Oil Painting of a Rose in Cut Glass Vase

"Red Rose in Cut Glass"

9" x 12", Oil on Linen Panel

Time for a little alla prima piece. While polished realist pieces offer a challenge in terms of bringing a painting to convincing finish, alla prima painting (painting in one sitting), offers a freshness and immediacy that's hard to accomplish over several sittings. I try to keep my hand in alla prima painting because I learn more about color and paint handling by doing them. It also allows me to complete more paintings in a given amount of time, thereby increasing my practice. While viewing my two kinds of work may be sometimes confusing to a patron, I think that my personal handwriting manages to show through in both. What can I say. I have Gemini on my midhaven. 

Oil Painting of Roses in a Copper Cup

"A Fine Day for Roses"

6" x 8", Oil on Linen Mounted on Linen

One of the reasons I enjoy painting florals is because of the challenge. They're elusive, delicate and subtle. All very difficult qualities to attain in a painting. Also their edges always intrigue me. Not all the edges should be painted as if they are important. Some should fade into the background while others should be sharp and come forward. The key words here are "as if", because all edges are important. They all add to the whole picture. So while one petal may not appear as important as its neighbor, it's quality adds to the delivery of the whole painting. Hmm. Did you get that?


You can bid on this painting on Daily Paintworks by clicking here.

Yellow Roses on Gallery Wrap Canvas, 8" x 10"

"LaNice's Gift"

SOLD
My Studio warming party was held this past Sunday. We had around 40 people or so - we had invited around 75. That's OK - the ones who showed were true blue and we had a ball. I turned the studio into a little night club with cozy tables and put a red gel in the theatre spot light on the ceiling. We lacked the darkness of a nightclub in that it doesn't get dark here until about 10:00 PM now, but it didn't seem to bother anyone and, in fact, we partied from about 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM and then went down with the sun.

These roses were a lovely gift of summer from a long time friend and collector. So I named the flowers after her. Here's to you LaNice. Thanks for coming to my party. It's friends like you that warm my heart and bring inspriration on days when nothing else seems to be stirring.

Here's a pic of my friend Coffee (far right) and some of his friends burning up the dance floor, er, studio.

Watercolor of Yellow Roses, 11" x 14" image, matted to 16" x 20"

"Playing with Roses"
SOLD


Just got to playing the other day. Not really wanting to put out my full palette of oils, I reached for a jar of water and splashed some watercolor around. Then I thought, "Hmm, this could use some pastel". So I dug those out too. All in all just a dipsy doodle day. Here's what came of an hour of splash.
This painting come matted in a 16" x 20" matt and ready to frame.

Pink Rose, 5" x 7", Oil on Board

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Here's another little bloom I worked on today. It's of the rose family but I'm not really sure which one. Maybe someone can help me out here. This little gem is painted in glazes so it glows nicely with a little light on it. I like the way the transparent Burnt Umber background looks like wood grain. Just a happy accident. Enjoy.

Peonies and Green Apples Oil Painting, 9" x 12", Oil on Panel

"Peonies and Yellow Apples"

I recently finished a commission of peonies and had so much of the color left on my palette, I decided to do another peony painting. I just couldn't see wasting all that luscious pink paint. The apples were green originally but I liked them better as yellow. They were left over too. Not anymore...I just ate the last one.

"Mixed Bunch"

SOLD - 12/29/08



Yesterday was my wedding anniversary and my husband and I spent the day in Victoria, B.C. It was a sunny 45 degrees and it felt really good to get out in the weather as it's been so cold and snowy here the past two weeks. But I only got back late today and so I didn't get into the studio until almost 3:00 PM. A late start for me.

I'm always so dismayed by how easy it is to fall out of practice. If I paint flowers every day, then I seem to have little difficulty in rendering them. But if I skip a week and paint a different subject, I find that I have to struggle to get them right. I need to spend some time during the week just practicing my brush strokes on roses. These proved to be a challenge for me today.

Oil Painting of Yellow Rose, 5" x 7"

"Yellow Rose"$45.00 usd + $6.00 s/h
Click here to purchase.








