And Then There Were Three

Scallop 10"x10"

Nautilus Interior, Scallop, Whelk, 10"x10"

The Rogers Gallery has held the Nautilus and Whelk paintings for about a year.  Nautilua Exterior had been a part of the trio but was sold separately.  Now, a client wants a new painting added to create a series of three.  He is open to the shell and only asks that the colors be the same.  

The top image is a work in progress. The difficulty is in incorporating the colors from the other sheets without creating an artificial appearing shell.  This stage needs more blue. But, how?

Paintings have been moving slowly in all the galleries.  I don't know if it is my works have over saturated the interested market, or if sales are slow with everyone. This summer I worked on Orange Grove Chat, a commission.  It was great fun to do.  I love painting oranges and birds so...  The client was also very easy to work with.  She knew exactly what she wanted and was very clear about describing that.  This beauty now resides in California.   The other paintings pictured here were done in preparation for the various Holiday Small Works shows.  

Orange Grove Chat, 2023 Oil on Panel 30"x24"

 

Outer Cape #1, 2023 Oil on Panel 12"x15"

Outer Cape #2, 2023 Oil on Panel 12"x15"

Outer Cape #3, 2023 Oil on Panel 12"x15"

Male Blue Bird #11, 2023 Oil on Panel 6"x6"

Male Bluebird #9, 2023 Oil on Panel 6"x6"

Male Bluebird #10, 2023 Oil on Panel 6"x6"

Balancing Act #9, 2023 Oil on Panel 8"x8"

Balancing Act #8, 2023 Oil on Panel 8"x8"

Balancing Act #7, 2023 Oil on Panel 8"x8"

Morning Sun, 2023

Morning Sun, 2023, Oil on Panel, 20"x16"

This painting was created in response to The Copley Society of Art call for works Through Hopper's Lens.  The work is to be inspired by American born painter, Edward Hopper.  I know his works that strongly depict light and shadow and that leave an impression of isolation. I hope to have captured a little of both.  

 

Through Hopper's Lens

The Winsor, Oil on Panel, 24"x16"

Tiny, teensy bits of progress. I've had great difficulty with this piece. I've also learned some lessons. I should have simply painted the entire rooms sans the Winsor, then put in the chair.  The difficulty in working around the parts of the chair has proved exasperating.  I have reached the point in my life where I no longer have a steady and flexible hand.  Arthritis be damned.  I'm hoping once I can delve into the chair with boldness it will stand as the point of interest and overcome the books.   

 

Blue Jays #7 and #8

 

Blue Jays #7 & #8, 2023 Oil on panels, each 12'x12'

I think of these as a pair, although each would stand alone.  I'm still considering putting a branch under the feet of #8.  They are so much fun to paint with the several different blues, the gray to white breast and the black markings. 

Blue Jays #7 & #8

 

While Through Hopper's Lens is drying, I've returned to these two which probably only need one more session.  I consider them a pair. Jays are not sexually dimorphic. Males tend to be larger than females, but the difference is minuscule.   Every morning I walk down toward the cove and throw out peanuts.  The original intention was to attract crows for photographing.  But, hard to believe, the Jays won that battle.  They greet me with loud squawks.  They are probably alerting the gang, but I like to think they are screaming their hellos to me. 

Through Hopper's Lens

 

More books are in the shelves.  Next I will indicate some titles, etc on the spines.  My house critic thinks I should add a Hopper book.  I'll think about that. Then, I hope to be able to get to the Windsor.   I'm going to need to put this aside until everything is dry.  In my rush, I'm constantly putting my hand in wet paint and smearing a finished area.  Also, I've lost my steady hand to arthritis.  What I could once do with ease re sharp lines is now a thing of the past.  So, I need to use a triangle or t-square which also requires very dry painted areas.