Rhonda Hurwitz Studio

Two Pugs (Lulu and Chippy) - SOLD

2009-03-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

I was wondering if I could do justice to these two pugs, which I painted for my dear friends Robin and Ted. All I can say is that rendering all their little nooks and crannies was lots of fun!

Censored (why were my images blocked?)!

2009-03-04T21:52:00.000-08:00

I originally used Photobucket to host my most recent drawings (shown below), and for some reason they got blocked for violating their Terms of Service. Does anyone consider these figure studies obscene or in poor taste? I never thought that they crossed any kind of line...why were they censored? I am now using Flickr instead.

Drawing Again part two

2009-03-01T15:21:00.000-08:00

Today I used a velvet gray Strathmore paper and I enjoyed using a mid-tone surface. I always start by massing darks and lights and sculpting the big shapes, but I'd love to see an artist like Mike Beeman
draw his figures...they express so much with just an elegant line and a little shading. More than a gesture drawing but still very minimalist. If you haven't seen them, check them out at his blog or on You Tube.

Drawing Again:)

2009-02-28T12:58:00.000-08:00

Life has taken a different turn lately, but I am happy to be drawing again, from life no less, in an open studio from a model. No pressure of completed paintings, just these 20-30 minute studies. I love it!

Big News!!!

2009-02-14T13:17:00.000-08:00

"...CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have been elected a Juried Associate Member of the Pastel Society of America..."
I worked a long time for this. Next goal, Signature status. We'll see how long that takes:) My reward is a trip to the IAPS convention in Albuquerque this May.

Tyler - 12" x 16" Pastel - SOLD

2009-01-04T14:53:00.000-08:00

A beautiful chow/golden mix...it was my pleasure to paint him. This was a 60th birthday present for the client's Dad. Hope he loves it.

Short stocks, go long...peppers!

2008-10-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

Painting usually takes my mind off such things, but I awoke like Rip Van Winkle last week to a much diminished stock market...very stressful. Well, we might not have as much money, but we can still enjoy a bottle of wine, some bread, and Italian peppers. Could be worse!

Weir Farm Apple Tree - Plein Air Study

2008-10-04T19:03:00.000-07:00

I got alot out of today's workshop with Connecticut artist Alain Picard -- I focused on finding big shapes, using a range of values, unifying colors, and working out a composition that helps the eye move through the painting and defines a foreground/middle and background. There is so much information in an outdoor scene, it helped to have someone talk about how to simplify and make sense of it.
I don't know if it was due to the workshop or if I was just having a better day-- but there is a big difference between today's effort and last week's attempt at Tilly Foster Farm.

Plein Air - Tilly Foster Farm - 9" x 12" Pastel

2008-10-03T16:23:00.000-07:00

This was done at a paint out sponsored by the Putnam County Arts Council. The weather was overcast all morning, then started to rain. Plein air is not my strong suit, although I'd like to get better at it. The good news is that I am taking a plein air workshop tomorrow...hopefully I'll learn something useful for my next outing.

Ablaze - Fall Leaves - 10.5" x 15.5" Pastel

2008-10-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

Today I went for color and lots of it, which felt great! Just for fun I did a watercolor underpainting, then put pastel over it in places. It was a fun technique.

Mo - Great Pyrenees Pastel Pet Portrait - SOLD

2008-09-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

A Great Pyrenees is the closest a dog comes to resembling a polar bear -- they are gentle giants, truly wonderful dogs. In my photo reference, Mo is in shadow, but I tried to create a light pattern to make him more interesting. Also, sometimes it is difficult to paint an all white or all black dog using interesting color without getting garish. In real life he is more creamy in color, but this still looks like Mo.

Scottie - 18" x 24" Pastel

2008-09-24T10:33:00.000-07:00

Usually I think this size lends itself to more of a head and shoulders portrait. Doing the whole body in this format means the head is quite small. But this painting was about the cute pose and light falling on the figure, anyway. This is my son Scott years ago; he is now 14.

Lana No. 2 - Viszla - 9.5" x 12.5" Pastel - SOLD

2008-09-23T17:13:00.000-07:00

Another painting of my friend's beautiful viszla, Lana. I took a bunch of pictures of her back in June, and this one in particular really showed her stunning coppery coat when lit by the sun.

No. 48 - WIP (Portrait of Scott)

2008-09-18T18:30:00.000-07:00

Doing portraits of people as a business freaks me out a little, because getting a likeness with a person is a lot more challenging than nailing it with a dog or cat. In this case, I did get a good likeness -- what remains is to work a bit more on the face, the clothes, and the dreaded hand.

