Pear-ily We Roll Along

"Pear-ily We Roll Along"
9" x 12"
Detail
Oil on canvas panel
This is not my usual fare, as still life setups go, but it was what was available today at the Laura Robb workshop at Mainstreet Art Center in Lake Zurich.  I got this far in three hours, including setting up the  pieces. We learned to draw an ellipse, paint metal, and ceramic.  Yesterday was pear day, but mine were less than ... edible.  Tomorrow I'll replace the white bowl with a plate I'll bring from home and add a flower to the lower left.  I'll also TRY to add a Laura Robb-style texture to the background.

Mainstreet puts on one heck of a good workshop, if you've never considered it.  In fact, the art school itself, in its new location, is quite comfortable and professional. Frankie Johnson is to be commended for her ongoing roll as visionary, artist and owner of the school.

Carol

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Aren't We A Pair?

"Aren't We A Pair?"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard
Pears are plentifully-in-season where I live; sweet, colourful ones with round bellies and sturdy stems. Not all of them sit upright like models, but I prefer the quirky, non-traditional ones with more to offer than just their good looks.    

This was a quick study from real life, and then ... I ate them! Dee-lish.  

Carol




Split Complement

"Split Complement"
6" x 14"
Oil on Hardboard
A box of pears arrived at my door this week.  Not only was I excited to eat them, my friend sent me models!  I painted a lot of them last December when friends blessed me with the season's finest.  'Tis the season!  

What goes with yellow green?  I consulted my colour wheel and found the split complement to be red and violet.  Yum. Two of my favorite colours.  I even made the board a combination of the two. 

Carol 


Group Hug

"Group Hug"
8" x 10"
Oil on canvas panel
The pears knew their days were numbered.  They could smell the aroma of vanilla roasted pears wafting from the kitchen.  


There was no green left on the three pears I had used for the single portraits.  They ripened to this rosy-golden glow in short order.  I showed the dimpled blemish on the left-hand guy, just to see if I could do it.  It took a lot of looking and squinting to figure it out.

Thus ends my pear quest.  Thanks for looking.

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...David...

"...David..."
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel
David, here, was feeling his oats when it came time for him to be immortalized.  Since he couldn't be chiseled from marble, like his namesake, he opted to pose on samples of marble pieces for a fireplace surround.  


I was thrilled to have found the time to paint the gifted pears from life.  It's great practice.  But it also meant that I got to keep some fresh ones for myself, having brought them to my studio.  As I mentioned, the rest have become yummy desserts.

Dailypaintworks
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Thank you for stopping by.
Carol

Booksmart Pears

"Booksmart Pears"
12" x 12"
Oil on wrapped canvas

Artists seem to like to paint pears, so when I first began to paint in oil I thought I'd give it a shot.  I got pears of three distinct shapes, numerous colors and ones with stems.  Had to have stems.  I put them on a couple of books to make a little stage. 

I painted the pears with a complementary color behind them.  I found the shadows, the highlights and their various colors.  And I sold it soon afterward.  

This one can be seen on Dailypaintworks.com in my gallery, but it lives in Chicago. 

Thanks for stopping by,
Carol 

Fruits of My Spirit

"Fruits of My Spirit"
6" x 6"
Oil on panel
It was March, I had looked forward to it since the night it was announced—a Carol Marine workshop in a town near mine!  I signed up, paid up and showed up.  She was here in Illinois, across the room, arranging her demo items.  Even though I don't normally paint like Carol, I wanted to be in her presence, and in front of her wisdom.  I somehow managed to paint, and more importantly, to learn.

This is a piece I painted in one of her many timed exercises.  It was as important to learn how to do this as it was to hear her critique the others in the room.  Carol lived above every expectation.  Attend if you can.  

This piece is not for sale, but will be exhibited in my gallery on Dailypaintworks.com.  

Thank you for peeking in today.  
Carol