Oil Painting Demonstration

I'll be giving an oil painting demonstration on:

Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 7 p.m.

at the Parish Center for the Arts, 10 Lincoln Street, Westford, MA.

I will create the painting, "Bettyann's Barn" similar to the one pictured here. 

This event is free but if you make a $10 donation, your name will be entered into a raffle to win the painting at the end of the evening.

If you cannot attend but still want a chance to win, you can either stop by Art on Main to purchase a raffle ticket, or, click the Buy Now button below and I'll create a ticket for you.  For those who don't live in the area, I'll ship the painting to your door if you win! All proceeds benefit the PCA, a non-profit arts center.

B there or B square (and bring a friend, too!)

Best regards,

Laurie

"The Dog Days of Summer" - 10 x 10 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

I spotted this hot dog vendor setting up his cart before the lunch crowd arrived.  The challenge with this painting was the amount of bright, primary colors that were competing with each other.  The umbrella was bright yellow and red, the vendor's shorts were red, the cooler was a vivid blue and the background was very busy and filled with greens.  If I didn't make some alterations, the final product would have been an overwhelming onslaught of color.

My first decision was to shift the reds to more of an orange color to make them more harmonious with the yellow.  I also toned down the blue to make it more subdued.  The background was quite busy so I darkened it and just left a suggestion of the hedge that was behind him.

"Graniteville Foundry II" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Graniteville Foundry II" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

This summer, there was ongoing construction near my house.  Because of a detour, I found myself driving past the Graniteville Foundry much more than usual.  I've always loved the shapes and colors of this building and decided to paint it once again.

The first time I painted it, I really focused on the entrance and only showed a hint of the tall red tower.  My pallet was duller to reflect the gray/neutral colors of winter.  Looking back at my earlier painting, I'm struck by how many different ways there are to interpret the same subject.  You can see my first interpretation by clicking here.

"Sittin' Pretty" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Sittin' Pretty" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

Whenever I gallery sit at Art on Main, I always bring a painting to work on.  Last week, I arrived with nothing in mind.  Looking for inspiration, I walked around the outside of the building and found this lovely flower pot in the back.  Using a bit of artistic license, I changed both the shape and color of the pot to make it more to my liking.

For those who live in the area, Art on Main is having our monthly open house on Thursday, September 6 from 5 to 8 p.m.  Join us for a some wine, nibbles and good conversation.

"Jam" - 20 x 20 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

This painting was part of the "Urban Intersection" show at the Quidley & Company Gallery on Newbury Street in Boston.  I was honored to participate in such a prestigious event.

"LA DIP" - 10 x 10 inches - oil on canvas

"LA DIP" - 10 x 10 inches - oil on canvas

I spotted this pink ice cream truck in the parking lot of my supermarket one afternoon.  What a cool truck!  I immediately pulled out my camera and started taking pictures.  This truck has a lot of personality ...I love the American flag peeking out of the left corner of the windshield.

I started this painting as a demo at our monthly "Wine and Nibbles" open house Art on Main.  I was able to block in most of the painting but had to finish up at home as I kept stopping to chat with people.   


This 10 inch square painting is available for $140.  Click the Buy Now button below or click here for other payment options. 

"Wild Ones" - 12 x 12 inches - Oil on canvas - SOLD

I don't really like traditional flower arrangements.  I can't be bothered with ferns and baby's breath and  fancy flowers like roses and lilies.  I'd much rather have wild flowers picked from a field.  I spotted these daisies in my backyard and immediately knew I'd have to paint them.  I just love the simple presentation of these flowers in an old jelly jar.  I fabricated a few extra flowers to round out the composition like the tallest flower and the bud on the far left.

In Other News...Tax Free Weekend and 15% off Sale!

Massachusetts is having their annual tax free weekend on Saturday August 11 and Sunday August 12.  In addition to saving the 6.25% sales tax, I'm offering 15% off all my paintings for these two days.  You can either purchase them at the Art on Main gallery, or, online.  You can view all my available paintings by clicking here.