Summer Memories - Pastel 16" x 20"

2008-09-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

I worked on this forever!!! I started it back in January, and it sat for a long time; with a recent purchase inquiry, I resolved to finish it. Believe it or not, I redid the foreground and background three or four times -- it almost got to the point where I thought I might have to scrap it, but I prevailed in the end.

A Fun Project

2008-09-17T18:52:00.001-07:00

My niece Marisa is getting married next summer and I did a little project for her. This scene is from the New York Botanical Gardens in Bronx, N.Y. Working in watercolors made it a special challenge. Gives me lots of respect for watercolor artists!
Now that I look at it, I wish I had made the cloud on the right less stark. Oh well, they love it and that's all that counts.

Gone Fishin" - NFS

2008-09-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

I have been missing in action for six weeks, which makes this an apt painting for my return. Except I wasn't fishing. More like end of summer madness, with a new college freshman to move to school, a husband and a dog who needed surgery, etc. etc. Well, I'm back at my easel, and that's what counts.

Girlfriends - 14" x 19" Pastel

2008-08-04T17:37:00.001-07:00

Posting an older painting as I work on completing some long overdue projects. The subject is my daughter and her friend from middle school. I have always liked the charming architectural details of this particular school building.

The Old City (Jerusalem, Israel)

2008-08-03T20:39:00.000-07:00

An older painting that I did using a reference photo from the Wet Canvas image library. I have never been to Israel, but I found this photo intriguing and enjoyed painting it.

Debbie's Garden - 18" x 26" Pastel

2008-08-02T20:26:00.000-07:00

An older painting from a friend's beautiful garden. She studied and became a master gardener, and all her efforts were spent perfecting the landscape around her grand estate. Her hard work resulted in a gorgeous landscape, with lovely views at every turn.
This was the first time I painted a landscape on a deep red paper; I like how it shows through and contrasts with the greens.

The Shore - 18" x 24" Pastel

2008-07-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

Today I'm posting an older painting, while I work on my niece's wedding project. This was one of my first "landscape" paintings, done on Sabertooth paper -- a paper so rough that I haven't used it since. Looking back, I see lots of things I would do differently; but this painting reminds me of one of my favorite beaches, and for that reason, I still like it.

Three Labs (Louie, Brownie and Tiger) - 16" x 20" Pastel - SOLD

2008-07-23T11:12:00.000-07:00

Done...I hope their owner likes it!

Three Labs (Louie, Brownie and Tiger) - WIP

2008-07-22T14:22:00.000-07:00

Almost done...will look at it tomorrow with fresh eyes.

Three Labs (Louie, Brownie, and Tiger) - WIP

2008-07-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

Going slowly, as I try to keep the long,late afternoon shadows and warm light on each of these labs, and also try to get a likeness on each one...to be continued

Dana - 15" x 18" Pastel

2008-07-17T19:57:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed painting this, and while I still see some things I might have done differently, I am going to leave it as is.

Dana - WIP

2008-07-10T11:21:00.001-07:00

I have painted people many times, but after umpteen dogs I am trying my hand at portraiture again; it isn't as easy as I had remembered. I decided to paint my daughter. She's 18 now; tempis fugit!

Curiosity (Vizsla and Butterfly) - 13" x 18" Pastel

2008-07-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

OK, I could see how some people would think this is a bit too sweet. But I had fun doing it anyway.

Since the initial layout, I moved the foliage and the rocks around to come up with a more pleasing composition, and rubbed the pastel into the paper (with a styrofoam packing peanut, which is a good tool for this), for a less textured look.

Curiosity (Vizsla and Butterfly) - WIP

2008-06-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

Started this today purely for fun. Had an idea in my head and had to get it on paper. After I sketched it out, I realized that it reminded me of a painting my dad did roughly 45 years ago -- purely a coincidence, I think.
I did this on a leftover piece of Art Spectrum Colorfix, and I forgot how textured and grainy it is. As I work on finishing this piece, I will rub some of the color into the paper in certain areas, to reduce the spots of paper showing through, which I think is a little distracting.

German Shorthaired Pointer - 11" x 14" Pastel - SOLD

2008-06-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

This commission was harder than I thought! The challenge was to paint a GSP with a solid brown head and ticked body -- And while I needed to add highlights to give the head dimension, I needed to do that without making the head look "ticked" (spotted). Also painted a different style of background than my usual. The client loved it.

