2020 Oil Painters of America National Exhibition, RS Hanna Gallery, Fredericksburg, Texas

Kimberly and I road-tripped to Fredericksburg, Texas yesterday to deliver my entry into the Oil Painters of America's 29th National Exhibition, Wet Paint Competition & Program at the RS Hanna Gallery. 

We enjoy any excuse to visit this charming town with such great art galleries.

“Awaiting" • Oil on Linen • 24”x30" • Available at www.patricksaunders.com

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

July 2020 Newsletter - When Is A Painting Finished?

When is a painting finished?

We are always straddling that line between underworked and overworked.

Read my latest newsletter to learn about the single most important thing for determining when a painting is finished.

Click here to sign up: http://bit.ly/PSFA-Newsletter-Sign-up

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

Art Review - "Round Hill Road" by John Henry Twachtman - Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C.

For this week's #museumtourtuesday, I'm continuing the theme of simplicity with a look at John Henry Twachtman's work at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery in Washington D.C.

While the overall design of the painting is straightforward, the texture of the paint application and the subtle color choices give the scene a deep sense of atmosphere.

Viewing a scene like this is a welcome relief on such a hot summer day, as one can almost feel a chill from the expert way in which the artist has captured the winter season.

"Round Hill Road" • John Henry Twachtman • ca. 1890-1900 • Oil on Canvas • 30.25" x 30"

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.


© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

"Tulum Tabby" Cat Portrait Painting

It's #Caturday, so here is one of my favorite cat paintings, but also one that represents something that I greatly miss - travel!

Kimberly and I shared breakfast with this handsome fellow in Tulum, Mexico. While neither of us are fluent in Spanish, we definitely spoke his language. He came for the food and stayed for the belly rubs.

“Tulum Tabby” • Oil on Panel • 9"x12” • Private Collection

Reference and painting photos by Saunders Fine Arts. 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

Bosque Art Center's 2020 Bosque Art Classic

I am honored to learn that four of my paintings have been accepted into the Bosque Arts Center's 2020 Bosque Art Classic juried art show and sale.

This will be my second year at this great event, which will be celebrating its 35th year this September.

"War Dancer" • Oil on Linen • 20"x24" • Available at www.patricksaunders.com

“Tulips Mingling With Daffodils” • Oil on Linen • 16”x20”
• Available at www.patricksaunders.com

“Chester" • 12”x12" • Oil on Linen • Available at www.PatrickSaunders.com

“Tapestry” • Oil on Linen • 12”x16” • Available at www.patricksaunders.com

Painting photos by Saunders Fine Arts.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

Art Review - "Cornish Headlands" - Abbott Handerson Thayer - Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C.

As a follow up to last week's #museumtourtuesday, here is another minimalist landscape by Abbott Handerson Thayer at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery in Washington D.C.

"Cornish Headlands"
 • Abbott Handerson Thayer • 1898
 • Oil on Canvas 
• 30.125”x 40.124"

At first glance in a photographic reproduction, this might appear to be a small sketch, but it is over forty inches wide, making it a rather large landscape to have been painted so simplistically.

"Cornish Headlands" Detail
 • Abbott Handerson Thayer • 1898
 • Oil on Canvas 
• 30.125”x 40.124"

2) The painting is dominated by a strong movement of warm blue to cool blue within the water. It's not a carefully blended transition. Clearly executed rapidly, the unevenness adds to the energy of the overall piece.

"Cornish Headlands" Detail
 • Abbott Handerson Thayer • 1898
 • Oil on Canvas 
• 30.125”x 40.124"

3) Notice that the land formations consist mainly of thin initial washes of color. If it's the right color and value, there's no need to cover with thick paint.

"Cornish Headlands" Detail
 • Abbott Handerson Thayer • 1898
 • Oil on Canvas 
• 30.125”x 40.124"

4) Even the "details" are simplified. The rock formations are very graphic, consisting of only a few value and color variations.

Painting photos by Saunders Fine Arts.


© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

"Prism" Floral Painting

It always amazes me how many colors can be present in a single rose when the light shines through it just right.

"Prism" • Oil on Linen • 9"x12" • Available at www.PatrickSaunders.com

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

Oil Painters of America 2020 Virtual Juried Salon Show

I'm pleased to announce that my painting "Dama De Rojo" has been accepted to the Oil Painters of America's 2020 Virtual Juried Salon Show. 

 The show will run from August 13th through October 3.

"Dama De Rojo" • Oil on Linen • 15"x30" • Available at www.PatrickSaunders.com

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

Art Review - "Mount Monadnock" - Abbott Handerson Thayer - National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.

When is a painting finished? When it says what you want it to say.

