Patrick Saunders Fine Arts: 2018

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Floral Workshop - Tampa, Florida

Artist friends, I have one workshop left in Florida in 2019 that isn't sold out.

I'm teaching a floral painting class March 2nd - 3rd in Tampa, Florida, sponsored by the Tampa Regional Artists at the Old Hyde Park Art Center.

It's already about a third full, so register now to save your spot: http://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-TRA-Floral-Workshop

Truly learning to paint means learning to paint anything. No gimmicks for painting specific things, no shortcuts, just good practice. If you are a beginner, I can get you started, and if you are more advanced, I can take you to the next level. Come paint with me.

"Poppies" (oil on linen, 12"x16") Private collection

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2018. 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, December 27, 2018

Throwback Thursday - Towers and Water Towers

For #throwbackthursday, the first painting I did after Kimberly and I moved to New York in 2006. This was the view from the window of our first apartment in Chelsea, Manhattan. After living in the Midwest our entire lives, this was a very different world for us, but it was the start of something great.

"Towers and Water Towers" (oil on board, 19"x26.25"), is now available for purchase at my online art gallery:

http://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Online-Art-Gallery

Friday, December 21, 2018

Pet Portrait Commission - Perry the Yorkshire Terrier

It's always wonderful to see someone's eyes light up when they view a commissioned painting for the first time, especially when they didn't even know it was coming.

"Perry" (oil on linen, 12"x16") was a Christmas gift from a great family to a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother. Kimberly and I were honored to be there for the surprise.

Reference and painting photos by Saunders Fine Arts.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Patrick Saunders Fine Arts Newsletter

Social media has gotten a bit unwieldy, so I've decided to bring back my e-newsletter.

Sign up at the link below to receive information about upcoming workshops, events, recent works, painting tips and special offers.

http://patricksaunders.com/signup.html

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Floral Workshop - Rockport Center for the Arts

Texas artists, there are only a few spots left in my floral painting workshop next month in Rockport, Texas, sponsored by the Rockport Center for the Arts.

Come paint with me and learn about choosing a subject, composition, values, color temperature, simplification, how to start and when to stop. Each day of my January 15th - 17th workshop will include a full demonstration, followed by opportunities to create multiple paintings with frequent one-on-one instruction.

Register now to secure your spot:
http://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Rockport-Floral-Workshop

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Flower Girl Portrait Painting

I'm stretching back 20 years with today's throwback Thursday post.

I painted this portrait of my niece for a show in Kansas City in 1998. It was during the preparation for this exhibition that I first discovered my love for coffee.

I don't know if it was the coffee or a frantic need for more paintings, but my approach to painting also changed considerably at this moment. This was one of my very first alla prima paintings, as I created it start to finish in one evening.

"Flower Girl" (oil on canvas, 15"x20")

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Painting Workshop - The Art Loft, Dahlonega, Georgia

Georgia artists, I'm teaching a four day painting workshop next summer at The Art Loft in Dahlonega, Georgia, just north of Atlanta, Georgia.

Join me June 6th - 9th for my most in-depth class of the year.

Explore the essential techniques for painting from direct observation, including plein air and photography. Learn to paint any subject, from the most simple to complex, with one approach.

Class size is limited, so register soon:
http://bit.ly/patrick-saunders-art-loft-workshop

"Good Morning, Church Road" (oil on panel, 14"x18") Private Collection

Monday, December 3, 2018

Painting Workshop - Hoosier Salon, New Harmony, Indiana

Indiana artist friends, I'm teaching a painting workshop sponsored by the Hoosier Salon Patrons Association and Fine Art Galleries at their 20th Annual First Brush of Spring event in New Harmony, Indiana.

Join me April 23rd - 25th at the New Harmony Gallery to explore the essential techniques for painting from direct observation and photography. Learn to paint any subject, from the most simple to complex, with one approach.

Class size is limited, so register soon:

http://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-First-Brush-of-Spring-Workshop

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Holiday Gift Ideas - The Gift of Art

Need gift ideas?

If you'd like to give the gift of art to friends and loved ones, you can shop online for my paintings, fine art prints or cards, and painting workshops.

Click here to see my digital art gallery of available paintings:
http://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Online-Art-Gallery

For fine art prints and cards of my sold work, browse here:
 http://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Fine-Arts-Prints

Check here to see my complete 2019 class schedule and sign up for a workshop near you: http://patricksaunders.com/classes.html

Happy Holidays!

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Throwback Thursday - Sacre Coeur From Musee d'Orsay

For #ThrowBackThursday, here's a painting from 2012, "Sacre Coeur From Musée d'Orsay" (oil on canvas, 3'x5', private collection).

We're looking forward to returning to the Musée d'Orsay next year.

Prints of this piece are available at my online store: http://patricksaunders.com/store.html

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Painting Workshop II - Tybee Island, Georgia

Want to learn to paint anything? Even your dog?

I'm not kidding when I say that I can teach you to paint any subject, from the most simple to the complex. If you are a beginner, I can get you started. If you're more advanced, I can take you to the next level.