New Golden Open Acrylics! (You've got to try these)

2008-06-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

I went to Ward Pound Ridge today with the LHVPAPS group, and we got to demo a new line of Acrylic paints that are coming out in July. Seeing is believing, but all I can say is that this is great stuff and you've got to try them. Wonderful consistency, water soluble, stays open like oils. Can't wait to buy them. Unfortunately, I left my painting there so I couldn't post it. Great stuff!

"Boy", a German Shepherd - 12" x 16" Pastel - SOLD

2008-06-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

I was given this photo of a beloved German Shepherd to paint. According to his owner, Boy was big and strong, but deceptively gentle. Folks would be frightened by his looks, and he in turn was terrified of lightening.
This project presented a challenge. This was the only picture of Boy that I had as reference, and because of the indoor lighting and flash, it was less than ideal. Still, you could see his features and coloring pretty well, so I did my best--and upon seeing it, the owner remarked, "that looks just like Boy!".

"Boy", a German Shepherd (In Memory)

2008-06-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

Lana the Viszla - 13" x 16" Pastel Pet Portrait - SOLD

2008-06-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

Worked to finish this today. Happy Father's Day, Dan!

Lana the Viszla - WIP

2008-06-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

Viszla's...I never really knew this breed, but it turns out that they are the national hunting dog of Hungary. This viszla, Lana, is an incredibly energetic, smart, lovable and loyal dog. All that, and good looks,too! I got a good start on this painting today, hope to finish tomorrow.

Distant Shore - WIP - 18" x 24"

2008-06-12T20:23:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure whether this painting is a lost cause. I muted the distant shore and cooled down the colors to show distance/atmosphere, but I don't like it as much as I did before. I added a foreground, and am still playing with the shapes of the grasses that I added, but I still like it better without. I'm confused about what my focal point is --if it is the distant shore in the background, does that mean that the higher contrast and stronger colors from yesterday work better? At this point, the values and colors in all the areas are all too much the same, and I'm not sure where to go with this. I don't have any reference to use for the foreground, so I'm just winging it, without much success. I'll put it away for now, and when I have more time will try to resolve it.

Distant Shore - WIP - 12" x 24"

2008-06-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure where I'm going wwith this; I started on a beach scene that was 18" x 24" and included a figure in the foreground. I really didn't like the figure or the foreground, so I decided to crop it as a panoramic view of the distant shore. I am still trying to work out some of the compositional issues, but perhaps I can make it work.

Holly the Beagle - 11" x 14" Pastel - SOLD

2008-06-10T12:36:00.000-07:00

Holly the Beagle - WIP

2008-06-09T14:27:00.000-07:00

This little beagle is a sweet girl and a bundle of energy. She was so constantly in motion, it's a wonder I was able to take her photo. Today, I did the initial block-in and started to work out the painting; I'm looking forward to finishing it tomorrow.

Lemon Reflections - 18" x 24" Pastel

2008-06-03T15:10:00.000-07:00

Enjoyed the intense colors of today's still-life. The reflections were really fun to paint. Not sure how to crop it.

Sophie (Tribute to a Sweet Cat)

2008-06-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

I had a cat named Sophie, and unexpectedly, she died.

Sophie was a courageous and independent cat. She would boldly stare down the dog she once found fearful; she would venture outside despite her once timid nature; she would demand your attention when she wanted it, and ignore you fiercely when she didn’t.

She could be really affectionate when she was in the right mood-- she'd rub up against you to be petted. Once she had enough of your hand, she’d saunter off to partake of other comforts…a warm patch of sun, the soft seat of her favorite chair, a windowsill with a nice view and a gentle breeze.

Ten years ago, she came into our lives along with mama cat Mooshie, and they have been together all these years. I imagine Mooshie will miss her the most(do cats miss each other?), but I will miss her too.

Who else will appear out of thin air when I munch on a late night Dorito, demanding I give her a taste? Walk across my desk and nuzzle me for attention when I am deep in thought? Jump up and walk across my pastels mid-painting, and then track colorful pussycat pawprints across my sofa?

Sophie effortlessly became part of our lives. She was a beautiful, soft and constant presence, and then died quietly and suddenly. She didn’t demand much, gave us love, and was one of life’s treasures that you take for granted until they are gone. We will certainly miss her.

