Two Small Still Life Paintings

Just a couple small still life paintings done from life. The first explores the relationship between yellow and violet. The second is a more colorful painting that looks at analogous reds and violets on the warm end of the color wheel.

8x10 oil on canvas

6x6 oil on gessoed masonite

I love art pottery

I buy "objets d'art" because they are beautiful and when I purchase them I am thinking about how wonderful they will look in my paintings too. Well, I am hoping anyway. I like original best. I like to pair them with organic objects like fruit. Complementary color schemes, analogous, doesn't matter.I like to paint and it's mostly about the process. If the painting looks nice when I'm done that's just a plus. The real reason I paint is because I enjoy it so much. It's almost like solving a puzzle- trying to get the pieces in the right place.

Avocado Dreams

12" x 16"

I love avocados... and avocado dip, so I always have them on hand.

Style verses Substance

Style verses Substance... what exactly does that mean? Sometimes it means you put aside the actual reality of what you're viewing and dramatize what is ethereal and poetic (to you) about your subject. It's no secret that I enjoy painting FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. I've done so many different versions of pears and garlic and tomatoes-- you name it, that I feel compelled to change it up now and then. I like to ask myself, "What if?" In this instance I wondered what would happen to the roma tomatoes if I used a trowel of a palette knife to lay the color on. I paint differently when I use the knife. It makes my strokes a bit more intentional and keeps me from becoming too invested in detail--which can quickly lead to the death of a painting.

I found that using my cadmium red light straight form the tube really captured the glowing red of these tomatoes. A simple grouping of similar objects arranged artfully and painted with a heavy hand. But I really like it that way.

Roma Tomatoes

6"x6"

oil on Gessobord™

SOLD