Throwback Thursday - "Daffodils"

Something simple for #throwbackthursday. This one's from 2018. I didn't plan for it to be so loosely painted, it just developed that way. When I reached this point in the painting, I felt that anything more would make the flower feel too heavy. 

 

                            "Daffodils" • Oil on Board • 5" x 7" • Private Collection

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. 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 - "Lime Shade Tree" by Amy Katherine Browning

Today's #museumtourtuesday features a work by British impressionist Amy Katherine Browning. This painting resides in the collection of the Ipswich Museum in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

The piece is simplistic in its approach, with thick impasto dabs of paint and almost no attention to detail. It's the color temperatures and values which make it appear so striking to me. The skin tones of the girl's face perfectly capture the sense of light coming through the leaves of the tree. Adding vibrancy to the scene are the cool areas of blue shade in the far background, as well as her dress. It's an excellent study in dappled light, especially on the back of the dog.

Born in 1881, Amy Katherine Browning was a favorite student of Gerald Moira, who often asked her to teach his male student painters. She went on to win a number of medals from the Paris Salon, including a gold medal for the painting featured here. Her portrait commissions included Sir Winston Churchill, as well as his wife, Clementine. She would sign her work "A.K. Browning" to avoid any gender discrimination. 

"Lime Tree Shade" • Amy Katherine Browning • Oil on Canvas • 114 x 107 cm • 1913

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. 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.

September 2021 Art Newsletter - Mistakes, Measurements, & Movement

Art is rarely created without error, or editing. Not even Mozart wrote music perfectly straight from his head.

Sign up for my latest art newsletter on how to embrace the unexpected, including your mistakes, when painting.

http://bit.ly/PSFA-Newsletter-Sign-up

 

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. 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 - Ellis County Art Association

Texas artist friends, I’m pleased to announce that the Ellis County Art Association has asked me to teach another painting workshop this winter.

 

Join me January 27th - 29th in Waxahachie to explore the essential techniques for painting from direct observation and photography. You will learn 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. Artists will also learn about composition, value, texture, color temperature and accuracy in paint application.

 

Each day will begin with a short lecture and full demonstration, followed by one-on-one instruction with students. My class is highly tailored for each individual student, so beginners as well as advanced painters are welcome. I will be demonstrating in oil paint, but students are welcome to use acrylic and pastels. 

 

Click here for more information and to register:

https://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Waxahachie-Workshop

 

PLEASE NOTE: Proof of vaccination is required in order to register for this class.

 

“Amor a la Vida” • Oil on Linen • 48”x38” • Private Collection

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. 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 - "Primulas on a Table" by William Nicholson

I'm currently working on a larger still life, and it brings to mind one of my all-time favorites for today's #museumtourtuesday.

This piece is by British artist William Nicholson. I still remember the first time I saw it in person at the The Metropolitan Museum of Art. I found it inspiring for a number of reasons. Back in 1991, during my first trip to New York, I had never painted a floral, and had no interest in them, but this piece is less about the flowers and more about the overall design.

While the bouquet and the dramatic shape of its shadow take center stage, the other elements move your eye throughout the painting. The flow of the edge of the table swoops up and to the right, and yet the decorative plate and the dark scissors pull the eye back down. The thick paint depicting the pattern of the tablecloth creates a sense of depth, while that small peek at the chair and window drapes suggests that there is so much more to the room. It all comes together in a wonderful bit of storytelling.

Born in 1872, Nicholson worked primarily as an illustrator until 1900, when he was encouraged by James McNeill Whistler to concentrate on painting. He went on to have a number of pupils, including Sir Winston Churchill.

"Primulas on a Table" • William Nicholson • Oil on Wood • 23 3/4" x 16 3/4 • 1928

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. 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 Tip - Using Liquin

I get a lot of questions in my workshops about the medium Liquin, and I never fail to discourage its use. The two paintings featured here are a great example of why Liquin is not a good choice, particularly if you want your work to be archival.

Liquin can yellow over time, and this process can rapidly accelerate when the painting is subjected to any amount of heat. I store my paintings in the back of our truck as we travel, and only two of them have ever yellowed. They were the last two paintings where I used Liquin as a medium.
 

Here's the first of the two paintings as it looked upon completion in 2008. It represents a view from our corporate apartment in New York, before we found a more permanent home in Brooklyn. I was working full-time in advertising, and rarely found the time to paint. I used Liquin sky, needing the piece to dry faster, so that I could display it in an upcoming show.

"Towers & Water Towers, New York" • Oil on Board • 19" x 26.25"

 

And now the painting as it looks today. Full disclosure, this was shot with my iPhone, so the color is not perfectly accurate, but you can clearly see the yellowing that has occurred, mostly in the lighter areas like the sky.

I still like the painting, even with the yellowing effect. This could actually be desirable, if you like it, so it's just something to be aware of. However, a collector might not necessarily appreciate such a change over time.

This detail is of the sky in the upper right. I had glazed over the sky with a thin layer of cerulean blue mixed with Liquin in order to even out the color. Now, areas with additional Liquin are far more yellow.

