Window in Old Brick Wall

Life has been a whirlwind of late, hence a lack of new posts. When I did have a chance to paint, the results have been less than stellar and certainly not worth sharing! In any event, I am working through the "slump" and hope to post more regularly once again.

Window in Old Brick Wall follows in the series of window-themed watercolors I did last year. Needless to say the variations that can be found on a single theme such as this are nearly endless. Working on the window paintings has also taught me the discipline of sketching an outline before applying color. This is of special importance in an architectural subject where the proportions need to be more exact than in some other subjects.

Anyway, it is nice to be back and I look forward to comments as always.

Window in Old Brick Wall, Watercolor on 140lb paper, 4"x6", $25

One Apple: A Small Study

Apples come in so many shapes, sizes and colors but there are some quintessential elements that make the fruit readily recognizable. Perhaps this is what makes apples so attractive when grade school children practice their early artistic skills.

For the more mature of us, apples can be challenging and rewarding at the same time. In this small study, I have tried to use a limited number of colors and few brushstrokes to schieve the likeness of an apple. This is in practice for a bigger still life I intend to do but which scares me each time I face the canvas. Though quite elementary, doing this piece has helped me get greater confidence.

One Apple, Acrylic on canvas board, 5"x7", not for sale

Hot and Sour

A recent post from Carol Schiff, in which she confessed to being a still life painter all along encouraged me to experiment with my first still life. The inspiration for the contents came from my other creative endeavor -- cooking. Like my mother, I have never followed recipes which allows a lot of freedom to experiment with combinations of flavors and foods without regard to a "rule book" (kind of like art in a way).

I mostly do Indian, Italian and modern American style cooking, often blending various ethnic flavors with traditional dishes. Needless to say, hot and sour flavors abound in my kitchen. I avoided working on this painting while hungry so as to avoid salivating over it! It kept reminding me of a dish I make sometimes that consists of pasta with sun-dried tomatoes tossed with chilli oil and lemon juice dressing. It truly is to die for.

Anyway, here is my first still life attempt and I would love to hear your comments.

Hot and Sour, Acrylic on gesso board, 11'x14', $100 (unframed)