The Touchstone of Painting

"Melon Medley" 8x10 oil painting on archival canvas panel--SOLD

Bring a brioche, I want to see you paint one: still life is the touchstone of painting. Manet

Happy mid-January everyone! I love getting “back to work” after the holidays. I’m not really someone who enjoys longs breaks so I’m really enjoying teaching all my new winter session classes out and about and in my studio.

Each week I’m blessed to work more than 30 creative painting students! If you teach you know this can be a lot of energy output but it’s so rewarding and inspiring. (For more info about my classes please visit my Denver painting class/workshop page on my website.)

As a busy art instructor (thanks students!) I'm often asked how I make time for painting. It's not always easy but it helps to stay so motivated that it would be strange NOT to paint. Painting challenges like this month's "30 in 30" help as does teaching. Winter is also a great time of year to be inventory building for the spring and summer shows.

Speaking of summer, I know watermelon is more of a summery fruit but I've always loved the intense color pop that certain fruits can add to a still life (think of Cezanne's oranges.) Or just look at these two beautiful still life examples featuring watermelons from masters Peale and Bongart. Angus Wilson (a color contemporary still life painter) also includes melons in his works.

Sarah Peale

Sergei Bongart

Thanks for stopping by! I wish you a healthy creative week and continued happy painting to all the 30 in 30 challenge artists!

Things That Have Never Been: Happy 2016!

"Blue Ice Gull" 8x10 oil on linen panel--SOLD

And now we welcome the New Year…

Full of things that have never been.

Rainer Maria Rilke

Don’t you love fresh starts? As a painter the start of the year always feels like a squeaky clean slate (or should we say big blank canvas?) on which you have the opportunity to paint your life anyway you want...

After an enjoyable but looong holiday break, I’m so excited to see my students again next week at my group classes. I still have a few painting class openings (Tues and Wed mornings) so give yourself a creative treat and paint with us! You can click here for more info about my Denver painting classes and art workshops.

As many of you know it’s not always easy painting throughout the holidays but I’ve managed to get a few bird daily paintings done such as today’s hungry gull (who like me would probably rather be at the beach) sliding around an icy pond on a sunny but frigid AM here in Denver.

For many daily painters January also means the return of Leslie’s AHA “30 in 30” painting challenge! I signed up (as I think over 1,000 artists have from around the world) and am going to try my best to keep painting and posting as much as I can during a fun but hectic teaching month. Did you know there's also now an AHA artist forum which you can find here.

Speaking of classes, since I first heard the news I’ve been looking forward to Dreama Tolle Perry’s online class which some of you may know starts next week after much anticipation. If I’m reading Dreama's emails correctly I’ll need to set my alarm for 4AM to register in my time zone. 

Since I’m teaching (thankfully) and can’t make it to a Dreama workshop this winter (as I’ve been lucky to do in the past) it’s worth it. Anyway, I can’t wait to paint “along with Dreama” again. Assuming I get in, perhaps I'll meet up with some of you "online" enjoying her class as well.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and colorful new year filled with amazing creative adventures and life changing discoveries! P.S. Happy Birthday to all you creative Capricorns like my niece who turns the big 0-9 today!