Artist friends in Georgia and the Southeast, there are only four spots left in my second painting workshop on beautiful Tybee Island next February. My first workshop sponsored by The Tybee Tourist at The Official Crab Shack sold out, but the second one we added on February 5th - 7th is almost full too.

Click here to register: http://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Tybee-Island-Workshop

For those traveling in from out of town to the Savannah, Georgia area, Mermaid Cottages Vacation Rentals is offering discounted housing for all workshop registrants.

Give yourself the gift of art and escape the cold to come paint with me!


"Angel" (oil on linen, 16"x20") Available for Purchase

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Floral Workshop - Rockport Center for the Arts

Artist friends, just a reminder that I’m teaching a floral painting workshop next January in Rockport, Texas sponsored by the Rockport Center for the Arts.

Average daily temperatures in this part of Texas are in the mid-60s in January. Escape the cold and come to the Texas Coast to paint with me.

Register now to secure your spot:
http://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Rockport-Floral-Workshop

I know I'm like a broken record on this, but it's true: whether you are a beginner or more advanced, florals are a perfect subject for adding energy to all of your paintings.

Learn about choosing a subject, composition, values, color temperature, simplification, how to start and when to stop. Each day of my January 15th - 17th workshop will include a full demonstration, followed by opportunities to create multiple paintings with frequent one-on-one instruction.

"Holiday Poinsettia" (oil on canvas, 16"x12") Private Collection

"Amongst the Green" (oil on canvas, 16"x12") Private Collection

"Waterlily, Brooklyn Botanic Garden" (oil on canvas, 32"x48") Private Collection

"White Rose" (oil on canvas, 9"x12") Private Collection

"Mandevilla" (oil on panel, 6"x8") Private Collection

"Poppy Morning, Telluride, Colorado" (oil on panel, 9"x12") Private Collection

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Architectural Painting - The Unisphere, Queens, New York

For throwback Thursday, here's a painting I did in 2008 while we were living in Park Slope.

I was fascinated by the Unisphere, a 12-story high, stainless steel representation of the Earth, built in Queens, New York for the 1964 World's Fair. I decided to paint it in an early morning scene, which added a tremendous amount of depth as the sun rose and lit it from one direction.

We kept this painting for a long time in our personal collection. It represented a great memory of our time in New York.

"Corona Park" (oil on board, 19"x29"), now available for purchase at my online art gallery:

http://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Online-Art-Gallery

Sunday, November 11, 2018

Floral Painting Workshop - Whistle Stop Corner, San Antonio, Texas

Artist friends, come spend your Presidents Day weekend painting with me in Texas.

I now have a floral painting workshop scheduled February 16th - 18th at the beautiful Whistle Stop Corner studio. This is currently my only San Antonio workshop in 2019.

For those traveling from out of town, a limited number of great guest accommodations are available on-site for this workshop.

This class is already a third full. Don't miss this one-of-a-kind, immersive weekend workshop!

Click here to register:

http://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Whistle-Stop-Corner-Floral-Workshop
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Friday, November 9, 2018

Floral Workshop - Lighthouse ArtCenter

Florida artists, I'm teaching a three-day floral painting workshop at Lighthouse ArtCenter March 5th - 7th, the week before I participate in their annual plein air festival.

This is the ONLY workshop I'm teaching in the Tequesta and Jupiter area in 2019. There are only four spots left in this class, so register now to secure your spot:

http://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Lighthouse-ArtCenter-Floral-Workshop

Whether you're a beginner, or more advanced, I can teach you to paint any subject, from the most simple to complex, with one approach. Come join me for a fun three days in Florida.


"A Splash of Red" (oil on panel, 5"x7") Private Collection

"Fireworks" (oil on linen, 12"x12") Private Collection

"Jungle Sharp" (oil on linen, 12"x12") Private Collection

"Heart of the Banyan" (oil on linen, 16 "x20")
Winner, 2nd Place, Lighthouse ArtCenter 5th Annual Plein Air Festival

"Riverbend Breeze" (oil on linen, 14"x18") Private Collection

Winner, Honorable Mention, 2017 Lighthouse ArtCenter Plein Air Festival
Winner, 2nd Place, 2017 Laguna Plein Air Painters Association Best of Plein Air Awards

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Throwback Thursday - Portrait Commission

For #throwbackthursday, here’s a portrait commission from five years ago. I remember struggling with the competing patterns of the dress, the bricks and the stonework, but working with the dogs made it all fun.

"Deanna" (oil on canvas, 36"x26"), Private Collection

Reference and painting photos by Saunders Fine Arts.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Floral Painting Workshop - San Antonio, Texas

Artist friends, I now have a floral painting workshop scheduled in San Antonio, Texas in February 2019.

Come spend your Presidents Day weekend painting in Texas with me at the beautiful Whistle Stop Corner studio.

For those traveling from out of town, a limited number of guest accommodations are available onsite for this workshop.

Don't miss this one-of-a-kind, immersive weekend workshop!  Click here for more information and to register.

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Gilcrease Museum

Kimberly and I made a stop at the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this week, hoping to view "Old Town, San Diego", one of our all-time favorite Nicolai Fechin paintings.