This piece was also created in 2008, using the same methods and materials. The scene depicts the Unisphere, a 12-story high, stainless steel representation of the Earth, built in Queens, New York City for the 1964 World's Fair.

"Corona Park" • Oil on board • 19" x 29"

A similar yellowing has occurred over time to this piece as well. Again, please note that the color is not completely accurate, as this was shot with my iPhone, but it does illustrate the yellowing effect.

In this case, I actually like the painting better now than I did before, because it's made the colors a bit more sophisticated and unified.

This close-up of the sky shows a spot where I missed covering the area with the Liquin glaze. A nice spot of the original blue surrounded by a sea of greenish blue.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. 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.

2021 Bosque Art Classic

I am so pleased that two of my three entries into the Bosque Arts Center's 2021 Bosque Art Classic juried art show and sale were sold at the opening ceremony last weekend.

The 36th Annual BAC show will be on display and free to the public through Saturday, September 25th. Their online sale also continues through the 25th, so collectors can still purchase work by accepted artists, like the portrait below, my only piece left in the show that is still available. 

 

Visit www.BosqueArtsCenter.org for more information. 

 

Painting photos by Saunders Fine Arts.

 

 

“Tom” • Oil on Linen • 11” x 14”
• Available at the 2021 Bosque Art Classic

"Awaiting" • Oil on Linen • 24” x 30" • SOLD

"Betty" • Oil on Panel • 9" x 12" • SOLD

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. 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 - "Old Town, San Diego" by Nicolai Fechin

The Gilcrease Museum is currently closed, as they are in the process of building a brand new facility on the same site as the former museum. For this week's #museumtourtuesday, I'd like to share the piece from their collection that I admire the most.

No surprise that it is one of Nicolai Fechin's works. I've also included a close-up of what I consider the key part of the painting.

 

"Old Town, San Diego" • Nicolai Fechin • Oil on Canvas • 1925 • 30 7/8" x 35 3/4"

Just look at that palm tree!

It features both thick and thin areas of paint, including some where the texture of the canvas clearly comes through. Also notice the wild variation of colors within this single tree. The saturated jewel tones of the palm leaves contrast with the muted grey of the building to the right, while the cool viridian color vibrates against the warmth of the buildings on the left, making the leaves explode out of the composition.

 

"Old Town, San Diego" Detail • Nicolai Fechin • Oil on Canvas • 1925 • 30 7/8" x 35 3/4"

I sincerely hope that this stunning piece will be permanently on display in the new museum.

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. 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 Tip - Surface Preparation

I'm working on surface preparation today, both a large stretched canvas and some smaller boards. While I've always stretched my own larger canvases, I've found that the quality of commercial panels has waned in the last few years, so I'm now making my own whenever possible.

I seal the masonite boards with Golden Artist Colors' GAC 100, and then use Lineco, Inc. Adhesive to glue the linen to the panels. On both the stretched canvas and the boards, the surface is primed with the same process. After applying two coats of Utrecht Art Supplies Acrylic Gesso to protect the linen, I then add a coat of oil primer. 

 

I'm curious about everyone's experience with various oil primers. I have used the Gamblin oil painting ground for many years, but recently found that I prefer the Winsor & Newton Oil Painting Primer, as it is less slick. I also have some Williamsburg Handmade Oil Colors Titanium Oil Ground on order that I am anxious to try. 

 

Any other recommendations or preferences?

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. 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 Art - "Mosaic"

I just finished a larger floral that I've been working at off and on for a couple of months in between travel, commissions and competitions. Sometimes you need to set a painting aside for a bit to find your way again.

I’ve been experimenting with the idea of pattern taking dominance over the focal point in a painting. That’s not to say that there isn’t a focal point, but it’s surrounded by multiple secondary and tertiary points of interest in an effort to keep the eyes moving constantly through the painting.

 

“Mosaic” • Oil on Linen • 15” x 30” • Available at www.PatrickSaunders.com

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. 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 - "Night Herd" by Frank Tenney Johnson

One more #MuseumTourTuesday post featuring art from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Today it's a painting by Frank Tenney Johnson.

Johnson was trained as an illustrator and became known for his moonlight technique. Even though most of his paintings appear to be night scenes, my guess is that he painted them from models lit by daylight, altering color temperature and saturation to make the scene appear to be a nocturne.

In this particular piece, what strikes me most is the relaxed pose of the rider, clearly in a moment of respite as he drapes both legs over one side of the horse. While he is most likely rolling a cigarette, he could just as easily be checking his phone if this were a modern day scene.

 

"Night Herd" • Frank Tenney Johnson • Oil on Canvas • 1936

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. 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 Art - "Luminescence"

Here is my latest floral, just off the easel.

I love when light moves through a flower, bouncing between the petals and making it appear to be lit from within. In the case of this rose, even the leaves had that bright glow to them. 

 

"Luminescence" • Oil on Linen • 9" x 12" • Available at www.PatrickSaunders.com

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. 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.