I was short for time today with dentist appointments and my life drawing group scheduled. I've been meaning to use these short days for exercises and color studies. This little one is numbered "1" as it's the first in a series I'll do of floewrs with different color combinations. I was aiming for something entirely different than what actually transpired here so I have some work to do in this arena. Still, it was fun and absorbing for the hour of work it took. Enjoy.

Daily Oil Panting of Yellow Roses, 9" x 12" on Canvas

"Yellow Roses"$75.00
SOLD










Yellow roses are my favorites (I think) - no really. It changes from time to time. But I do love them and they always seems to lift my spirits a little. I don't know about you, but right now, in these times, I need all the help I can get. Chocolate helps too. I fussed with these a bit. Roses are always a challenge. See the detail shot below.

Oil Painting of Red Roses and Fruit, 9" x 12" Oil on Canvas Panel

"A Fall of Roses"SOLD







I spent the day at the Clallam County Fair today demonstrating and collected a small crowd to watch me finish this piece. The fair is such fun. We're such a small town here that every gathering of people reveals another Norman Rockwell vignette. I would have loved to get some good pictures but I spent the day in the art barn doing this little piece. I love sharing my work so this was great fun. These roses came out just great too! Lots and lots of thick paint. I actually sculpted the flowers out of it. Take a peek at the closeup below.

Oil Painting of a Silver Ewer and Yellow Roses, 11" x 14" on Linen Panel

"The Silver Ewer"
Private Collection






This is the left side of a diptych I completed for a commission. I really enjoyed painting the lace on this and it's mate (to be viewed tomorrow). Painting lace or fabric is not really as hard as it's perceived. You need a lite touch and a good command of shadows. The rest is just feeling out the pattern and repeating it. There's actually a tiny ladybug on one of the leaves which was requested by the customer. Now THAT was hard!
I'm still finishing up some paintings for my show but will be back to selling by the end of the week - hopefully. Stay tuned. - Oh...a note to my friend, Rosa. Rosa...I can't believe I actually signed up for that workshop!!! David Leffel...oh still my beating heart! Thanks girlfriend. I owe you.

White Rose Oil Painting with Lemons on Linen Panel, 12" x 16"

"Light from Above"SOLD


The light was perfect today in the studio and after taking a few days off for some badly needed R&R, I was eager to get back in the studio. I've taken quite a few pictures of the process used to paint this beauty so if you get a chance, come by later and check for a a link to my teaching blog to see how it was painted. Or just go directly there later tonight to http://www.musensbysusan.blogspot.com. It takes awhile for me to write the lessons out and so they don't get published at the same time as the daily painting post.
This painting took me the better part of the day. I was pretty focused when I did it and it shows. I used a cool light from above. This is tricky in my studio because I don't have skylights. I do have north facing windows, but they're not high enough to give me the kind of light I wanted for this piece. The concept was to have light pooling from above. I rather like the way it came out. Some of the underpainting shows through here providing a lovely reddish hue around some of the blooms. There is a differentiation of light on the vase that is hard to see in the photos. I've tried adjusting this in photoshop but I makes the contrast too harsh on the other lights. This painting fairly glows. It's the aspect of using various tones of grayes contrasted with cools and warms that gives it that lovely glow. Photos just don't do it justice and you have to see this one up close and personal to know how it looks. If anyone wants additional photos, just e-mail me by clicking on the envelope below. I'll do my best to provide some other shots. You can see the detail in the photo below.

Peony Oil Painting, 9" x 12" on Canvas Panel

"Peonies ala Prima"
$65.00 USD.
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Detail on brush work.

Original Oil Painting of White Roses and Cut Apples with a Green Glass Vase, 9" x 12"

"Roses with Cut Apples"SOLD





I just purchased some oil primed linen and couldn't resist using some for this small painting. I just love the way the paint lays on and the soft look you can get so easily. What surprised me, however, is how easily wet paint lifts off the linen! This made for some surpising effects also. There is a problem with photographing it, however, because it picks up and scatters light differently than canvas or straight board. I'll have to practice photographing the stuff. This was my fifth try! Best I could do under my limited light set up, though. Here's a detail shot. Oh...got myself a new green glass vase too!

