Big Banana Sings Bass

 

Big Banana Sings Bass  oil  8x8 inches

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Sometimes I think a still life painting is like a choir.  Every fruit has its own part.  Here, big banana in back sings base, the oranges sing alto and the grapes are sopranos.  When I sang in a church choir years ago the director changed me from an orange to a grape.  I was pretty upset, but soon discovered I had really been a grape all along.  

Lemons & Grapes

 

Lemons & Grapes  oil 6x6 inches

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Painted from life in the studio, some Meyer Lemon wedges and red grapes.  

Fall Trio

 

Fall Trio  oil 8c8 inches \

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A pomegranate and lemon from our garden.  Custom framed and ready to hang.  

Fruit, Flowers & Filippi

 

Fruit, Flowers & Filippi oil 9x12 FRAMED

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Using objects at hand, this still life includes roses and an heirloom apple from our garden.  The wine bottle is from a local winery.  This is one of my favorite recent pieces.  I love the color harmony of reds, yellow green and gray violet.

Fruit & Bottles

 

Fruit & Bottles  oil 8x10 inches

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Here are some of my favorite items for painting arranged in my favorite design: cruciform.  This design form goes off all four edges of the picture space, to create interesting negative shapes (empty spaces). 

Bird, Bottle & Blooms

 

Bird, Bottle & Blooms  oil 10x8 inches

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I enjoyed painting the horizontal version of this subject so much that I thought it would work as a vertical as well.  The image is a bit blurry, but the painting in person is crisp where it needs to be.  If you purchase one of my paintings, your satisfaction is guaranteed.  

IN OTHER NEWS:  I have two openings in my 2day in-person workshop scheduled for April 22-23. Location: Upland, CA.  Email me for more information.  karenwernerart@gmail.com

Camomile & Lemon

 

Camomile & Lemon  oil 8x8 inches

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My current favorite mug filled with camomile tea.  The variety of yellows set off by the lilac background is positively yummy to me!  How 'bout the cast shadows on that leaf, and then on the mug?!  I love the way this painting turned out!  If you consider purchasing, it will need a floater frame.  That's a frame that doesn't cover 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the painting all the way around as a standard frame does.  Most small paintings need floaters.  

Demo In Green & Red

 

Demo In Green & Red  oil 6x6 inches

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This little assortment of shapes gave me a good subject for demonstration during my January workshop.  I taught five workshops in five months, and I must say I'm a bit burned out!  Are you looking forward to summertime?  I sure am!  If you purchase this painting, you'll find that it's much prettier in person.  

Autumn Beauties

 

Autumn Beauties  oil on cradled panel, framed

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This is the fourth in the series of Fall botanicals. The mums are from our garden and the grapes...are from the grocery store!  Why grapes with flowers, you say?  The grapes provide variety of shape. 

IN OTHER NEWS: I'm happy to report that the following works have been juried into upcoming National Shows.  Perhaps you can visit one of the shows.  

Veggies  oil 10x10

available through Steamboat Art Museum

Oil Painters Of America National Juried Exhibition, 

Steamboat Springs, CO 

June 3- August 27, 2022

Pear & Pom oil 10x10 inches

available through Wilder Nightingale Fine Art

American Impressionist Society's 6th Annual Impressions:

Small Works Exhibition

Taos, NM

May 12-June 19, 2022

Juicy Gems

 

Juicy Gems  oil 10x10 inches

custom framed and ready to hang

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This is the second of four botanicals I painted last fall.  Pictured are clippings from our lemon and lime tree, plus some grocery store grapes for dark pops of color.  

Red Ribbon

 

Red Ribbon  oil 10x10 inches

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Here's a demonstration I did for a workshop I held in September.  Our tree was giving us hundreds of apples, so I continued to paint them while I had them   You may have noticed my love of red and green together.  Speaking of color temperature, these are cool reds, and comparatively cool greens, so I kept the drapery cool as well.  The book, apple russet (the golden brown on top) and the stems are warm browns.  An example of dominantly cool, with a bit of warm.  The composition is cruciform, my favorite.  The objects go off all four sides, dividing the picture plane into interesting negative shapes.  I hope this is interesting to you.  These are the things I think about, and teach in my workshops.  For me, it is very fun stuff!