"Rocky" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Rocky" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

I recently painted this Westie named "Rocky".  I've never met Rocky but was given a number of reference photos to work from.  Things got a bit tricky as I was asked to place Rocky in this outdoor setting but use this particular pose which was from an indoor shot.  Before I began, I used Photoshop to combine the two reference photos and basically cut Rocky out of the indoor photo and inserted him into this outdoor setting.  Combining references isn't too difficult as long as you pay attention to the light and shadows and make everything look consistent.

I love to paint animals so if you are interested in commissioning a pet portrait, click here for more information.

For those who live in the Westford, MA area, Art on Main is having our monthly "Wine and Nibbles" open house on Thursday, August 2 from 5 - 8 p.m.  I will be giving an oil painting demo from 5 - 6:30pm so stop by and say hello.

"Party Favor" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

I went to a "surprise" birthday party for a dear friend.  It would have been a surprise except we told her that she needed to supply the pool and an appetizer and that the rest of the group would bring everything else.  (Nothing like inviting yourself to a friend's house for a swim on a Sunday afternoon).  Like a good hostess, not only did she supply the appetizer and the pool, but she even made sweet little flower arrangements for everyone to take home as a party favor. 

I struggled with the composition on this one.  I decided to cut off the vase and simply focus on the flowers.  I like how the chair adds an element of interest in the background.  I'm always struck by how many decisions an artist must make when creating a piece of artwork...composition, color choices, canvas size and on and on and on. 

"Two Out One In" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

"Two Out One In" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

Cherries, with their shiny reflections, are one of my favorite subjects to paint.  I also love to place them on a window sill to create strong, interesting shadows.  I spent a fair amount of time thinking about and then adjusting the curve and movement of the stems.  This arrangement creates a nice circular flow and brings all three cherries together.

This 8 inch square painting is available for $95.  Click the Buy Now button below or click here for other payment options. 

"Before Hours" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Before Hours" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

The Art on Main gallery is connected to two shops -- Eclectique and Le Gourmet Jardin.  I came in to work early one Saturday morning before the other shops opened.  As I glanced down the hallway to Ecletique, there was soft, morning light coming in through the sliding glass door.  I just couldn't resist trying to capture that morning glow.  Because Ecletique sells vintage finds, there were interesting (and challenging) objects to paint. 

I started with a bright orange ground and primarily worked from back to front.  I usually try to get the basic shapes, colors and values correct before adding the final details.  Claire, the owner of Ecletique, was thrilled that I painted her shop and decided to buy the painting... a happy ending for both of us  :)

"Fluffer Nutter" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

"Fluffer Nutter" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

Lately, my son has been on a "fluffer nutter" kick.  We've been going through jars of fluff and peanut butter pretty quickly.  Considering that I really like marshmallow, I don't mind taking a spoonful of the stuff every now and then.  If you pair it with some quality chocolate, it is really yummy.  I don't know how long this fluff kick will last, but I'm riding the wave for now.

I loved the combination of colors in this set up...the bright red lid next to the bright green.  The light blue color on the label with a splash of yellow just adds to this happy mix of colors.

This 6 inch square painting is available for $60.  Click the Buy Now button below or click here for other payment options.  

"Tipsy" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Tipsy" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

Last Saturday, I sat outside Art on Main and gave an oil painting demo.  Our gallery is just down the street from the Westford Common -- folks were parking all along Main Street on their way to the annual "Strawberry 'n Arts" festival.  The weather could not have been more glorious!   I was really happy to sit outside and paint for a couple hours.


I started with a bright yellow background knowing that a good portion of my canvas would be covered in a purple shadow.  I paid particular attention to the reflections and shadows on the shiny red cherries...one of my favorite subjects to paint.

"Maggie" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Maggie" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

This is Maggie, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.  This pet portrait was presented to the owner as a birthday gift from a friend who commissioned me to paint it.  I'm happy to report that she was thrilled with the painting.

