Painting A Day: Carnations

"Carnations"
Oil on canvas on masonite, 5" x 7"
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I'm not even sure how long it's been since I've painted flowers... over a year probably. More's the pity; once I got into this painting, I realized how much I was enjoying the challenge. And it is a real challenge - in theory, it's difficult to paint anything well, but some things are more difficult than others. For me, portraits are the hardest, but florals are probably a close second... a good reason to paint some more.

Painting A Day: Imari Bowl No. 2

"Imari Bowl No. 2"
Oil on canvas on masonite, 5" x 7"
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I've always had a real weakness for Asian pottery, in particular Imari. Although the subject of this painting is not a particularly valuable piece, I still have a lot of appreciation for the delicate and intricate detailing. As I worked on it, it struck me that I was in fact making a painting within a painting.

Painting A Day: Glass Jar No. 2

"Glass Jar No. 2"
Oil on canvas on masonite, 5" x 7"
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This is another subject that I first did as a larger painting, which was exhibited and sold at a recent show. It got a great reception, and I loved painting it, so I decided to do a variation on the theme; this one is smaller than the original, and in landscape format, rather than square.

Painting A Day: Red Onion

"Red Onion"
Oil on masonite, 6" x 8"
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I find it peculiar that these are called "red" onions, when they are so obviously purple. Whatever the shade, it is a fun color to paint. I also enjoyed capturing the texture of the skin, which can be both papery and glassy - I'm sure I'll return to this subject in the near future.

Painting A Day: 2 Cherries

"2 Cherries"
Oil on masonite, 6" x 6"
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As I was in the process of painting this piece, it all felt oddly familiar, but I didn't realize why until I looked at my previous daily painting, which was a red apple. Cherries have nearly the same visual qualities as apples; lustrous, reflective, deeply and intensely colored - these qualities can make for a dramatic painting.

Painting A Day: Red Apple No. 2

"Red Apple No. 2"
Oil on masonite, 6" x 6"
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With preparations for a big art show last weekend (and a few day's badly needed rest after), I've been away from Daily Paintings for over a week. I'm delighted to return, though, with this piece. Lustrous, colorful, and reflective, a good apple has nearly everything a painter could ask for.

Melrose Arts Festival Roundup

This weekend's Melrose Arts Festival was a terrific success; over the course of three days we had between 1000 and 1500 visitors (rough guess). The exhibiting artists were very strong - there was some truly outstanding work - and a lot of pieces of art found new homes. I was very pleased with this event last year, and even more so this year; I'm certain it will continue to grow. Many thanks to everybody who visited (and bought!), and a special thanks to the organizers for their very hard work - it truly paid off.

I've been taking a few days of badly needed rest, but I will have a new daily painting up here tomorrow.