Current news...

Still Life with Tulips and Apple - SOLD
{8" x 10" (20.3 x 25.4 cm) – Oil on Canvas}

Last year after being part of the Non-member Salmagundi Club Juried Exhibition, I was invited to become a member of the Salmagundi Club. I was honored by the invitation and applied, after waiting for several months I received notice that I had been voted in! This painting is my first submission to be included into one of the many member shows held at the club, the 2nd Annual Sylvia Glesmann Floral Exhibition. The show will be open until March 30th, gallery is open to the public daily from 1pm to 5pm (Sun-Sat) and is located at Forty-Seven Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003.

And this painting is part of the Spring Auctions held to support the Salmagundi Club.

Still Life with Peaches and Bowl - SOLD
{8" x 10" (20.3 x 25.4 cm) – Oil on Canvas}

For more information about the auction, please click here.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Another bit of news I have been sitting on is personal...

Lately I have also been a bit distracted searching out items like these...

baby girl slippers...

baby bibs...

cute baby shoes...

This is because I am expecting a little girl in late summer!

My plan is to keep painting and creating everyday, however some aspects of my schedule may change and adapt as the pregnancy moves forward.

Tulips and Bowl {a new painting}

Still Life with Tulips and a Bowl
{8" x 10" (20.3 x 25.4 cm) – Oil on Canvas}

Hello,

After working on the smaller scaled tulip paintings I decided to jump up to an 8x10 inch size. For the time being I have decided to work on smaller format paintings {last year my goal was to get comfortable with 16x20 and larger canvases}, staying smaller helps the process go faster, thus increasing the opportunities to practice completing paintings.

This painting was completed over three sessions. On the first day I worked mainly in blocking in the composition and then focused on getting the tulip flowers painted. I knew they would change rapidly and wanted to complete as much as possible from life. I also did take a photo of the setup that first session so I could have a record of how the stem and leaves looked on the first day. Typically when I take a photo I do so for recording the shape of things as I print the photo out in black and white on my laser printer. I prefer working from life and using the colors I see in front of me, as the eye can see and interpret color better than a photograph can.

On the second day I worked on flushing out the leaves and stems and laid in the first layers of the bowl. The bowl required a series of steps, I used opaque paints initially and then used thick glazes of blues to lay in the pattern of the bowl. Because of the high quantity of linseed oil in the glazes, the painting had to sit and dry for a few days before I could come back and complete the finishing touches.

For the last session, I mainly used glazes to add a final layer to the bowl giving it a greater depth and dimension, and in areas on the tulips either opaque highlights were added for extra oomph or glazes were washed over the flowers to unify the shape of the flowers.

Pears, Bottle, and Bowl {a new still life painting}

Still Life with Forelle Pears, Bottle, and Bowl – 8" x 10" (20.3 x 25 cm) – Oil on Canvas
Please click here for a larger view and purchase information.

I am a little behind on posting these paintings. It seems like I am late in getting a lot done lately... the run up to Labor Day weekend always is full of loose ends and this summer is no different.

Tomorrow I am headed back to the NGA and will share my progress with you soon :)

Thanks for stopping by, Liz

Peaches, Bowl, & Bottle {a new still life painting}

Still Life with Peaches, Bowl, and Bottle – 8" x 10" (20.3 x 25 cm) – Oil on Canvas

Please click here for a larger view and purchase information.

Hello Friends,

Now that I am back from NYC my focus is on completing several 8x10 inch still life paintings for an upcoming show in Suffolk, VA. This is the first one I am happy with. I had already completed three paintings, only to re-assess them late last week and concluding that I needed to start over.

The time away from the studio and seeing great art in NYC helped give me a sense of direction for this upcoming show. August is going to be a busy month!

Thanks for stopping by and reading :) Liz

Two Green Pears {a new still life}

On Peggy’s Hutch – 8" x 10" (20.3 x 25 cm) – Oil Canvas Panel

Hello~

This past weekend was spent in Monterey, VA at my friend Peggy’s house. We were four artists all inspired to spend the time exploring, chatting, playing cards and painting. It was a magnificent time and I feel very fortunate to have been included.