Due to a large exhibition of Albert Bierstadt work, that painting and all of museum's Fechins are currently in storage, but it was still a treat to view their small collection of excellent Frederic Remington works, and one of John Singer Sargent's haunting WWI paintings.

The Remington works are always best viewed in person, as the color in reproductions varies dramatically, but I have to add that Kimberly's photos here are spot on. All photos by Saunders Fine Arts or me. 

Frederic Remington, "The Stampede" (oil on canvas)

This piece grabs you as soon as you enter the room. Such a sense of frenzy and fear is conveyed with every aspect of the image. The cowboy is not the center of interest, instead it's the horse, and in his face, we can see true fear echoed by the cattle just beyond. The angle of the lightning bolt and even the direction of the thin brush strokes indicating the rain drive everything in the painting in one direction. This right to left movement within the painting directly collides with the left to right way in which we view the painting, creating an incredible amount of tension.

A closeup of "Stampede"

This gives a much better view of how Remington handled the rain - strokes of transparent paint throughout the sky and across the cowboy and cattle. This effect is barely visible on the horse, which makes it more the center of interest by contrast.

Frederic Remington "The Hungry Moon" (oil on canvas)

This painting is a masterpiece of design. The piece reads perfectly from across the room. I was immediately struck by the pea green color of the snow. There's a haunting quality to the painting, and critics have written that this painting suggests a fear of death. I don't get that sense. The element that pulls me back is the horse head on the right. The choice to crop the horse is deliberate, and suggests that there is something more to the story, whether it is the larger tribe or the prospect of the day and life beyond this night.

This is a closeup of the textural quality of the snow in "The Hungry Moon." This texture adds a weight and a depth to the snow that might otherwise become a flat area within the painting.

Frederic Remington, "An Episode of the Buffalo Hunt" (oil on canvas)

This piece has almost a comical feel, but I was particularly struck by the "s" shape of the composition. The eye follows the path of the buffalo to the horse and culminates at the figure, each one looking just as surprised as the next.

A closeup of the texture of the buffalo in "An Episode of the Buffalo Hunt." It's this texture which holds the viewers interest in the painting and pulls the eye back from the figure to once again travel the "s" shape of the composition.

Another detail from "An Episode of the Buffalo Hunt." Not much to the face of the figure so that we don't dwell there.

Frederic Remington, "With the Eye of the Mind" (oil on canvas)

Another simple yet masterful composition. The viewers eye passes quickly over the clouds in the upper left to the figures, where we are driven right back to the cloud by their gestures and eye lines, only then to discover the cloud is the focal point of the painting.

A closeup of "With the Eye of the Mind." Small dashes of paint say so much, without keeping the viewer focused on the faces of the figures.

Another closeup of "With the Eye of the Mind." Once again, texture. This time, the clouds, the ultimate focal point of the painting.

John Singer Sargent, "The Arrival of American Troops at the Front" (oil on canvas)

This isn't a particularly large canvas for Sargent, and I initially thought it might have been painted from direct observation due to the simplicity of the soldiers' faces. This is not the case, as I have found preliminary watercolor sketches used to prepare for the final. Instead, it appears that Sargent was making a statement regarding the American army heading to the front. There's a contrast between the fresh crisp and untested American troops on the left and the battered British troops on the right headed in the opposite direction. The landscape beyond with the shattered trees enhances this juxtaposition.

The faces of the soldiers are intentionally left blank. The painting is not about their personal emotions as they head into battle, they are simply part of the massive American war machine. I get much more of a sense of emotion from the British troops on the right as they turn to face their American counterparts, but the emotion is vague. Is it hope or a sense of foreboding for that which they do not yet understand?

A closeup from "The Arrival of American Troops at the Front." Sargent uses value and color contrast to make these figures the center of interest in the painting.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2018. 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.

Sunday, November 4, 2018

2019 Painting Workshop Schedule

Would you like to paint with me in 2019?

My workshop schedule is almost complete, and spans much of the country next year. My confirmed 2019 classes are listed on the Workshops page of my website. A few more classes may be added in Texas, Louisiana, Virginia, and Washington.

Give yourself or a loved one the gift of art in the new year and join me at class near you!

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Family Portrait Commission

My biggest portrait commission yet, quite literally.

Definitely won't be working on this inside - can't quite fit it into the Sweet Potato.

Monday, October 29, 2018

"You Lookin' At Me?" - Plein Air Texas

As I sat to paint a herd of cows at the Mims Ranch just outside of San Angelo, Texas, one cow emerged from the group. She didn't seem too happy that I was there. She repeatedly stamped her feet and snorted at me.

"You Lookin' At Me?" (oil on linen, 5"x7"), painted for Plein Air Texas.

Saturday, October 27, 2018

"Heart of a Home" - Plein Air Texas

Sometimes the kitchen is the most inviting place in the house.

That's definitely the case with this one in Christoval, Texas. It's the kind of space where you want to hang out with friends.

"Heart of a Home" (oil on linen, 18"x24" SOLD), painted for Plein Air Texas 2018.