The Dancers - 18" x 24" Pastel

2008-06-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

I am posting some older and larger paintings as I work on a few commissions. This was a still life of a beautiful statue that my teacher (Rae Smith) set up; I did it all in NuPastels, using a kind of scribbly technique. It came out kind of cool, and I have always loved this painting.

Diane's Patio (Flowerpots)

2008-05-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

I am posting this older painting to remind myself what I like about painting in the first place. If I don't rush, if I take a good photo of a subject that appeals to me, if I paint in the studio without thinking about how I ought to be painting outdoors like the "plein air" folks, if I don't try to do a quick fast painting for the daily painters site, I can actually create something beautiful. Maybe it is time to go back to basics, because I have been all over the place lately.

Stone Barns at Blue Hill - Plein Air Pastel Paintings

2008-05-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day to paint outdoors; I met two fellow painters, and we all painted this scene. I worked really fast, completing two small paintings in about three hours. I tried to quit before "overwork-itis" set in:)

Abstract No. 1 - 12" x 12" Pastel

2008-05-28T10:12:00.001-07:00

While whining about yesterday's awful still-life, my hubby humorously suggested that it might be easier to paint in the abstract. O.K., Why not. P.S. - when I showed hubby this effort, he said "next try finger painting or put some paint on Trixies paws and let her walk on the paper". I guess it wasn't a very successful experiment.

Bamboo (WIP, and Finished!) - 18" x 24" Pastel

2008-05-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

I don't quite know why I felt compelled to paint bamboo...but I did and it was actually a really fun subject. The top is the finished painting. In the earlier stage, I had gotten a little heavy-handed with the background darks, so I scraped them back. I don't imagine this subject will appeal to a lot of people, but I like it and will frame it.

Tools of the Trade (Still Life with Paints and Brushes )

2008-05-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

A still life of what was lying around in the studio. I'm not crazy about the larger painting (18" x 24", felt like working large today), but I really like this vignette. I may just have to crop it that way. Incidentally, I have been experimenting with underpainting. You can see the drips and texture in a few places.

Shopping For Flowers (Garden Center)

2008-05-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

I could browse for hours at the garden center, looking at all the beautiful flowers. Another sign of Spring!

Spring! (Magnolias and Forsythia)

2008-05-02T14:00:00.000-07:00

I just had to paint the beautiful flowers of Spring before they are gone. This is more of a color study, and more abstract, than my usual style. I guess I got carried away! Incidentally, the colors I am getting with my new digital camera are a bit off. Time to figure out why...I guess I will have to actually read the manual:)

Stone Barns at Blue Hill - 9" x 12" Pastel

2008-05-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

My first attempt at plein air this season. The surrounding hills were absolutely beautiful-- but, my gear was so heavy, I ended up staying in the courtyard. I need to figure out how to travel lighter!

Sunday Paper - 18" x 24" Pastel

2008-04-16T07:37:00.001-07:00

Spotted this guy relaxing with the paper; loved painting the light. Worked on it all day yesterday; have one or two things to fine tune, and then I will sign it.

Plein Air Season!

2008-04-16T07:37:00.000-07:00

OK, my friends Jamie Grossman and Peggy Post have given me the plein air bug. I have dabbled in this before, somewhat unsuccessfully...but this year I plan to get out a lot more and (to quote Tim Gunn) "make it work". To that end I have just bought a new field easel set-up. Stay tuned.

Deep in Thought - 11" x 15" Pastel

2008-03-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

I tried to complete but not to overwork this--now that I see them side by side, there are some things I liked better yesterday, but on the whole I am happy.

Deep in Thought - WIP

2008-03-23T15:51:00.000-07:00

Only had an hour or so today, to block this in. To be continued...

Patch of Sun - Cat Portrait

2008-03-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

A continuation of my post of a few days ago. I will probably continue to noodle with this, but it is for the most part done. I like it.

Orange Slices - 9" x 12" Pastel

2008-03-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

Painting with my friend Nancy was so much fun today...we painted a simple still life with some mellow jazz playing, and then Nancy, who is an amazing cook, made homemade minestrone, bread, and flan for lunch. It really doesn't get better than this.

Patch of Sun - Cat (WIP)

2008-03-18T14:49:00.000-07:00

A beautiful cat doing what cats do best, finding a patch of sun and enjoying it's cozy warmth. This painting is almost done; I will work on it one more day to finetune it and add some fun details (like whiskers).
The image is from the Wetcanvas reference image library, generously posted by a very talented photographer. Unless you only paint from life, you must either take great pictures, or paint enough so that what the reference lacks, you can intuitively add.

