Violets & Lemon -a still life painting in oil

oil 8x8 inches magnify/purchase info Without much effort at all painters can try something new to keep things fresh. Just pick up a different brush than you're used to. I painted this with soft round brushes rather than my usual springy, chisel-like flats. I used Silver Brush Company's Ruby Satins. I was surprised how much more fluid my strokes could be while swinging the brush around, probably just because they had no corners! I hope you like it. Happy Mother's Day to all my fellow moms out there!

Shadowed Lemon

oil 6x6 inches magnify/purchase info

A Time To Paint -a still life painting in oil -SOLD

oil 12x12 inches magnify not for sale at this time My fellow artist friend, Carol, gave me some fresh eucalyptus cuttings. I love the leaf shape and unique color! In my excitement and against my better judgement, I set this up to paint. With my workshop coming up I knew I wouldn't have time to finish it while the paint was still wet. Eventually it all worked out. Thanks, Carol! This piece may be for sale online at a later date. IN OTHER NEWS: Thank you to supportive friends who came to Redlands last night. (You know who you are!) Also, thank you to new collectors who loved and purchased my work. It was a fun evening with fast and furious sales. Thank you, Redlands Community Hospital Foundation for inviting me.

Demo With A Cherry -a still life painting in oil

oil 6x6 inches magnify/purchase info Here's a quick demo I did for my recent workshop. I love that blue and red combo. Thanks, Julie for sharing your fake cherries with me. Tonight we're loading the old truck for Redlands. I'll have twenty framed works and also baskets of loose paintings. If you're in the area, I hope you'll come Friday night and enjoy the art, wine and food. For more info, see my previous posts.

Heavy Hitter -a still life painting in oil

oil 6x8 inches magnify/purchase info I squeezed out this little painting as I prepared for last weekend's workshop. Strawberry season and baseball season too. Finishing up, it occurred to me that the white paper looked like a baseball diamond. Those infielders better move back. IN OTHER NEWS: I had a great time teaching last weekend. You'll see a group shot below. My June workshop is full. Dates to be announced for a September workshop. Email me if you'd like to be on the mailing list. karenwernerart@gmail.com Next Friday night, April 22nd I'll be out at Redlands Community Hospital for "Evening With The Artists." It starts at 5:30 and is open to the public. Besides the outstanding art, they put on a great reception. So if you're in the area, come on out! Tickets are $25 and available at the door. Proceeds benefit Redlands Community Hospital Foundation.

Citrus Clippings -a still life painting in oil -SOLD

oil 11x14 inches magnify/purchase info While arranging this still life I set the clippers down momentarily right where you see them. I liked the way they looked in the painting, so I included them. Turns out the analogous color scheme needed a few reddish tones. Analogous colors are next to each other on the color wheel: yellow, green and blue. The rusty metal adds a lot, I think. IN OTHER NEWS: Below is the postcard for Evening With The Artists on April 22nd in Redlands. For more information click here.

Grape Escapes -a still life painting in oil -SOLD

oil 6x6 inches magnify/purchase info Here we have fruit arranged in a circle. Meanwhile, one independent thinker is sneaking away. He hasn't escaped the notice of Apple however, who is spreading the word to Tangerine. What happens next is anybody's guess.

Harmony -a still life painting in oil

oil 12x9 inches magnify This painting is in a custom dark wood floater frame with gold lip. It will be available for viewing and sale at "Evening With The Artists", Redlands Community Hospital on April 22nd. The Hospital Foundation hosts this event each year. I'm very honored to have been invited along with four other fine artists. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.

Balancing Act -a still life painting in oil

oil 8x16 inches magnify/purchase info For this one I used a daylight bulb to supplement my smallish north light window. I toned with a loose uneven gray wash and purposed to paint a vignette, letting the subject disappear into the edges of canvas.

Sandy on the lookout. Apparently she thinks my guard is down while photographing my painting, so she's helping by watching the gate for intruders. Always a big help!

Lavender & Lemon -a still life painting in oil

oil 12x9 inches magnify/purchase info Well, here's my comeback after that cold previously mentioned morphed into something really ugly. The upside of this was that my days on the couch with my iPad gave me lots of time to look at other's work I admire and research/think about some different approaches. The bulk of this piece combines a color I've never used before, ultramarine violet along with cad yellow light. So this is a very different palette for me. Working on linen rather than canvas, I practiced again my backgrounds for thin, transparent and textural effects. Another goal was to leave some unfinished areas. I've always liked mixing it up, trying new things. While resting I ran across a quote from Kim English I'd written in my notes; "If you paint the same way all the time it's like playing the piano in only one key." Your comments are always welcome.

Citrus & Grapes -a still life in oil -SOLD

oil 6x12 inches magnify/purchase info I'm back from running Camp Gramma. The kids shared their cold with me...blahhhh. I hope I feel better soon so I can get back to my easel. Meanwhile, here's a piece I did a few weeks ago. I got a good start on it when Edison Company arrived to work on a problem and had to turn off our electricity. About 4 hours later I was back in business. Below are some progress shots taken every 15 minutes till the power went out.

