Monday, February 17, 2014

At Evening's End

At Evening's End
16 x 20 inch oil on canvas panel
SOLD

This painting was in the works for so long, I can't remember when I started it.  It is a very detailed work for my lack of artistic ability, but I am patting myself on the back because I had some specific visions and they came to be.  To begin with I wanted to paint a scene in a room because that is what my next exhibit is going to be called...Rooms.  I also wanted a fireplace in the scene and from that point everything else sort of happened. The figures revealed themselves as I painted.  As the figure on the left appeared I thought "why not make this one a man?" and there you have it.  Their story is up for discussion.


At Evening's End
detail

The picture hanging on the wall was originally a landscape painting, but then I thought it would be more interesting to make it a portrait of this couple.

At Evening's End
detail
 This chair beneath their portrait was added at the very last.  One chair just didn't make sense. I made the pillows blue...they sort of fight with all the earth tones in the rest of the painting, but something about the pop of color worked in my opinion.  The pillows could have been any color with any pattern, it was hard to decide which way to go. They were more of a black, but I thought they were boring that way.

At Evening's End
detail
 The fireplace was actually pretty easy, which was a pleasant surprise.  I used a knife to smear on the paint in spots which made them look like stone...or at least I think they look like stone.  The wooden mantle, the lantern and the flames in the fireplace were pure luck too.  I looked at images of fire on the internet to help me.

At Evening's End
detail
The hardest part of this painting was the man.  I don't paint many men and for a long time his figure and his face looked very feminine.  When I smeared light blue on his face to create sort of razor stubble I said "ah ha!", then broadened his shoulders and voila...a man...a dude!

At Evening's End
detail
The woman was the easy part...at least this one was.  However trying to create wrinkles and light where her thumb is indenting the pillow was impossible and I gave up on it.  I even took a picture of my own hand grasping a pillow to use as a reference, but I think the small area I was painting in made it too difficult.  

There is something special to me about this painting and it makes me kind of sad to think of actually selling it, so I might change my mind.
This is one of the oil paintings that needs oiling out because it dried so dully.  I am tempted to just spray it with Kamar varnish which I know will make the colors pop, but it adds so much gloss and I am not sure that's what I want for this piece.  I think somewhere in the middle of high gloss and very matte would be best.   I am open to suggestions if you have any.

I hope you all had a great weekend!  Thank you for visiting!  

Friday, February 7, 2014

Painting, Painting, and More Painting

WIP
16 x 20" mixed media on canvas panel

I have four paintings in the works right now...2 oils and 2 mixed media.  I love to work in oil, but it's easiest for me to allow the layers to dry somewhat before going on, otherwise I mess up and cost myself a lot of time.  Since I am not much of a sitter, I decided to try something new and work on acrylic and mixed media pieces while the layers of the oil paintings are drying.  This routine seems to be working pretty good and it allows me to work in all the mediums I love.  It dawned on me that nursing had taught me to be pretty good at mulitasking, so I decided to apply that skill to my art too.  So far, so good.

Eva at Twilight
8 x 10" mixed media on canvas panel
SOLD

Sunrise from our front window the other morning
 This winter, I am in awe of the bare trees and since discovering the charming red shed by our house, I have noticed dozens of others all through the neighborhood while on my walks.  I want to start knocking on doors and asking my neighbors if I can photograph their shed, but they would probably think I was a weirdo.

In honor of this shed discovery, I painted this little one set in a wide open Kansas field.  Doesn't that green make you long for Spring?  It does me.   

Little Red Shed
4 x 6" oil on paper mounted to mat board
SOLD
Thank you for dropping in and have a lovely weekend!

♥ Lisa

Monday, February 3, 2014

Bree and the Dreamweaver Coat with Some Photos of my Wall at the Gallery

Bree and the Dreamweaver Coat
8 x 10 inch mixed acrylic, oil pastel and colored pencil on canvas panel
SOLD

If I had a coat like this one, it would cause some definite dreamweaving because I love anything that looks as bohemian as this.  Plus, with all this winter we all could probably use such a coat.  Right now I am in love with my own Kansas landscape and this painting was inspired by it.

More Kansas in the photo below too.

Image from my Instagram
"this way is #home"

 I'm thinking about nature a lot and how much I love being outside.  I walk every day...even in the cold.  I've been known to walk in 18 degree weather.  Call me crazy, but a good coat, a decent hat and some gloves is all I need and I stay plenty warm.

graphite and colored pencil
sketchbook sweetie

 I had my first Final Friday at Tessera Fine Art Gallery and the photos you see below are the first time I saw my own wall display.  They did a lovely job hanging the art.  It was very slow Friday, so no sales were made.  The nice thing is the art can stay up.  I plan to switch things around every two months.

Through the front windows of Tessera Fine Art Gallery
you can see my paintings on the left

My wall at Tessera Fine Art Gallery
  I have two oil paintings in progress.  They are for my show at City Arts this Spring.

I hope you had a great weekend!

♥ Lisa