For #ThrowbackThursday, here's a piece from 2018. This view of Dana Point Harbor from Harbor Point Park was painted plein air for the 2018 Laguna Plein Air Painting Invitational. It went on to win multiple awards at the event.
Patrick Saunders Fine Arts
Contemporary Realism in Oils
Thursday, June 8, 2023
Throwback Thursday - "Morning Spills Into the Cove"
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Art Review - "Lisbon to Belem" by Fred Taylor
This week's #MuseumTourTuesday features a travel poster art by British artist Fred Taylor.
Taylor was a master of breaking even the most complicated images down to flat graphic shapes. I find this piece particularly striking in its use of color. The building is rendered in shades of orange, which contrast with the black used in the figures. Taylor then places a few spots of rich blue within the entrance to the building, vibrating against the orange and drawing our eye to the center of the image. Also notice that small bit of dark greenery in the top left, to balance the dark mass of the figures.
Born in London in 1875, Taylor studied in Paris at the Académie Julian. He worked extensively as an illustrator for railway and shipping firms, and insisted on traveling to the location to truly capture the feel of his subject matter. During WWII, he was employed as a camouflage artist. Taylor passed away in 1963. While I do not know the location of this particular work, many public galleries in Britain hold his paintings.
"Lisbon to Belem" • Fred Taylor • Gouache
• c. 1940s • Private Collection
© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Saturday, June 3, 2023
ONLY ONE SPOT LEFT - Baton Rouge Painting Workshop
UPDATE: SOLD OUT
Send an e-mail to contact@patricksaunders.com if you would like to be added to the wait list for this workshop.
Click here for more information, and to claim that last spot: https://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Baton-Rouge-Workshop
Explore the essential techniques for painting from direct observation and photography. I can teach you to paint any subject, from the most simple to complex, with one approach. I will demonstrate the process of simplifying the subject and moving to finish as rapidly as possible, in order to add more energy and excitement to your painting.
Each day begins with a short lecture and full demonstration, followed by one-on-one instruction. My class is highly tailored for each individual, so beginners as well as experienced painters are welcome.
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"Bombadil" • Oil on Linen • 12" x 16" • Private Collection |
© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Thursday, June 1, 2023
"Waiting" - Western Art Painting
Sometimes you get a glimpse behind the scenes. This one gave me the sense that horses feel exactly like us at the end of a long day of work. After herding cattle all day, they too are ready to just go home. Technically, it was a challenge to get the sense that most everything is in the shade, while still keeping the colors rich.
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"Waiting" • Oil on Linen • 15" x 30" • Available at www.PatrickSaunders.com |
Painting and reference photos by Saunders Fine Arts.
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Art Review - "The Sunlit Room" by Carl Holsøe
This week's #MuseumTourTuesday is an interior by Danish artist Carl Holsøe.
Saturday, May 27, 2023
We all love color, but trying to match the colors of nature perfectly can drive artists to madness.
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“Neil Reflected” • Oil on Linen • 14" x 18" • Private Collection |
© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Thursday, May 25, 2023
SOLD - Dana Point Harbor Plein Air Painting
This piece has gone home with a new collector. It was painted at Dana Point Harbor in southern California. That sea of boats was a lot of fun to capture!
Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Art Review - "Team and Wagon" by Nicolai Fechin
This week's #MuseumTourTuesday is an oil sketch by the great Russian artist, Nicolai Fechin, that I find as inspiring as any larger, more ambitious composition.
Despite its small scale and economy of brushstrokes, the painting conveys so much detail and movement. All of this comes from Fechin's skill in simplification and confidence in paint application. It's a great reminder that loose paintings are not sloppy, but require well thought out strokes, perfectly placed. With just a few expert brushstrokes, one can say more than with a hundred haphazard dabs.
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"Team and Wagon" • Nicolai Fechin • Oil on Canvas • 10" x 16" |
© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Saturday, May 20, 2023
SOLD - "Trails of Jupiter" Plein Air Painting
Happy to see this piece go home with a new collector. It's a plein air painting from one of my favorite tranquil spots in Florida, the Blowing Rocks Preserve on Jupiter Island. I've always loved the way the palm trees meld together into a protective canopy, creating a beautiful pattern of dappled light.
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"Trails of Jupiter" • Oil on Linen • 16" x 20" • Private Collection |
Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.
© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
SOLD - "Paper Lantern" Floral Painting
My thanks to Janice at Hindes Fine Art for sending this floral painting home with a collector.
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“Paper Lantern” • Oil on Linen • 9"x12" • Private Collection |
© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.