salsa, or sun-warmed tomatoes freshly picked from the garden…

I hope you enjoy this painting and the fun and bright memories that can arise from having a summer garden and vegetable patch.

If you are interested in purchasing this painting, please email me.

Thanks for visiting, Liz

Another Portrait

Girl in Fuchsia 16” x 20” Oil on Canvas

I tend to focus most of my painting time on landscapes and still life, as I find them to be a distinct and fun challenge; however I do spend some of my precious painting time working from models and improving my ability to capture the human form in a beautiful and convincing manner. I enjoy working from life and painting the model in front of me, I feel as the hours go by I learn to understand and know the person as an individual.

Yellow Irises

Yellow Irises 6” x 8” Oil on Canvas Panel

This painting was completed at the National Horiticultural Society Headquarters on the Potomac River south of Washington, DC. The NHS site is a plein air painter’s paradise. With each season the gardens have beautiful plantings in bloom and there is always something new to be seen. I painted this painting in April when the irises were in bloom, in reality there was a brick path behind the irises, however I choose to push the background more towards violet/purple to bring out the vibrancy of the yellow in the flower petals.

I hope you enjoy this image of nature and the beauty of a delicate flower as much as I do.

This painting is for sale $85.00, if you are interested please send me an email.

Thanks for visiting, Liz

Bright Summer Produce Still Life

Summer Produce 8” x 10” Oil on Canvas Panel

The bright colors of summer vegetables are always a treat to paint. I had a lot of fun working on this painting, playing off the deep gray background with the vibrant colors of the yellow squash and cool green bell peppers. While the reds and oranges emphasized the warmth of the season.

This painting is for sale, if you are interested in purchasing it please email me with inquiries.

Thank you, Liz

Still Life with Orange

A Single Orange 9” x 12” Oil on Canvas

Sometimes I believe it is the everyday items that make art so pleasurable. By taking the time to focus on how light hits and is reflected on a specific item, like this orange, one is able to slow down just a little and grow in understanding. I liked painting this orange because it helped me better appreciate what an orange is, how the different parts of the orange combine to make it a single piece of fruit. When given an opportunity to paint the parts – the tough opaque rind, the soft doughy white of the pith, and the vibrant color and translucency of the fruit – a greater appreciation of the fruit becomes a new part of my life.

I believe this is what art and painting are for me, by increasing my observation of one thing, I have effectively expanded my life and the experiences I am likely to have in the future.

Mackintosh Apple Still Life

Mackintosh Apple 6” x 8” Oil on Canvas

Painting apples is a wonderful experience, especially Mackintosh apples as they have complementary hues of red and green. When I painted this apple I was practicing my wet-in-wet paint handling, so all areas that are red and all that are green were initially painted with the opposite color on the color wheel. I then worked to apply the oil paint so that I could achieve the actual color without turning the painting into a gray mess. (This can occur when you mix complement colors into each other too much).

Drapery is also another area of focus I am working on. I have been practicing different setups that include folds and creases in my still lifes. This painting is full of dynamic movement that can occur with drapery.

French Bread Still Life

French Bread 6" x 8" Oil on Canvas

I enjoy painting still life subjects. Still lifes have been a particular interest of mine for several months, I try to paint whatever is in front of me in the most thoughtful manner. I enjoy painting the everyday items.

Plein Air

Asian Pine 8” x 10” Oil on Canvas Panel

I sometimes will go outside and paint in nature, this is painting en plein air. I so enjoy it, the challenge of capturing the changing quality of light on the canvas in front of me, the affect of the breeze on my brow, and even the buzz of insects is not discordant to my ear. I am an architect by profession, thus have a desk job that tends to keep me indoors a lot of the time. Plein air painting gives me an opportunity to do what I love (painting) and to enjoy the outdoors.

In the DC area there are so many different types of trees, I love to look at them and draw them. The variety of pine trees and the shapes they take are delightful and picturesque. I am looking forward to autumn arriving so I may attempt to capture the trees as they change color and announce the advent of the colder months.

Still Life with Eggs

Still Live with Eggs 9” x 12” Oil on Canvas

Eggs are a classic still life item. I like the simplicity of their form and the challenge of making them feel like they take up space.