I started the painting with a bright orange background.  I picked orange mainly because Maggie's coat has red/orange overtones and I wanted to punch up the color a bit.  I also picked a grey-blue for the background color since blue is the complement to orange and makes the colors glow a bit more.

I love to paint animals and am happy to capture your furry loved ones on a canvas as a permanent keepsake.  Click here to learn more.

"Night Game at Fenway" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Night Game at Fenway" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

 
This painting is based on a photo that my daughter snapped at a Red Sox game.  The Sox aren't off to a great start this year but they won this particular game with a walk off home so it was a really exciting finish.  

I was inspired by the bright lights and the halo created against the dark sky.  I started with a fluorescent green background that I allowed to shine through at various points.  I always try to keep my brushstrokes loose and fresh and I think I did a pretty good job in this painting.

"Sunset on Federal" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

"Sunset on Federal" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

I recently went to Newburyport, a lovely coastal town on the north shore of Massachusetts.  I passed this scene as the sun was hitting the steeple of this church on Federal Street.  

To begin, I covered my canvas with a solid layer of orange for a warm undertone.  I mainly worked from background to foreground by filling in the sky, distant trees and then the buildings working my way forward.  

In other news...congratulations to Laura Araujo who is the winner of my monthly give away!   If you want to become eligible, sign up for my mailing list by entering your email and clicking the subscribe button on the right side of this site.

This 8 inch square painting is available for $95.  Click the Buy Now button below or click here for other payment options.

"Calm" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

"Calm" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

The main reason I wanted to paint this scene was that lovely reflection of the mast in the foreground. I started this painting while sitting in my car. and attempted to paint it "plein air". Painting on location is very difficult as the light, and in this case, the water are constantly changing and moving. In fact, I kept chasing the tide as the foreground changed dramatically from the time that I started to when I stopped. When I got the painting home, it was a mess...all the values were too similar with little distinction between the far trees, the water and the foreground. Ugh.

I let the painting sit for a few days and thought about how to fix it. I started by darkening the background trees as well as the foreground grasses. I also darkened the foreground water just a bit to give some contrast to the white reflection of the mast. With just a few brushstrokes, the entire painting came together rather quickly. I really wish I had a before and after photo since the results were quite remarkable. I'm really quite happy with the final result.

This 6 inch square painting is available for $60. Click the Buy Now button below or click here for other payment options.

"Cool as a Cucumber" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

"Cool as a Cucumber" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

I was slicing cucumbers the other day and paused to really look at them.  They are incredibly beautiful. I was struck by the subtle color and pattern of the seeds in the center. I also love how the soft green/yellow interior contrasts sharply with the dark outer skin. Lovely. Just lovely.

This 6 inch square painting is available for $60. Click the Buy Now button below or click here for other payment options.

"Sunny Day at the CCA" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

The town of Chelmsford has been busily renovating their old town hall to turn it into an arts center...the Chelmsford Center for the Arts. Their renovation is nearly complete and they are getting ready to open their doors to the public. For the inaugural art exhibit, they've asked artists to submit works of art interpreting the building itself. This is my entry. It will be fun to see the other entries and everyone's individual depiction of this iconic structure.

I started by painting my canvas a bright purple color. I chose purple primarily because it is the complement of yellow -- the main color of the building. (Complements are pairs of colors that are opposites on the color wheel). If you place complementary colors near each other, they tend to make each other appear brighter.

"Bettyann's Barn" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Bettyann's Barn" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

I was inspired to paint this barn because of the long and complicated shadow created by the forsythia wreath. This is one of those paintings that just flowed right from the start...I really didn't have to fuss too much over any one thing. I paid careful attention to my values noting that the barn interior was the darkest value, the wreath, shadows and pavement were medium values and the barn itself was the lightest value. I really like the abstract quality created by the large, bold shapes and simple color scheme. This painting is hanging at the Art on Main gallery through the middle of May if you want to stop by and view it in person.

Speaking of Art on Main, be sure to stop by on Thursday, May 3 from 5 - 8 p.m. for our monthly "Wine and Nibbles" open house. Our May guest artist is Italian artist Esilda Evans Corbin.