In November 2019 I Started taking painting classes with Randall Graham. I sat in a room with some other painters and we all worked on our individual projects while our instructor would walk around and offer suggestions, criticism, and encouragement. From those classes I learned the basics of drawing, shading, mixing colors, and, essentially how to paint the right way. I went from never painting to developing a real appreciation and joy of constructing a piece of art work.
Edgar Degas painting inspired this project
I needed something to paint and I came across a still life by Jean-Baptiste-Simeone Chardin. I had never heard of him, but learned that he painted beautiful still lifes. I printed up one his works and proceeded to paint his piece.
An Eastmen Johnson painting inspired this project
A painting from one of my own still life projects that started out as a photograph
One of my first paintings--Louie
I found this Wyeth painting, cropped it and then painted it.
Another painting from one of my still life photographs using acrylics with cold wax
My first self portrait painted from a self portrait photograph
A painting from another photographed still life. I substituted grapes for the meat (in the original photo) because I simply could not paint the deli meat.
A vase of flowers painted from flowers I gathers while hiking at Stroud Preserve and then photographed a still life
Another trip to the market for props to photograph and then paint
From Wyeth's Christina's World became Frankie's World
One of my first projects in class was learning about shading
Another shading project in class