Charlie the Bichon

2008-03-16T20:35:00.000-07:00

This was a difficult project. I actually had to do this portrait twice...the first time I used a new paper that turned out to be a disaster with soft pastels (Hannemuele velour), and a second time as shown here, on Wallis paper. I have seen great work on that velour paper, but I think it is designed for much harder pastels. I lost sleep over this one...but in the end, I am happy with it. I hope the owner likes it.

Mooshie the Cat - 16" x 18" Pastel

2008-03-13T20:29:00.000-07:00

This is an older painting of one of my two cats, Mooshie. I haven't painted either cat in a while, and I am thinking about trying a few new cat paintings once some commission work is done.
In fact, I have been thinking about subjects that I have painted lately; when I am not really interested in a subject, I think it really shows. Now, my intent is to only paint things I am visually excited by. Somehow I got offtrack; hopefully adding this discipline to my choice of subject will help.

The Game - 16" x 20" Pastel

2008-03-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

Today I began two commissions, which I cannot post on my blog at the moment. Rather than not post at all, here's an older one. A weekly basketball game, where all the guys are at that age where they take 1-2 motrin before they play:) Still, no one loves the game more than they do. This painting was done for my hubby (shooting). A follow-up painting was done as a commission for one of the guys on defense.

Trail to Pine Creek Cookhouse - 18" x 24" Pastel (WIP)

2008-03-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

This past winter I visited Aspen Colorado; the only way to eat at the Pine Creek Cookhouse is to snowshoe, cross country ski, or take a horse drawn sleigh. The area is beautiful. Bottom image is the block in, the top image is the finish. My problem is that I sometimes lose the initial nice loose feeling and overwork things. This time was no different:(

Summer Petunias - 9" x 12" Pastel on Board (WIP)

2008-03-07T19:53:00.000-08:00

Didn't get to finish this today...hopefully I will over the weekend. I used a photo taken on one of my many neighborhood walks, and tried out a new sanded panel made by Richeson. It takes a lot of layers, and I liked it alot. Oddly enough, I liked the panel better than the paper of the same brand.

Irises on Devoe Road - 12" x 18" Pastel

2008-03-06T17:46:00.000-08:00

I am working on a winter landscape, which I did not post today since it still needs a lot of work. This is an older landscape; it is sentimental to me because this field of irises used to bloom in my neighborhood, but blooms no more. The land was sold, and now in its place is an ordinary suburban house. I prefer looking at this and remembering the field in all it's glory:)

Jake at the Beach - 16" x 20" Pastel

2008-03-05T16:53:00.000-08:00

A painting of a very lucky Tibetan Terrier named Jake, whose humans bring him to their house at the beach all summer long.

This blog is a must-read for artists!

2008-02-28T21:15:00.000-08:00

I just happened upon the blog of an artist named Jerry Lebo, and I spent hours reading it. If you are an artist and you want to learn about how to become a better one, spend the time to discover the nuggets of wisdom there. www.jerrylebo.com, or www.sixtyminuteartist.com

Autumn I and II (Aspen) - Pastel Dyptych, 8" x 12"

2008-02-28T10:13:00.001-08:00

OK, I can never leave well enough alone, I have a tendency to noodle(overwork) a painting even after it is done. And after everything is said and done, it hardly ever looks different! Well, here is the reworked scene from yesterday,and a companion one. My dissatisfaction is that the colors are not as vibrant as I would have liked, and believe me, it is hard to get muddy colors with pastels:) I plan to try an acrylic underpainting in the future, to get more vibrancy and color saturation.

Autumn I (Aspen) - 8" x 12" Pastel

2008-02-27T20:39:00.000-08:00

For some reason, painting the woods with lots of snow is not that interesting to me.I guess it is the color palette that leaves me cold (OK, bad pun). I started to wonder if I could use my imagination to conjure up an autumn scene. This was entirely improvised, with no photo reference, and you would not believe how long it took. Next time I'll use a photo:)

The Guitarist - 10" x 14" Pastel

2008-02-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

I have an idea for a series of paintings based on musicians, and this was a test of the concept. I plan to try it a few different ways, some with more color. I was trying to portray the intensity of the musician while playing, and also portray the atmospheric effect of smoke under lights; hopefully, I succeeded. The subject of this painting is Kurt, one of my son's guitar teachers, at a concert.

