Color Blocks (part one)
For color block studies, I like to use the most saturated versatile pigments I can lay my knife on.
Path to Nowhere
There are two weeks in June when the Eklutna Flats in the Mat-Su valley are washed with the deep blue and violet of wild irises. Prickly roses, Shooting Stars, and Chocolate Lilies provide lovely touches of contrast to the display. While quite visible from the highway, vehicles zoom past at 65 miles per hour, their [...]
Color Relations: oil painting workshop series
Open your eyes to the color of light
Learn to use a limited oil color palette
Prepare your tools for plein air painting
Train your mind to see accurately
Free your soul to express what you see
Forbidden Fruit–an artist’s stand against chromophobia
After being highly highly valued for centuries, color became forbidden fruit,.associated with loose reasoning, slack morals, and unrestrained living. In this extreme climate, reason, conformity, and moral rectitude ruled. Color, like emotion, was to be managed, controlled, and subdued.”
Art Exhibit Open House
Please join us to celebrate light, life, and love! • Paintings by Talya Johnson and Karen Whitworth • Book signing by Alaskan author MaryLou R. Vanderburg for her book, No Way But Up • Live music by Liu-Hsiu Kuo Friday, Nov. 12, 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 13, 11 to 5 p.m. at the [...]
Failures and Triumphs in Painting from Life
In reading, observing, and listening to the many artists I admire there seem to be two opposing views regarding self expression. On the one side (and in the representational crowd I believe these are in the minority) there are those that assert that rendering or draftsmanship is simply the starting point, or springboard to self [...]
Rublev Oil Colours
Detail from oil portrait of Roy, by Talya Johnson I’ve discovered a new love! In general, I consider myself an art supply junky, and have tried many different mediums, brands, and artist gadgets in my pursuit of excellence. In general, though, I find that good paintings come from good painters, regardless of the medium or [...]
Welcome Home, an oil painting of Birch and Aspen in the height of a spring display
I am always amazed at all the colors that are present on a seemingly “white” surface. As I gazed out my window this spring, I let my eyes relax and lose a distinct focus. The colors that suddenly danced before me were dazzling. Nothing could stand in my way as I quickly sketched the welcome [...]
Painting with Mud
With snow falling almost daily now, I don’t think I’m the only one around here longing for spring! This particular painting reminds me that spring will eventually come. I was entranced by the simple beauty of these particular potato flowers a few years back, and figured it was high time I painted them. Fellow artists [...]
Sarah Palin–A Prickly Rose
A prickly rose and a sabra; what do these have in common? Tough as nails Hard to get close to Beautiful and sweet Unpretentious These were my thoughts as I was finishing up this painting. Sarah Palin had just been chosen as the McCain’s running mate. I couldn’t help but think of how much she seems [...]
Looking Back at the Nomad
Looking back at the Nomad I am displaying three paintings at the Art Pavilion in an invitational Valley Arts Alliance show in the Alaska State Fairgrounds. Many of you have seen these, but as some of you haven’t, and are visiting the fair, I thought I would give you information on them. The exhibit is [...]
Girl in White Shirt–value study
I’m starting to get paintings ready for my show in November. The theme of the show will be “When We were Young” Here’s the first painting I’m be working on for the show.
Now it’s REALLY raining!
After a nice camping trip to Seward–I’m ready to paint again! I made more changes to this poor little painting but I promise to leave it alone now and move on–especially since it has finally stopped raining and is finally warm enough to call summer.
It’s Still Raining!
Yes, it IS still raining, and I’m STILL not finished with this one–but getting closer! I lost the warm light, but the sun didn’t try very hard today. Keep checking, I’ll get it right one of these days!
Alaskan Daily Painting: Plein air (window) Between the Rain
I’m still painting between visiting with my family from Israel, chasing my stir-crazy boys, tending to the wet garden and pregnant rabbits. It’s been such a cold summer. The constant rain is getting to all of us. As I was working on this painting-looking out my front window, the sun would occasional peak through the [...]
Daily Painting: Red Hot!
Have you even had one of these beasties? Not fun! But they are great in fresh pico de gallo! Red objects are not only hard to photograph, but paint as well. The shape of this pepper was also challenging. I’ll probably do a few studies so in preparation for a larger still live of all the [...]
Daily Painting: Alaskan Forget-Me-Nots in Full Sun
Here’s what I’ve been working on all week. It was supposed to get done in a day, lol! I will do some tiny finishing touches on it once it drys a bit. I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow, it’s way late and I’m still one painting behind. This one is 8.75 inches wide by [...]
Back to the easel!
I’m definitely going to work on the pansies today (see post below). I included too much into the composition. Sometimes it’s what you take out that makes a painting successful! Back to work…
Daily Painting Purple Pansy
I might have to put a glaze on this one. It was difficult to accurately capture the depth of the colors use the alla prima (wet on wet, painted in one session ) method. I chose this subject due to the challenge of painting a cool colored subject under warm lighting. This is an original [...]
When I grow up, I’ll paint FASTER!
SOLD Here’s today’s painting. It’s called “The Center of Attention” since no matter how I tried NOT to center the subject in the middle, it kept coming back to the middle. It’s fairly obvious that this radish has a superiority complex! It’s 3.5 inches square, oil on Ampersand Stampbord and took me too long to [...]
New Alaskan Paintings
SOLD I was in Anchorage all day Thurs. and didn’t have access to my paints, so Friday I painted two daily paintings! This is an original, one-of-a-kind oil painting on Ampersand Stampbord of three Shooting Star Alaskan wildflowers. It’s titled simply, “Three Shooting Stars”. Ampersand Stampbord is archival hard board. The dimensions are 2.5 inches wide by [...]
Joining the Daily Painting Crowd
SOLD I’ve decided to try my hand at daily painting, or a painting a day, whichever you prefer. This is quite a stretch for me as these paintings are traditionally small (so that you can paint them every day), and I have not been blessed with a particularly steady hand. However, the practice certainly won’t [...]