Postcards From The Easel A Blog about the Art and Artifice of Still Life Painting
Underpaintings With A Twist
This week’s featured painting is “Silver Spoon, Chinese Teacup, Blue Napkin” from 2021. It is done with oil on panel, and measures 5 x 5 inches.I create most of my paintings using the same process – a careful drawing on the panel, followed by a black and white underpainting, and completed with the color layer.For […]
Fresh Pears Gallery
Fresh Pears Recent and older paintings of pears For your enjoyment, here is a small collection of older paintings containing pears, which always seem to me the most human-like of fruits. Click on any of the images to view the gallery.
Teacup and Cherries in Shadow
The ginger jar in today’s painting is the same one that appeared yesterday. You might also notice that the cloth is the same cloth that was used in the very first painting I shared with you several days ago.
Four Oranges
The ginger jar in today’s painting is the same one that appeared yesterday. You might also notice that the cloth is the same cloth that was used in the very first painting I shared with you several days ago.
Oranges, Olives, Ginger Jar
When I showed you the second painting in the tour a few days ago, I mentioned that it was part of a set of three similar paintings done within a six week period.This is another member of that set.
Red Cherries, Silver Cup
The third and final painting in this tour is called “Red Cherries, Silver Cup”, from 2019.This painting is much smaller and simpler than the previous two, but it has what I consider the real heart and soul of still life painting – it captures a moment of frozen time, and allows the viewer to linger […]
Silver and Orange
The second painting I’d like to share with you is called “Silver and Orange”, from 2017.This is a smaller scale than the painting I shared with you yesterday, but still what I consider a large work, at 9×12 inches (22×30 cm).
Tea and Oranges
Let’s begin with a painting from 2011 entitled “Tea and Oranges”.This is one of the most ambitious paintings I’ve done, because every square inch (or centimeter, if you prefer) is covered with rich, intricate detail.
Glass Creamer and Lemon Slices
This week’s featured painting is “Glass Creamer and Lemon Slices” from 2022. It is done with oil on panel, and measures 5 x 5 inches.This week I had dinner with a friend visiting from out of town.Although not an artist himself, he is most interested in the behind-the-scenes story of making art, and asks intelligent […]
Pear and Knife on Purple Silk
This week’s featured painting is “Pear and Knife on Purple Silk” from 2019. It is done with oil on linen, and measures 5 x 5 inches.It’s not an accident that many of these paintings are built on the underlying design of a pyramid.In the physical world, the pyramid is the most stable structure for a […]
Pear, Olives, Knife, and Peach
This week’s featured painting is “Pear, Olives, Knife, and Peach” from 2017. It is done with oil on linen, and measures 9 x 12 inches.If I had unlimited cash, I would of course buy many paintings.But I would also buy fine antique oriental rugs.To me, they are not just functional or decorative, but they can […]
Finding The Unity
This week’s featured painting is “Creamer and Mandarin Orange” from 2020. It is done with oil on panel, and measures 5 x 5 inches.Within a work of art, unity is rarely achieved by grouping identical things together – it’s often just monotonous.Nor is it achieved by grouping together things which are completely alien to each […]
A Dozen Teapots
This week’s featured painting is “Tea with Oranges” from 2017. It is done with oil on linen, and measures 9 x 12 inches.I have well over a dozen teapots in my studio, and a few of them have been in multiple paintings. But as far as I can recall, this painting is the only time […]
It’s Not All Painting
Most people would probably say that there are parts of their job that don’t seem like they have much to do with the job title.This is likely the case with any corporate job – I certainly experienced it when I worked as a computer programmer (a long time ago).It’s even more true with artists, who […]
Harmonizing Objects in a Painting
In the course of a making a painting like this, I spend a lot of time deciding what goes well with what, and then trying to understand why. Although I have at least a thousand props in my studio – things that could be used in a painting – there is a handful of objects that have […]
Pillars of Light
Lime No. 2 “Lime No. 2” Oil on panel, 5×5 inches, 2010 (sold) I just loved the way this particular lime rested on the wood – almost like it wasn’t entirely comfortable and sure of itself – maybe even a little uneasy. Even humble pieces of fruit are unique and individual, and they often […]
Taking Inspiration From The Past
“How could I have done that differently?”If you’re like me, it’s a pretty common question.It’s more emotionally charged than just a simple memory, though hopefully not to the point of being burdened with regret.Just an honest assessment of how you would have acted then given what you know now.As a painter, I find myself asking […]
Lime No. 2
Lime No. 2 “Lime No. 2” Oil on panel, 5×5 inches, 2010 (sold) I just loved the way this particular lime rested on the wood – almost like it wasn’t entirely comfortable and sure of itself – maybe even a little uneasy. Even humble pieces of fruit are unique and individual, and they often […]
Red Apple No. 5
Red Apple No. 5 “Red Apple No. 5” Oil on panel, 5×5 inches, 2012 (sold)Autumn is here. For your enjoyment, this is “Red Apple No. 5”, oil on panel, 4×4 inches, 2012 (sold) I finish between 1 and 4 paintings every month, and show them to my subscribers first. To learn more, click […]