Oranges & Cherries

 

Oranges & Cherries  oil 8x8 inches

Purchase info here. 

In January our Navel Orange tree gave us sweet oranges that found their way into several of my paintings.  Orange, red and pink together make a color combination that I love.  

An Early Pomegranate

 

An Early Pomegranate  oil 9x12 inches

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This painting was from August, when things were ripening in our garden.  Branches are from our apple and pomegranate tree.  Our poms would not be ready to eat till October, but while they ripen they go through beautiful color changes.  Clean pinkish red this early.  

Summer's Last Pickings

 

Summer's Last Pickings  oil 10X10 inches 

Purchase info here. 

At the end of fall I still had some string bean vines barely hanging on, and a few cherry tomotes too.  I like the scattered look of this painting.  Isn't it interesting that the human eye finds randomness more interesting than order?  We like variety and surprise more than what is predictable.  The background color is a cool gray even though it may appear blue or violet here in the image.  This piece is custom framed in a narrow mahogany floater frame, ready to hang.  If you'd like to see it in the frame, just email me. 

Juicy Gems

 

Juicy Gems  oil 10x10 inches

custom framed and ready to hang

Purchase info here.

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.  

Three Apples

 

Three Apples  oil 10x10 inches

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Coming up with a title for this one was more difficult than painting it.  I asked my accountant (husband), and went with what he said.  Why didn't he inventory the cherries too?  This was a demonstration I did on Zoom for the Anaheim Art Association in September.  

Plated Pickings -SOLD

 

Plated Pickings  oil 11x14

Purchase info here.

A painting from September when our tree was loaded with apples and cherries were in the stores.  Happy New Year!  Wishing you health and peace for 2022.  Thank you for your interest in my work.  

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!

Lovely Radishes

 

Lovely Radishes  oil 6x6 

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I've painted radishes a few times, but I think this one is my all time favorite.  The green leaves wilt SO quickly that I painted them first, as fast and simply as I could.  Reflected light from the white cloth up onto the radishes gave them a soft, almost frosty look.  To me, there is a delicacy here that I don't often capture.  I hope someone will love it as much as I do.  

Autumn Pieces

 

Autumn Pieces   oil 9x12 inches

Purchase info here.

Of the various pomegranate paintings I did last fall, this is my favorite. I enjoy putting a bit of debris, (like little fallen crumbs) in a botanical like this. Debris gives it a natural, not perfect look.  These are pomegranates from my backyard tree, but an apple from the grocery store.  Here in So Cal last winter was too warm for our apple tree,  It refuses to make apples unless it gets a certain number of cold days and nights.  This painting is so much better in person!   

Fall Demo

 

Fall Demo  6x8 inches  oil

Purchase info here.

I cautiously held in person workshops in September and October.  It seems so long ago now!  Time has seemed to drag on with staying home so much.  I have had more time to focus on painting, so I'm thankful for that, but like everyone else, I'm hoping for a better year ahead.  I'm very fond of this little demo I did for my September workshop.  It's the design and color palette that I love.  Can you see the acorn in the front?  The other little round shapes are tiny dried pomagranates given to me by my friend, Mary Jo.  They find their way into many of my paintings. 

 HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! 

 Thank you for following my work, and for purchasing. 

 I just shipped two paintings out today!

Below are some other little studies from my September workshop.

Clippings, Coffee & Cream

oil 12x12 inches I'm delighted to announce the acceptance of this piece into The American Impressionist Society's 21st Annual National Juried Exhibition. Illume Gallery, St. George, Utah October 22-November 21, 2020. I'm especially excited to be included for two reasons: St. George is a drivable distance, so I'll be able to attend the AIS festivities and paint-outs for the first time. Here's hoping COVID has died down by then! Secondly, this is the 5th consecutive AIS show I have been included in, so in the fall I can apply for AIS Signature Status. I'm very grateful and humbled to be included with so many master impressionist painters. Follow me on Instagram: karenwernerart Website: www.karenwernerart.com

Backyard Branch

oil 9x12 inches Available through Vanessa Rothe Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA. Last September our backyard apple tree gave us a bumper crop of there were plenty to paint, eat, and make into pies! Currently the tree is just beginning to leaf out. Here's hoping for more apples!

Bits & Pieces -SOLD

oil 6x6 inches Purchase info here. This is a sweet little painting close up. It has that brushed texture underneath from an application of oil ground. A sweet thing happened the day I painted this back in February. As I mentioned a while ago, January was a rough month. I was trying to paint myself out of a funk, and this day I felt especially defeated. Out of the blue came a phone call from someone who had purchased one of my little paintings years ago. We had never had any contact, but she called that day just to tell me how much she has always loved and enjoyed the painting. I remembered it well. She spoke of her delight with the little pieces of lemon in the painting. It's difficult to describe how much her call lifted my spirits. I went straight into my studio, cut some lemons and painted this. "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24 If you're reading this, kind lady, thank you so much! We just never know when something we say can make all the difference for someone else.

Lemons & A Blue Bowl -SOLD

oil 9x12 inches Purchase info here. Our Meyer lemon tree is loaded with paintable fruit. For this painting I used a cool light source rather than my usual warm spotlight bulb. I rarely rework a dried painting, but this one I felt was worth saving.

Kettle & Color

oil 9x12 inches Purchase info here. My brand new super shiny tea kettle was perfect for creating reflections in this still life. I have a beautiful antique silver frame that's perfect for this painting if you'd like to purchase it ready to hang. Let me know through email. The PayPal link to purchase is for the painting only. IN OTHER NEWS: I still have three openings in my workshop THIS COMING WEEKEND! If you'd like to jump in, just send me an email.

Fall Burst

oil 9x12 inches Purchase info here. Alizarin Crimson, (which makes up the beautiful rich dark reds especially on the shadow side of the pom) just does not photograph well. It's a mystery as why, but I know I'm not the only one frustrated by this! Anyhow, this painting is better in person. I like how the leaf crumbles seem to burst out from the center of interest.

Harvest Clippings

oil 9x12 inches Purchase info here. Painting dried leaves is always fun and challenging for me. I tried some new things in this painting; lots of canvas texture left to see and a bit of calligraphic outlining. The painting has the feel of fall I was after, so I'm quite happy with the way it turned out. UPCOMING EVENTS: This coming Saturday, Nov. 3rd is the opening of "Art From The Attic", a group show I'm part of. The public is invited. Studio C, Claremont. 6:00-9:00 pm.

April Workshop Demo

oil 8x8 Purchase info here.

Joyful

oil 11x14 inches Purchase info here. Last month I participated in "Art Uncorked" in Chino. While folks sipped wine and sampled local foods, I busied myself painting this. Music, food and friendly folks made for a pleasant painting atmosphere. I think that feeling came through in the painting. I want to sincerely thank Jane who added to her collection of my works with the purchase of two new paintings. Below are some other shots related to the event.

As In A Mirror

oil 6x6 inches Purchase info here. Orange is such a luscious color! I have two openings left in my upcoming workshop, April 21 and 22 at my home studio in Upland, CA. Beginners and intermediate. Still life can be fresh and lively. Still life can teach you how to paint, improve your skills and prepare you to paint any subject. I'll show you how. You'll learn A LOT while having fun, coffee, laughs, and snacks. Find out more by emailing me at karenwernerart@gmail.com