value study 1

I've just begun working on a series of still life graphite value studies, that will (hopefully) turn into a series of paintings (in pastel or oil) sometime in the (near) future. This is the first of what I hope will be a series of studies using common kitchen objects and food items. I especially like the way the shape of the tureen picks up on the shape of the winter squash , and the bowl of the ladle picks up the shape of the onion. I think I'm begining to make sense of this composition thing. I've intentionally left the tureen less well developed to facilitate transfering the drawing later on since the values of the left side of the tureen and its shadow tend to run together.

The squash is a Celebration acorn--a heritage variety with a firm flesh and a nutty flavor that tastes marvellous with a bit of butter and brown sugar. They're small enough that a single one is perfect to serve two people. I liked it so much that I've saved the seeds and will try to grow them in my own garden next summer.

Each of these sketches takes 2-3 days to complete so I will probably not be posting every day for the near future.

Lieu de Repose

(A Quiet Place)

This is the pastel from 14 November all dressed up and ready to go out into the world and find a new home. The frame makes a world of difference. Dave at Atelier Caron down the street does the framing for me, and does an excellent job of it. This work will go to the Christmas exposition of the CAAJC at Sainte Catherine this weekend.

No paintings or sketches today

We had the first real snow of the season yesterday. The heavy, wet kind of snow that sticks to the trees and makes them into sculptures. Shoveled the porch and the back deck twice so the dogs don't come to harm. I'm just glad I don't have to shovel the driveway. A very nice man in a very large machine comes and does it for me. I took this picture after about an hour of snowing.





I love the way this plum tree looks when its covered with snow. Almost as pretty as it looks in the spring when it blooms. Too bad its a singleton and (almost) never produces fruit. In seven years its given me one plum a beautiful red fruit with golden flesh that was ever so sweet. Now if I could just find out what kind it is so I could get it a buddy and get the fruit its meant to produce.






A night view of the plum tree.

squashes from my garden

A 5.5x8.5 graphite sketch.

negative glass sketch

This 8.5x9 inch still life in charcoal and pastel on matboard is accomplished by first covering a piece of white matboard with an even coating of charcoal dust. Then the drawing was revealed with an eraser. Finally, the cruet at the back was glazed over with pastel.

Grandma's Doll

This 5x17 inch oil on watercolor paper is done in ultramarine blue and indian yellow with touches of titanium white for the highlights. It's done in a glazing technique with Liquin. The "doll" is an unglazed pottery figurine about eight inches tall. She used to carry a basket of flowers, but that got broken some time ago by small fingers exploring.

Wild Sky Over Water

An 8x11 inch landscape in oil on sanded pastel paper.