For #museumtourtuesday, here is an astonishingly minimal landscape by Abbott Handerson Thayer from the National Gallery of Art that says so much about a scene without the need for detail. I can feel the coolness of the snow in the shade, and the warmth of the sun on the summit just by the artist's color choices. The trees are barely there, and yet I have a full sense of them from the painting.

Thayer clearly loved this mountain, as he not only organized the local community to protect Mount Monadnock from a group of private developers, but upon his death in 1921, his ashes were scattered upon its summit.

"Mount Monadnock" • Abbott Handerson Thayer • probably 1911/1914
• Oil on Canvas • 56.4 x 61.4 cm

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

Floral Workshop - Booth Art Academy, Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville, Georgia

Georgia artists, I’m excited to announce that I will be teaching my first painting workshop at the Booth Western Art Museum next year.

Join me next spring at the Booth Art Academy in Cartersville, Georgia for my “Dynamic Floral in Oils” class May 5th - 7th, 2021.

Class size is limited, so click here to register:
http://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Booth-Museum-Floral-Workshop

The painted floral requires a balance of spontaneity and accuracy, a perfect subject to practice 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 will include a full demonstration followed by opportunities to create multiple paintings with frequent one-on-one instruction. We will work from both photos and cut flowers in the studio.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

Pet Portrait Instructional Painting Video - The Dog Portrait In Oils

I'm currently working on a new instructional video focused on painting florals, but in the meantime my "𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝗜𝗻 𝗢𝗶𝗹𝘀" video is available for streaming.

You can read reviews, and rent it here: https://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Dog-Portrait-Video

My simple steps for evaluating your paintings in progress will improve not only your skills as a pet portrait painter, but your painting abilities in general. You will learn how to easily mix the colors you want, improve the accuracy in your drawing, and much more.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

Throwback Thursday - Great Art Teachers

For #throwbackthursday, I'd like to send out a thanks to some of the talented artists I've studied with in the past. 

Twenty-five years ago, I painted this portrait of a woman at a workshop in Loveland, Colorado with Richard Schmid. He showed me how each stroke affects the entire painting.

 "Loveland Woman" • Oil on Canvas • 14"x18" • Private Collection

Almost 20 years ago, Carolyn Anderson changed everything for me at a workshop in Logan, Utah, by forcing me to think less about what I was painting and more about why I was painting it. The study of the boy reading is from that experience.

"Scott" • Oil on Canvas  • 9"x12" • Private Collection

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

Art Review - John Grabach and J. Bond Francisco, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.

For today's #MuseumTourTuesday, I'm featuring two paintings from the Smithsonian American Art Museum Luce Foundation Center For American Art. These two are side by side within the visual storage section (my apologies for the lines and glare of the glass), and share some interesting compositional similarities, yet are very different in both approach and emotional themes.

First up is John R. Grabach's loving portrait of his wife, Anna. While painted shortly before her death, there is no indication of any impending sorrow.

While the bright patterns of the blanket and the parasol immediately grab our attention, we are ultimately drawn to Anna's face. There is a certain calmness to her demeanor surrounded by the white relief of the sheets in stark contrast to the busy movement of the competing patterns.

"Morning" • John R. Grabach • ca. 1917 • Oil on Canvas • 36.125"x41.25"

J. Bond Francisco's portrait of a bedridden child differs greatly in mood from Grabach's painting, but the composition also draws us to the face of the sleeping figure.

Here, the artist uses not only the light values of the surrounding sheets, but also contrasts the color of the green wall with the redness of the boy's face to get our attention.

Unlike Anna, this boy does not appear to rest well, and everything about the picture suggests a darker scenario.

"The Sick Child" • J. Bond Francisco • ca. 1893 • Oil on Canvas • 32"x48"

The level of detail in Francisco's painting is also a significant departure from Grabach's, yet both are quite painterly. Notice how skillfully the quilted pattern of the blanket is depicted.
Painting photos by Saunders Fine Arts.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

Painting Workshop - Heartland Art Club, Saint Louis, Missouri

Missouri artists, I’m pleased to announce that I will be teaching a painting workshop in Saint Louis, Missouri next year, sponsored by the Heartland Art Club. 

Join me next spring at The Galleries at Heartland Art Club May 20th - 22nd to explore the essential techniques for painting from direct observation and photography.

Class size is limited, so click here to register:
https://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Saint-Louis-Workshop

You will learn to paint any subject, from the most simple to complex, with one approach. This oil and acrylics workshop is open to beginners as well as more advanced artists. If you are new to painting, I can get you started, and if you are an experienced painter, I can help you get to the next level.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.

"Eclipse" Floral Painting

There's not much that can match the beauty of a backlit rose. It's more than that bright rim of light on the edges, but also the intensity of color as the sun shines through the translucent petals.

"Eclipse" • Oil on Canvas • 6"x8" • Available at www.PatrickSaunders.com

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. 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.