Over the weekend I met for the first time the very talented Tricia Ratliff. She is another career changer that has recently decided to pursue art full time. It was so special to meet in person someone so full of energy and with such dedication to her art career, that I kinda feel my head spinning thinking of all the possibilities she has inspired in me… Tricia is also an art instructor and disseminator of ideas through her blogs! Here is her one on art and ideas, and this one is of her paintings.

Have a wonderful evening, ours looks to be clear and warm. Spring is definitely in the air!

Liz

PS. Thank you for all the kind comments about yesterday’s post! It means a lot to me to receive your support.

Pomegranate on Old Crate Still Life

Pomegranate on Old Crate – 10" x 8" (25 x 20.3 cm) –

Oil Canvas Panel

Hello there!

How has your day been? Wednesday started off okay here, we had some snow flurries {my first reaction was OH NO is it going to snow? I did not remember hearing about that on the weather… phew! it will only snow lightly and in the morning…} then trying out a new Cardio class at the local rec center, and then I got down to business in the studio. In the later afternoon when taking a break I found Slim on our dining room table… somewhere she is not supposed to be… I took some photos because she was so pretty.

This is my first painting completed in 2010 and in the new studio. So far so good, I like the space and the quality of light. Since Tuesday I have changed the layout of the furniture some and think I will be able to have a place to keep some drawing material out while also having the painting setup. This is nice because in the last place if I wanted two work stations {one for drawing and one for painting} it was necessary to take over the dining room table. At the apartment for about five months S. and I did not eat at the table but on the sofa in front of the TV because I was using both areas. This feels more civilized and mature because now if we choose not to eat at the dining table it is our prerogative instead of my confiscating that work surface.

I am not sure if I will be able to get into the studio tomorrow because I am having an EMG test done on my left leg because of my long standing back injury that is just not going away. One of my resolutions for 2010 includes investigating further if back surgery is required, so tomorrow starts the battery of tests, x-rays and such that need to take place to get a more developed picture of what is going on. Yuck, I am not looking forward to it, but it is something that needs to happen…

So have a good night and see you soon,

Liz

Sugarbowl and Dahlia Buds Still Life Painting

Sugarbowl and Dahlia Buds – 10" x 8" (25 x 20.3 cm) – Oil Canvas Panel
{Flower Project 2009 - No. 2}

Available through my Etsy Shop

One of the reasons I started the flower project is because painting flowers really requires a rigor in studying small distinct changes in color, value, and shape, something I want to develop further. Betty Edwards says in The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain that when one engages the right side of the brain you lose track of time and the ability to focus on shapes, values, and relationships increases. It is when the left side is dominant that one fatigues quickly of these activities and it limits your ability to draw or paint in a realistic manner.

Over the summer I have made the commitment to move more towards a representational style of painting, with smoother transitions and a keener sense of value and form. I still admire the impressionistic style of painting and love how they are full of energy and color, I am hoping to develop the skill of handling paint where I can use strong brushstrokes alongside the more delicate and controlled painting of realism.

With this painting I really wanted to go into detail overdrive, seeing if I could harmonize the complexity of the dahlias with the embroidered tablecloth and the sugarbowl. Conceptually I also shortened the depth of focus of the painting to the foreground and middle-ground, while the background blurred to an indistinct edge between the vertical and horizontal surfaces. The color palette is also predominately a complementary color palette of red and green with large areas of neutral tones.

First Plein Air of the Year

The Plains – 8" x 10" (20 x 25 cm) – NFS

Happy weekend!

How has your weekend been? Mine has been pretty busy.

Yesterday I went out on a drive west of DC with my painting gear with the intention to visit the farm we purchased a CSA share from this summer and to do some painting. After visiting the farm, I drove into The Plains, VA to scout out a painting spot while there I took some time to be a tourist and visited some of the shops. There seems to be a nice art scene there and two shops were especially nice. At ZigZag I met Roberta Jeffries who had created some beautiful prints that were on display, the store had some nice pottery and art from local artists. Her daughter, Fleming Jeffries, also has a print studio in town. Then across the street I visited Live an Artful Life, where Linda Neel was in the shop, she is the owner and also a textile artist.