Sometimes, Less is More

2008-02-12T20:23:00.000-08:00

Here's the problem with still life set up...take a few nice objects, put them together, and you have a still life worth painting...not! There truly is an art to setting up an interesting composition. Oh well, at least I like how the Christmas cactus came out. One of these days I will learn to edit before I jump in:)

The Kiss - 7" x 11 " Pastel

2008-02-11T19:57:00.000-08:00

A perfect Valentine's Day subject: my parents, circa 1948. As you might be able to tell, I worked from a B&W photo. They eloped shortly after this picture, and nine months later, my big brother was born. Happy Valentine's Day:)

Angela - Pastel WIP

2008-02-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

Painting from a live model, a great way to spend a Sunday morning. I do wish that I had positioned this on the paper differently (oops -- I ran out of room for her foot!). There is more to be done here, and luckily, we will have this pose for one more week, so improvement is possible. Then again, I might just start over next time. I guess my goal for future sessions is to catch composition errors early:)

Lemon Trees - 16" x 20" Pastel

2008-02-06T20:45:00.000-08:00

This is from a photo I took in Italy a while back...I loved Tuscany. Some wine, some cheese, and a nice view of the Tuscan landscape. Heaven!

A. J. the Havanese - Pastel Pet Portrait

2008-02-05T19:37:00.000-08:00

This little dog was so much fun to paint. But first I had to take photos of him...and while I usually do a more traditional portrait, I thought that his expression here, surrounded by his muddy pawprints, was priceless. I have decided to crop it closer (top view)...hope the owner likes it:)

Oranges, Lemon, and Pink Grapefruit - 14" x 18" Pastel

2008-02-03T12:21:00.000-08:00

A recent still life, painted from life. The grapefruit was a beautiful pink inside, and the tablecloth was a challenge. I love working with a blue-orange complementary palette, and so I made the background blue, even though it wasn't.

Sunday morning pose - Pastel study

2008-02-03T12:13:00.000-08:00

On Sunday mornings I get to draw from life, which is a skill that is rusty but fun. Time flies -- I worked for so long on her torso, but could have used more time for her face. In real life, she was a lovely model, which I was unable to capture during the pose. So after the fact, I went in and gave her a little plastic surgery:) (top view).

Oriental Horse - 16" x 20" Pastel

2008-01-25T09:04:00.002-08:00

I bought this Oriental horse statue on Ebay, and I like it alot. It will make a good still life subject, if I get the set-up right. Next time, I might change the tablecloth color. This was my first attempt; I will try again.

Maggie the Shih Tzu Pastel Pet Portrait

2008-01-15T16:36:00.000-08:00

This little princess is named Maggie. I know that I captured her likeness...whether I also captured her personality, I cannot say. I know that her owners adore her...I hope they like this portrait.

Coffs Bluff - Pastel Seascape 8" x 10"

2008-01-14T11:11:00.000-08:00

This cove is in Australia. Rocks, sea, and sky made for a challenging painting exercise!

January Daffodils 2

2008-01-12T09:34:00.001-08:00

A fellow artist/blogger, Jo Castillo, made a suggestion to view the painting in black and white and analyze the values that way, as a way to fix what was bothering me. She was nice enough to provide me with the black and white version. Now I have to figure out how to do that on my own computer. It is a good tool, and one I will use to try to improve things here.

Daffodils in January - 12" x 15" Pastel

2008-01-11T18:31:00.001-08:00

A cold and rainy day in January...just had to paint some Spring flowers. Ahhh, that's better.

Now for the main problem that I had with this painting. I couldn't figure out how to make the flowers "pop" the way I wanted to. Usually I do it with value contrast (light/shadow) or playing with the colors(ie complements next to each other, etc.) but today nothing worked. Maybe I should make the background darker...ideas, anyone?

Summer Memories- WIP (note: finish posted 9/18/08)

2008-01-10T18:30:00.000-08:00

This is a painting I started last Fall, which I intend to finish. The subject here happens to be me, and the reference I used is an old snapshot from my childhood in the late 1950's.
I took some liberties here. I grew up on Long Island, back when Levittown was the model for postwar suburbs. The background in this painting is invented--the setting didn't really look like this--but we did have a metal swingset that I loved.
The snapshot I used is old and frayed, so I am making some of it up as I go along. The colors in the photo are faded, but the memories aren't.

Cool Shades - Portrait Study 18" x 24"

2008-01-09T19:11:00.000-08:00

I saw this man hanging out at a street fair in Florida, and something about his style just caught my eye. At first I was going to paint the whole figure, but then decided the head and shoulders offered a more interesting subject. For me, working out the skintones and getting a good likeness is always a challenge that I enjoy.