Shiny Fruit Fest -a still life painting in oil

oil 8x8 inches magnify/purchase info Here's the last demo for my workshop. We painted a few very small studies, then a couple of 6x6's. When I picked up this 8x8 it seemed HUGE! I paint 8x8's all the time, but I just about needed a ruler to convince myself it was really only an 8x8. Funny how your eye or mind gets accustomed to a particular scale so quickly. I've included a studio shot below in which the color is more accurate. Now I'm off to run Camp Gramma for three days. I expect no painting, but a lot of fun and cuddles.

Lemony -a still life in oil -SOLD

oil 6x6 inches magnify/purchase info This is one of the little demos I painted during the Thursday/Friday workshop in my new studio. The first workshop! It was very exciting! The weather was perfect, so I rolled up the big door. We worked on foundational principles while listening to music and the birds chirping nearby. They worked hard and didn't even complain about the exercises I assigned. They did great! I've included just a few shots of their work below. My April workshop is full, but soon I'll be opening a June workshop. If you're interested and not on my email list yet, just shoot me an email at karenwernerart@gmail.com

Workshop Fruit

oil 6x6 inches magnify/purchase info Eight hard working students joined me in Redlands on Saturday for a one day workshop. We worked on design, value studies and color studies, and they all did a great job. Just a couple of the ladies hard at work are pictured below. I need a photographer. I get so excited about what we're doing that I forget to take pictures! Late in the afternoon I squeezed out this little demo. Today in the studio I fixed the plate that had ended up a bit wonky. What a fun day in Redlands! Thank you, Redlands Art Associaton.

See that wine bottle? We were talking about symmetry...not drinking it. Just making that clear. :-)

Fruit, Jar & Geraniums -a still life painting in oil

oil 11x14 inches not for sale magnify I painted this as a gift to the permanent collection of Redlands Community Hospital. I've included a studio shot below. Coming up on April 22, The Redlands Hospital Foundation will host the 8th Annual "Evening With The Artists". I and four fellow artists have been invited to show and sell our work. If you're in So Cal, consider attending this well-planned and lovely evening. Friday, April 22, 5:30-7:30 pm. For more information call (909)335-5540 or click here: Redlands Hospital Foundation.

Demo For Redlands Art Association -a still life in oil

oil 8x8 inches magnify/purchase info Last night's demo in Redlands was a lot of fun. We had a packed house, and a very enthusiastic audience. Most of them stayed till the painting was finished, after 9pm! Thank you all for your patience and serious interest! Next, I'll teach a small one day workshop this coming Saturday in the same place. There are a couple of openings left, so call Redlands Art Association if you're interested. 909-792-8435 Also coming up quickly, my two day workshop at my home studio in Upland, March 3&4. I still have some openings. You'll get a ton of instruction, coaching (limited to 6 participants), coffee, tea, water and snacks. If you're interested in this or future workshops in Upland, email me: karenwernerart@gmail.com

Thank you, Redlands Art Association!

Tomates -an oil painting of tomatoes in Paris

oil 14x11 inches magnify/purchase info I just realized I've never posted this painting I did last month. I used a photo I took at fruit stand in Paris. The photo was already a nice abstract arrangement of circles and lines, not to mention the gorgeous color. I don't use thalo blue very often, but that was one aspect I enjoyed the most; a great foil to all the reds. IN OTHER NEWS: This Tuesday night I'll demonstrate for the Redlands Art Association, 215 E. State St., Redlands, CA. 7:00 pm. Open to the public.

Lemon With Geraniums -a still life painting in oil -SOLD

oil 8x8 inches magnify/purchase info Painting a still life seemed extra refreshing after so many paintings from photos. The lemon and geraniums are from our backyard. On Saturday the Redlands newspaper had a nice write up about me. My demonstration and one day workshop for the Redlands Art Association are coming up next week.

Thanks to Cathy Guzik for the photo.

As I start washing my brushes, my little studio compainion, Sandy, jumps up from her nap and waits to go in the house.

Pink

oil 6x6 inches magnify/purchase info This was an experiment painted with no reference. No nearby roses or pictures of roses. It has an experimental price to go with it. WORKSHOP NEWS: I still have room in my March workshop. The April workshop is full. Email me if you're interested in the March or future workshops. karenwernerart@gmail.com

Bronze Ballerina -an oil painting of Degas' sculpture -SOLD

oil 14x11 inches magnify/purchase info Musee D'Orsay in Paris houses this famous Degas bronze. She's in a plexiglass case that transformed fellow viewers into abstract shapes. I really enjoyed painting this one, and I'm quite happy with how it turned out. IN OTHER NEWS: I have just scheduled a couple of two day workshops in my new studio, one in March and one in April. "Painting the Lively Still Life" is open to beginning and intermediate oil painters. Location: Upland, California. If you would like more information, email me at karenwernerart@gmail.com