Egg Study 1

Oil on 6x6 Canvas

I started doing some egg studies as I'm trying to work on the turning of the egg and the subtle changes in value and temperature.  An egg and a human head have a very similar shape!

Art meets Heart - Benefiting the Art Garage in Green Bay, WI

 

The unveiling of the heart for "Art meets Heart" happened last week in Green Bay.  It looks great and it will hang at the airport for the next year!  Below was my submission.  All paintings are 6x6.  You can find mine in the lower middle, about 7 rows up from the bottom.

Portrait Day 2

Portrait Day 1 and other Academy works

 

Today was day 1 of a 4 day portrait class that we have every Tuesday.  The first day is always tough as you try to figure out the proportions and don't really have time to start modeling the face. 

 

Below are some other Academy works from the past few weeks, a few charcoals, one graphite and one watercolor value study:

 

 

Graphite

Watercolor

White Flowers

Oil on 8x10 Canvas

I decided to work on a smaller painting this weekend, I've missed the daily paintings these past few months!

Chateau des Alpilles Commission

Oil on 28x22 Gallery Wrap Canvas

I finished the commission for the Chateau des Alpilles.  I'm very happy with how it turned out and I hope it will be cherished and enjoyed for years to come!

House and Farm at Jas de Bouffan (after Cezanne)

Oil on 8x9 Canvas Paper

This is my submission to this month's "Painting from the Masters" after Cezanne.

2013 Highlights - Paintings and Academy Work

The New Year is a good time to reflect on what was accomplished the prior year.  I encourage you to look back and celebrate what you have done in 2013 and start 2014 with clear goals and renewed determination!

You can easily make a collage of your favorite works for 2013 in PicMonkey.com, it's free and easy.

Happy New Year!

Christina

Oil on 18x24 Canvas paper

Last 3 days of life figure class at the Academy and we got to choose whichever medium we wanted to work with!  Of course, I picked oil and had a lot of fun with it.  Our model was a young 20 year old Russian girl named Christina, she was a great model and did a great job getting back into position after every break.  We are now on break until after the new year, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

Article in Denmark, WI Newspaper

The local newspaper in the town where I go to the Academy of Art features an artist every month and this month was my turn! 

Chateau des Alpilles commission study

Oil on 8x10 Wrap Canvas

 

 

I feel like I've been away for so long!  It's been busy lately with Thanksgiving travels and Christmas preparations!  Hope everyone is having a great December!  This painting was commissioned by someone who honeymooned at the Chateau des Alpilles.  This is a study to prepare for the larger painting which will be 22x28.

Portrait Class - Day 4 and final

Vine Charcoal on Canson Mi-teinte white paper

18x24

I could have used another couple of days to finish some of the areas but this is it for this pose and I'm pretty happy with it.

Art meets Heart

Oil on 6x6 Wrap Canvas

This is my submission to the local fundraiser Art meets Heart.  It benefits the ArtGarage in Green Bay for local art classes and exhibitions.  All the small canvases will be put together to make a huge heart and be displayed at the airport for a whole year.

Portrait Class Day 3 of 4

 

We've had portrait class on Tuesday afternoons for the past 3 weeks.  Only 1 more week to finish this portrait!

Fall Colors

Oil on 9x12 Wrap Canvas

There's a bridge I go over a few times a week and it's been so beautiful lately with the gray skies and the fall colors on the trees!  The other day, I went over it and was amazed at the reflections in the water and the unusually calm water...it almost looked like it sparkled!  The sky was again a gray backdrop but there was a break in the clouds and this little strip of cerulean blue sky peeking through.  I just had to paint it.  This is also my submission to this week's DailyPaintworks challenge as it is about painting water!

Peaceful River II

Oil on 36x48 Wrap Canvas

I'm done with the large commission.  I really like how it turned out with the reflections in the water.  I hope they will enjoy it for years to come!
Every time I work on a large canvas like that I remember how much fun it is and I tell myself I need to do it more often.. :)

Tobacco Trail II

Oil on 8x10 Wrap Canvas

I just finished this commission of the Tobacco Trail in Raleigh, North Carolina.  A lovely trail that goes on for miles where people bike, walk, jog, or even ride horses.

