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| "Copper Pot and Fruit" 8x10 oil on linen panel |
Well it's been awhile. I've really been in a rut and haven't found time to paint! Seems I can't get to my studio lately! Found some time this week and decided to do another still life. After the plein air class last April, I was totally discouraged. I didn't complete one satisfactory painting the whole week! Looking back, I can see a couple of things that I would have changed. First of all, I used my alkyds. They are fine in the studio but outside, they dry too quickly for me. I'm slow which is another reason I have trouble. dIn a still life, I control the environment. Plein aire.... not the case! I need to practice over and over outside in order to "get it!" Hopefully I will make myself do it.
The reason I say all of this is because, when I'm in a rut, I go back to creating a simple still life. There is nothing like painting from life. I get to think about exactly what I want it to look like, compose it carefully, choose my key and then lay out my pots of paint. Usually 2 or 3 pots that I will use for my values. In my studio, lighting doesn't change and, clouds and shadows aren't moving etc. like that!
I've practiced with fruit quite a bit. This time I decided to add a copper pot that I found in a thrift shop in Palm Springs last February. The biggest challenge here for me was to make sure I drew the pot correctly! The pot had a handle and a spout. I never did paint in the handles but I did have the spout. After looking at it I decided that the spout added nothing so... with a few strokes of the brush, gone!!! Once I felt I had what I wanted...the fruit was pretty easy and I was off to the races!!!
The second biggest challenge was creating a combination of values and colors that gave the impression of copper. For my first attempt, I'm very satisfied. I bought a few other copper pots etc. that day. I have a feeling I'll be doing more!
This painting is based upon a painting by Paul Jean Martel, called "Purple Forest." Martel was a post impressionist born in Belgium but later moving to the US. He died in 1944. His works are gaining notoriety in the art world. Interestingly enough, his daughter lives here in Palos Verdes and had the opportunity to meet her. I took a class today offered by local artist, Rodolfo Rivademar. We first visited the exhibit, discussed technique etc. and then set to painting. I really enjoyed doing this painting and felt like I captured the spirit of the original.