Slice Of Life

 

Slice Of Life   oil 6x6 inches  

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I painted this one as a class demo back in June.  At this point, I hardly remember the details of that day!  Life has had its ups and downs since.  I'm sure it's the same for you.  Some slices of life are sweet, and others are tough to chew and hard to digest!  No matter what, we can choose to be thankful and make it a good day. 

IN OTHER NEWS: 

I just opened up two Paint The Lively Still Life 2 Day Workshops: Feb 5 & 6 and March 5 & 6, 2022.  These are located in my studio in Upland, CA.  If you're interested, email me at karenwernerart@gmail.com for more info.  

Autumn Lillies

 

Autumn Lillies   12x9 oil 

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Of the Fall paintings, this is my favorite.  This photo is a little blurry.  If you buy this painting, I'm pretty sure you'll love how it looks in person. Even so, I always offer a money back guarantee for all my work purchased online.  You can read my Return Policy details by clicking the link above.  

Small Joys

 

Small Joys   oil 8x8 inches

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I very much enjoy painting on a square format.  This design in particular is typical of my work.  The eye moves around the painting. Nothing is smack dab in the center.  The weight of the vase and sunflower is balanced by the tangerine and foliage above.  Objects are unequal distances apart, and there is a variety of sizes and shapes.  I think about these things when I compose a still life.  I hope you like it!

Flowers & Grapes

 

Flowers & Grapes  oil 12x9 inches

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Here's a floral I did in November. I hope you like it. I love painting the colors of Fall,  but weather-wise, give me Spring and Summer!  Finally I have pole beans sprouting, bulbs blooming and California poppies popping with color.  I've been working on a large beach scene from a photo which is not my favorite way to work.  Can't wait to get out to paint!  If you celebrate Easter or Passover, I hope it's a happy and meaningful one with family and friends!  

IN OTHER NEWS: There are two openings in my May 22-23 Workshop.  Email me for more info:karenwernerart@gmail.com

Great news!  Recently Oil Painters of America invited me to write a post for their blog.  It published last Monday, March 29.  The title: STILL LIFE: More Than What You Might Think.  To read it, click here. 

The American Impressionist Society's National Juried Small Works Showcase has opened in Charleston, SC at Reinart Fine Art, and runs through April 30.  I am grateful to be included in the show with the piece below, Toast & Jam  12x12.  I'm not able to be there, so if you visit the show, please take a picture of my painting and email it to me!  Thank you!

Toast & Jam  oil 12x12

Tea By Candlelight

 

Tea By Candlelight  oil 9x12 inches

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One of the great benefits of art posted on social media is the way one artist can inspire other artists.  In November an artist I follow had painted a glowing candle.   Here's mine.  I especially enjoyed capturing the light glowing through the wax at the top of the candle.  That teacup is part of my wedding registry dishes from 47 years ago!  The floribunda roses are wide open, becoming a jumble of petals.   

"Toast & Jam" Made The Cut! -SOLD

 

Toast & Jam   oil 12x12 inches

Available through Reinert Fine Art, 

Charleston, SC April 1-30

I'm thrilled to announce that my backyard plein air piece has been juried into the American Impressionist Society's 5th Annual National Small Works Showcase in Charleston, SC April 1-30.  This is my sixth consecutive acceptance into an AIS National Show.  I'm truly grateful to be included again.  There were 1,357 entries, and 154 were chosen.  

Hello, Pear

 

Hello, Pear  oil 8x8 inches

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Pears will really challenge a painter with their subtle color shifts and delicate shape.  When I first started painting these small oil paintings over 10 years ago, I struggled to get the pear shape right, often ended up overworking the color shifts and wiped off many a pear.  I painted this as a demo for a friend who had never worked in oils and wanted to see my process.  It's demo priced, so click through the purchase link if you've wanted one of my paintings but are looking for a deal.  

Gallery Arrangement

 

Gallery Arrangement  oil 12x12 inches

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On a day when I was working at Mission Fine Art in San Juan Capistrano, I brought my paints and these still life elements with me.  The background color made for a nice harmonious color scheme, and the shadow shapes added interest.  I love this mustardy yellow or yellow ochre in a painting.  

Berries & Branches

 

Berries & Branches   oil 10x10 inches

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Since the strawberries were still perky, they took part in this, my next painting.  Here I was going for an organic, botanical feel, with the hand thrown bowl and branches cut from our still bare apple tree.  This bowl has made it into quite a few paintings.  The outer glaze is so dark, it makes for some subtle reflections.  This was a complicated painting, but I'm happy with how it turned out.