Sunday, May 8, 2016

Painting Still life with Redware pottery

Like most of my artist friends I paint some landscapes. Many of us paint in plein air and that is a great sport. Some efforts we leave as is and some we use as studies for larger studio paintings.  I am not good at it but I enjoy it and have a foolish amount of gear for outdoor painting.  I have slightly better luck making a start on a painting on site to get the color and mood right then finishing it later in the studio.  Coastal New England is my favorite place to paint and I am far from there!  My Cape Ann landscape paintings are a journal of a very happy time. 

Fredericksburg is known for its vineyards and wineries and also for its art scene.   This past weekend there were four artists demonstrations to watch, I made it to two of them and treasure these opportunities. John Hanna has been a favorite painter of mine for the thirty six years I have been privileged to know him and enjoy his work. He painted for my art club, Die Kunstler which I translate as "the painters" in German.  On Saturday Sara Winters painted at Whistle Pik Gallery. She is a gifted artist with two lively little boys doing serious painting while a young wife and mother.  See Sara and two of her paintings in the gallery below.



 
But I am swimming against the tide a while and painting still life instead of landscapes. Here are two of mine below:
 
This one is set up on a little oriental rug fragment from Jeanie.

The redware pitcher was probably made in New Hampshire from the color of the glaze.

Wild flowers are magnificent this year and my favorites are the fire wheels or indian blankets.  Finding vintage frames for these pieces is a challenge, but it helps them blend in with other things in the house. I am on a search for these!  e