After being a tourist I found a view from a Baptist Church parking lot overlooking rolling fields and painted away for the next 2-1/2 hours. The first plein air painting of the year always means a lot to me. I’m not sure why so much emotional involvement with the first painting of the season, but each year the first one captures feelings that I feel balled up in my chest every time I look at one. And today I feel the same way looking at this little painting.

Today I have been working in the studio on a still life, it is getting near completion. Soon I will post about it. Until then, have a wonderful afternoon, Liz

Gerbera Daisies Still Life Painting

Three Gerbera Daisies – 10" x 8" (25 x 20 cm) – Available on Etsy

It has been a busy two days now that other life chores are my focus and I am thankful for finding some time to paint. Gerbera daisies are probably my second favorite flower after sunflowers, they seem happy.

Apple with Stem Still Life

Apple with Stem – 10" x 8" – Oil on Canvas Panel

Here is my first still life applying some of the techniques I have been playing with lately. In this painting I incorporated several of the aspects I wrote about when working on the portrait from my previous post. This painting was completed over three paintings sessions incorporating several layers, ending eventually with glazes to soften and warm up the white cup and to deepen the shadows of the apple.

I came upon this apple at work, in fact I tried to steal it from my co-worker’s lunch… eventually I exchanged my apple for his apple; I just loved the stem it had and the remnant of a leaf, all dry and browned. Thanks Patrick for switching with me, I love this apple for all its quirkiness.

First Plein Air Painting of the Year!

Jefferson Memorial – 8x10 Oil on Canvas Panel

Yesterday, Steve and I went down to the national mall early in the morning to celebrate Memorial Day weekend. I wanted to kick off the plein air painting season and Steve wanted to get out on his bike and ride around the monuments. It worked out great, as I am not a morning person having Steve involved with the scheme it ensured I would get out of bed and get some painting done.

While we were at the mall, we went around to the WWI and WWII monuments, then sat and watched the Rolling Thunder parade go by. Here is a picture of the various motorcycles we saw drive by…

Then we had a laid-back lunch of hot dogs and ice cream, the ducks at the Tidal Basin are super friendly as long as you are eating some form of food with bread. A mallard drake and a mallard hen were our lunch partners along with two small finches. The female duck was more aggressive about grabbing all the choice crumbs, leaving the drake to occasionally obtain a morsel or two.

Happy Memorial Day!

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…

Three Pumpkins Still Life

Three Pumpkins – 8” x 10” Oil on Canvas Panel SOLD

I worked on this painting on and off for over 6 weeks. It was a fun and challenging piece, to capture the different colors, values, and textures of the three very different types of pumpkins. After I had worked on this painting for two sessions, I analyzed the composition and decided to manipulate the hierarchy of importance in the painting. I choose to make the large salmon colored pumpkin the prominent item even though it was the farthest back. I did this by minimizing the detail on the front bumpy pumpkin and enhancing the contrast between the three pumpkins, making the greatest value contrasts to be with the salmon pumpkin.

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash – 8” x 10” Oil on Canvas Panel SOLD

I enjoy this painting for its different bright and warm colors. The warmth of the yellow squash, the orange table cloth, and the red pillow all harmonize in an analogous manner, that is red, orange, yellow are contiguous on the color wheel and have in common one of the primary colors (in this case, the color red). Analogous harmonies can become monotonous, however in this composition, the cool green drape in the background provides just enough variation and diversity in color temperature to keep the painting interesting.

I love the play of analogous color schemes and how they can be brought to life with introductions of complementary accents.

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

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.

Another Figure Painting

Pensive Afternoon 8" x 10" Oil on Canvas Panel

When I completed this portrait I felt the model was in a very thoughtful and pensive mood. There was a sense of feeling that she was present in body, but her thoughts were miles away… this is what I like about figure/portrait work, capturing the feelings and emotions of the individual I am painting. I feel as if I am getting to know the person a little more, and in effect learning more about myself and how I interact with others and move through life.

This painting was also technical breakthrough for me. My instructor had recently shared the insight of using the thickness of the paint applied to the toned canvas as a means of controlling the saturation and color of the paint when it is brushed onto the canvas. I like to apply the paint thickly, so learning to vary the paint application has given me a broader and more expressive painting technique.