All of the paintings in this blog are from a series of 5×5 and 6×6 oil paintings all exploring the same idea. Using a similar subject, I’m exploring what can be done with different color combinations and brush work.
Opportunities abound inside the studio. Half of the year, in the warmer months, I spend most of my time outside working in plein air. There are so many opportunities for learning and growing in on location painting.
However, there are a lot of distractions as well. Some are happy distractions, like wildlife coming to visit, the song of the birds and people passing by for a quick chat. Others are unwelcome: inclement weather, the limitations of space and tools, the forgotten item, brushes in the sand and so on.
Truly, I love it. There’s nothing quite like it. But this time of year, November, I really settle into the studio for a long winter.
It”s a shift. It affords possibilities for taking a deep dive into ideas and play time or practice in the studio that is uninterrupted, with plenty of space and resources. It’s also the time large paintings can come out to play. It’s a joy.
Composition is something I’ve been very focused on for some time. And color and brush work can play an important role in the harmony of a composition.
So this past week, inside the studio, I played with that idea. The idea of coming up with new color combinations and brush work to support better compositions.
I feel like there is so much exploration to be done as an artist, and this idea just scratched the surface of my goals for myself during this studio season.
Thankfully, my studio is in the woods and my bird feeder is up for the season. The deer are all about the sunflower seeds the birds drop, so I’m still living with wildlife.
That brings me happiness!