Master Painting and Academy Figure and Sculpture

Oil on 9x8 Canvas Paper 

I have decided to post some of my work from the Academy below.  It's been a busy 1st quarter and I'm really enjoying it!  We've done sculpture, watercolor, graphite and a few charcoal life figure drawings.  Still a long way to go but I feel like I'm learning so much!

Sculpture - about 20x15

Watercolor - 11x14

 Graphite - 9x12

Charcoal - 18x24

Charcoal - 18x24

Field of Lavender

Oil on 8x10 Wrap Canvas

We saw lavender fields when we were in Provence near the Gorges du Verdon and they are so beautiful.  I love the smell of lavender, it brings back memories of growing up there.

Up North

Oil on 8x10 Wrap Canvas

Everyone talks about going "Up North" around here.  A lot of people have cottages and go there over the weekend.  We wanted to know what that was all about and went a few weeks ago.  I took this picture on one of our hikes, the leaves were changing and the colors were just so pretty, definitely a beautiful area of Wisconsin, I'm sure we'll go back!

Peaceful River II

Oil on 9x12
Currently hanging at the Jack Richeson Gallery in Kimberly, WI

Another study of our beautiful and relaxing canoe trip down the Shiocton river.

Crisp Autumn Day

Oil on 11x14 Wrap Canvas

I liked the huge sky with the clouds and the different shades of blue in this landscape.

Painting from the Masters - The Cliffs at Etretat after Claude Monet

Oil on 11x14 Canvas paper

I finished my painting for Painting from the Masters for this month.  I love those cliffs and wish I could see them in person one day!

Tobacco Trail

 Oil on 9x12 Wrap Canvas

The Tobacco Trail in the Raleigh-Durham area of NC is a gravel trail that goes on for miles between the cities and towns there.  It used to be a railroad track I guess transporting tobacco in the day?  Seems appropriate... :)   People now walk, jog, bike and even horseback on it and it's very pretty as the trees hover over the trail and of course cast all these beautiful shadows.

This is another study in search of the perfect large painting for my commission!

Tree Lined II

Oil on 9x12 wrap canvas

Currently hanging at the Jack Richeson Gallery in Kimberly, WI

I love depicting these giant trees as they are so majestic and trying to accurately portray the shadows on the ground.  I'm working on coming up with ideas for a large commission (36x48) and this is one of the studies.  Tell me your opinion, do you think this will look good as a large canvas?

Ear cast study

 

Vine charcoal on Canson Mi-teinte paper

I've been back at the art school for a week now and I've started a sculpture, worked on my ear cast study and finished a 2-day life figure drawing...what fun!!

I'm almost done with the ear as you see above, it's in preparation to the full cast which will take about 16 weeks to complete.

Bales of Hay

Oil on 8x10 Wrap Canvas

Currently hanging at the Jack Richeson Gallery in Kimberly, WI

I had fun playing with the clouds on this one.  This picture was taken by my sister-in-law, Katherine, in Luxembourg.  She always takes beautiful pictures and she gives me lots of material to work with, thank you Katherine!

Color Charts

I'm so happy that I finished my color charts for the Academy of Fine Art just in time to start back next week!  We have 6 charts to complete and I had set a goal for myself to get them done this summer.  I'm sure there will be some tweaking here and there but for the most part, they are done.  What a great exercise in figuring out the color combinations, I'm always amazed at the beautiful colors that come out of a color chart!

House on the Lake - Commission

Oil on 12x16 Canvas
SOLD

I just finished a commission for a friend as a gift to her grandparents who are going to be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary!!  That is just so amazing and wonderful!
This is their house and I just loved the huge trees on the property overlooking the beautiful house and the glimpse we get of the water in the background.  I hope they will love it, I know I loved painting it!

A Very Dangerous Beach after Jack Vettriano

Oil on 9x12 Canvas Paper

This is my submission to this month's Painting From the Masters blog.  This month's selection was chosen by Azra Iqbal.  I hope more painters can join us in replicating master paintings as a way of learning, it's been fun so far!

House in the Poppy Field

 

 

Oil on 8x8 Wrap Canvas

Currently hanging at the Jack Richeson Gallery in Kimberly, WI

A common sight in Provence, the poppy fields!  I always loved this flower growing up...we don't see it much around here but I remember when I was growing up seeing fields and fields of it!