As an aside, it's always tricky for me to take photos of interesting subjects (people) that I see on the street without their noticing. Is this even ethical? Yet, I see a lot of other artists do this as well, so I guess it's OK.

Lovely Radishes - 12" x 18" Pastel Study

2008-01-08T15:14:00.000-08:00

Like Rip Van Winkle, I feel like I have awoken from a long artistic slumber! I won't go into the boring details, suffice it to say that it is a New Year and my plan is to paint, paint, paint!

This study was actually done a few months ago, after a visit to the Pleasantville Farmer's Market. These lovelies caught my eye, and the colors and shapes were so much fun to paint. Sadly, I don't even really like to eat radishes, and most of them never even made it into a salad. Oh well, sometimes sacrifices must be made in the name of art:)

Home Alone (Trixie)

2007-06-27T14:05:00.001-07:00

This is an older painting, but since Trixie is the reason I couldn't paint today, I thought I would post it. Trixie (the sheltie you see here) gives me this look everytime I leave her home to go out somewhere...hence the title.

Today, Trixie had to go to the vet unexpectedly, due to an injury to her paw. She will be fine, but I was so preoccupied with my little dog and her bandaged foot, I couldn't get anything done!

Maestro - 7" x 7" Pastel

2007-06-26T12:59:00.000-07:00

After painting lots of flowers and dogs lately, I was really in the mood to do a figure today. I really enjoyed painting this, which is based on a photo of Zubin Mehta of the Israel Philharmonic. Without rights to the photo, I cannot offer it for sale, and am probably breaking some law just by displaying it here.

The reason I chose this photo(other than the fact that it is a very cool image) is that I was intrigued by the idea of doing a figure clothed in black against a black background, I wanted the challenge of doing hands (uggh!) and his facial expression, and thought it was a good opportunity to play with lost edges. The overall gesture came out well I think, but I couldn't quite get the facial expression I was after. However, it was a good exercise.

Wildflowers - 12" x 15" Pastel

2007-06-25T19:40:00.000-07:00

Spent a few hours finishing this painting, trying not to overwork it and to maintain the freshness that it had the other day. I am happy with it.

Wildflowers - Pastel WIP

2007-06-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

I started this today and just completed the initial block-in; I hope to finish tomorrow, stating the flowers a little more definitively yet keeeping the overall feeling loose.
The inspiration for this painting was the fence at my neighbor's house, specifically the yellow daisies against the blue shadows on the fence. Love that color contrast, hope it conmes through on the finished painting.

Sun on Celadon Vase - 9.5" x 9.5" Pastel

2007-06-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

I really like the way the afternoon sun hits this vase that I have in my living room, it makes such pretty reflections and a great shadow pattern on the wall, too. This is a study for a larger painting I am planning. It was fun to paint quickly today, which I had to do since I was pressed for time. Also, to get a painterly look I tried something new...I used styrofoam packing peanuts as little "brushes", to smear the pastel every so often. I had read about this technique but never tried it, and will most likely use it again. It worked great. Overall, the colors are a bit more intense than I had planned, but I kind of like it!

Little Moe (Poodle) - 11" x 14" Pastel Pet Portrait

2007-06-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

This was a recently commissioned portrait of a little miniature poodle mix named Moe. I actually painted him twice...first in a more formal pose, and then in a pose which I felt captured his personality better. The owner liked both, while I was more partial to the version with Moe leaning on his paws.

I also got to try a new paper for this painting, Hannemuhle velour. I read about it on another artist's website; it has a very velvety surface, kind on like the paint on velvet paintings from way back when. I liked the surface very much...it held the pastel nicely, and had a softness that I think lends itself to creating the soft look of fur. I will definitely use it again for similar subjects...although I don't think you could get the hard edges you might want for other subjects.

House on Dune Road ( 17" x 22" Pastel, by Commission)

2007-06-15T19:53:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I last posted; but in the spirit of the Daily Painters challenge for the next month, I am committing to doing a daily painting four days out of seven over the next month, keeping the remaining days for commissions and life in general. It will be challenge with kids home, but we'll see how it goes!

I painted quite a bit this past week, completing two commissions. This painting is of a beautiful beach house in Westhampton, which will be a Father's Day gift to the owner from his family. I loved doing this painting...I guess painting the beach is the next best thing to being there:)

Biker in Florence WIP - 8" x 10" Pastel

2007-04-26T20:57:00.000-07:00

Working on this little vignette of a small street in the shadow of the Duomo.