Oil Paint of White Roses, Asian Pot, and Fruit, 14" x 18" on Canvas Panel

"Summer Repast"

SOLD


A bit more involved than one of my ala prima paintings, I took an extra sitting to complete this piece. It has multiple glazings and scumbling to heighten it's color and sense of drama. As much as I love ala prima painting, nothing excites more more than bringing a painting up to a polish. Hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed painting it. See the detail shots below. To see how it was painted, click here.

"White Roses for a Rainy Day"SOLD




Found this gem of a vase at a garage sale and scooped it up. It was perfect for these white roses today. It was rainy and the soft light coming in the windows really made the roses glow. Lots of thick paint on these. So thick, in fact, that I had to photograph the piece several times to get the light right. The paint is so high that the light reflecting off its ridges photographed with too high a contrast! See the detail below.

To see how this one was painted, click here after 8:00 PM tonight. If you haven't visited my teaching blog, Musens by Susan, just click here anyway!

Oil Painting of Roses and Silver Server, 8" x 10" on Canvas Panel

"'Thank You' Roses"
SOLD




I never talk politics on my blog and this isn't meant to be a speech or anything like one. I'm an independent and have mixed views on a load of subjects - our current war being one of them. But there's a story to these roses. They were part of a table centerpiece at an event sponsored by South Korean Government who regularly throws parties and dinners and parades and functions just to say "Thank You, you are not forgotten" to the Korean War Veterans of our country. The war is often referred to as the "Forgotten War". This grateful nation wants to reassure the veterans who gave of themselves to help win freedom for the South Koreans, that their sacrifices were not in vain.

My husband is a Korean Vet and has done a lot of work in Washington to recognize veterans of this war. The Korean Consulate General and numerous other Korean dignitaries and Korean/Americans frequently invite us and any Korean Veterans they can find to attend these functions as honored guests. There are always speeches and heartfelt thanks and testimonials given. All Korean War Veterans are invited to come and tour South Korean at the Korean Government's expense. A program that will end only when the last Korean War Veteran dies. It's a warm and welcome change from the way the U.S. is regarded by so many other countries these days. Our vets never leave with a dry eye. So this is just a note to say "Thank You" to the South Korean Government whose generous and grateful spirit has warmed the hearts and souls of so many older men and women, too, who are disappearing from our midst daily. I couldn't help but think of them as I painted these fading roses.

Oil Painting of Lilies, Satin Cloth, Grapes and Rose, 12" x 17", Oil on Canvas Panel

"Rebirth"
SOLD







With Easter, Spring, and Passover just around the corner, I felt a painting that encompassed the symbolism of this season was called for. The whole season of spring and it's holidays makes me think of rebirth, freedom and celebration of life.

There's a few symbols in this painting. Some obvious, some not. See if you can find a couple. I used some cool colors in this painting to offset the beautiful green leaves and red tones in the fruit and flower at the base. Even the color of the cloth was chosen carefully. It has meaning too.
To see how this painting was done, click on the link below after 8:30 PM tonight.
Teaching/demo Blog.

"The Filigree Stone Vase" 



I've had this Asian stone filigree vase for a very long time. It was my mother's. Because I grew up with it, I was accustomed to seeing it on the shelf but never took the time to examine it. Until I tried to paint it. It's amazing the amount of detail the artist who carved this vase was able to achieve. But what is really amazing is that it is made of stone and yet appears so willowy and light. I couldn't get all the detail this deserved but did manage to capture most of what was obvious to the eye.

I know that the audience for classical realism is not as extensive as that for abstract and contemporary pieces. But this vase taught me something important. My work, like the vase, takes patient observation and a quiet soul to appreciate.

Floral Oil Painting of Roses in Cut Glass Vase with Nectarines, 8" x 10" on Canvas Panel

"Roses and Nectarines"
Click here to bid.





Felt like roses today. After my students left, the light was sweet and cool coming in from the north windows of my studio, so I set this up. Oh...and look at that! I found Nectarines at the market! So in they went for a little color. The painting looks a lot brighter in life. I don't seem to be able to get my server to make them appear as lively as they are in person. It looks perfect on photoshop and then just doesn't cut it once I upload them. Well...I hope they look good on your screen. Here's a little detail.