Tuscan Alley

2007-04-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

Worked more on this scene, not sure which is the best view, close in (posted yesterday) or further back. Depending on how it is cropped, the painting can be 11"x14", or 14"x18". Decisions, decisions!

Tuscan Alleyway - WIP (11" x 14" Pastel)

2007-04-25T20:46:00.001-07:00

A scene I am currently reworking. May make scene a little taller to show more of the buildings on each side; figure proportions will be tweaked. Sky will be developed for some interest, and highlights will be added to enliven the scene.

Landscape Attempt

2007-04-06T16:04:00.000-07:00

For the life of me, I can't do a satisfactory landscape. I tried to do a scene with a dramatic sky reflected in water; that was the easy part. The backlit trees and rocky islands were(and are) the problem. I think the problem is that there is an interesting pattern of shapes in the sky and water, but the shapes of the land and trees are kind of clumsy. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out a more appealing design. So, after a ridiculous number of hours, I gave up! Incidentally the two photos are due to the fading light in my studio(top), supplemented by very unnatural lighting(bottom).

Chianti Classico II (Rooftop in Tuscany) - 12" x 15" Pastel

2007-04-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

Today was a day for fixing up a few older paintings prior to framing them for an upcoming show. This one needed the lights brought up a bit.

Girl with Flower WIP - 11 x 14" Pastel

2007-04-03T20:49:00.000-07:00

I saw a little girl enjoying the flowers at my local flower and vegetable market, but at the time I didn't have my camera handy to capture the image. Then coincidentally, I found this photo in the Wet Canvas Reference Image Library, which reminded me of that original moment. The top one is the finished painting, the bottom is the version I posted originally. Not sure if I improved it, but I do like her sweetness.

Crossroads

2007-03-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

Six months ago, when I started this blog, creating a complete new painting everyday was my original goal. I was inspired by the daily painters I encountered online, and I still admire this group immensely. Becoming a member of an online artist community has also been extremely rewarding. I really enjoy our exchange of ideas about painting and life.

For me, however, it is time to change and redefine my goals and the purpose of this blog. Painting everyday, or as close to it as I can manage, has been a good discipline, and is still my goal. But I have not enjoyed the rush to finish a painting by the stroke of midnight,like some artistic Cindarella, and I need to start creating some larger works for shows and the like.

I do enjoy keeping the blog, as a visual record and written diary of my efforts, and so I will continue to update it when I have something new to post.

Onions, Garlic and Scallions - 18 x 24" Pastel

2007-03-30T18:01:00.000-07:00

Today I spent my painting time finishing the Bar Mitzvah portrait(see below), so I am posting an older still life that I like alot. Had trouble taking the photo, since it is under glass and I couldn't eliminate the reflections, but it gives the general idea.

Bar Mitzvah Portrait - Done!

2007-03-29T22:35:00.000-07:00

Finished the portrait exercise I set out to do. I had forgotton how painstaking portraiture is...unlike painting landscapes, stillifes or even pets, there is no room for error. Unless you're Picasso, the nose, eyes and ears, etc. have to end up exactly where they should be, and that requires a level of precision I just don't enjoy. Bottom line - I learned that I really don't want to make a business of doing people portraits. Despite the problems, however, this was a useful exercise.

Portrait WIP

2007-03-28T20:55:00.000-07:00

First day painting in almost three weeks, and boy am I rusty! Anyway, I began this portrait as an experiment. I wanted to see if the idea of a a Bar Mitzvah portrait would have appeal as a silent auction fundraiser for my synagogue. More time is needed to bring this to completion, however I am really struggling with the overall likeness, the skintones, and the background. (Have I left anything out?)To me, besides a good likeness, a successful painted portrait must have a beauty and character that the photo reference does not have. At this point, this attempt is still pretty rough, and it is unclear to me how it will turn out. However, usually by this stage I feel pretty excited ...let's just say with this one, unless I get very lucky, I am not optimistic.

Clancy and Chloe (Two Schnauzers)

2007-03-27T21:35:00.000-07:00

I had posted this previously and then taken it off my blog, so as not to spoil the surprise, but now it is safe to post. This was commissioned as a gift for a couple of doglovers. I recently learned that they were both surprised by the gift and happy with the likeness, which made me happy.

After about three weeks of not painting, I am very happy to be back!