Growler and Peanuts 6'x6' #311 oil

I have been painting on canvas and am back to panels which I like so much more because of the slick surface. I tend to get get much softer edges with canvas and I am sure it is from my inexperience. I would have to do many layers of gesso on canvas to get it to where I'd like the surface, so panels are a good option. I like this painting and submitted it to the "Reflections" challenge on daily painters. I feel like this painting has the elements of things I learned in Qiang Huang's workshop and is still in a style I am comfortable with.
I am also re-posting the painting I put up yesterday because the photo was so underexposed. This version is much closer to how the painting looks.

Aspirations oil 5"x7" #309

I decided to use the palette knife for this. It has much thicker paint than I usually use. Roses are difficult for me. I need to set aside time to master flowers but I am not yet ready for that. I look at Qiang Huang's roses and am quite humbled. These are from my rose bush. The buds are adorable and then they fly open to rolled pedals...it looks like they are trying to turn themselves inside out.

A Tentative Approach oil 10"x8" #308

Something that Richard Schmid said on Saturday applies to this painting. He said if anything doesn't work in the painting take it out. I had a blue pitcher in this painting, close to dead center, which was a bit of a mistake anyway, but I never liked the way the pitcher looked. It wasn't symmetrical for one thing and the color was too bright. So, I took it out. Now I have a painting that is heavy on the left side, but I like the grouping and it looks like they are overseeing the approaching crab apples. I like the dark background and soft edges. This was on a bright red cloth and again, it was hard for me not to go crazy with the beautiful red.

The Aggressiveness of the Bronze Bird 5"x7" oil #307

It was a bit easier getting a photo today...maybe I actually figured some things out. This was my second workshop painting and I worked really hard to subdue the purple cloth backdrop...I so wanted to paint it brilliant colors, but Qiang is right that it brings more mystery into the painting and it pushes the background to where it ought to be. The title is bigger than the painting...oh well.

Siesta oil 8"x10" #306

I have learned a bunch of new things which I am trying to apply in an accurate way. One of those is about photographing my work. There are some improvements but the colors aren't quite right as I was trying to compensate for a washed out look the photo had. I need to try a couple of different set-ups until I come up with one that really works. I painted on stretched canvas for this workshop and I realized that I really prefer smooth panels. I have never tried linen panels....maybe I will like those. The texture is the problem for me. I worked on creating more mystery and toning down my colors in all but the focal point. This was a lot harder for me than I would have thought. I really am drawn to very saturated colors, but I understand how this can be overwhelming. I was in a Mexican restaurant decorated with really saturated oranges browns and earthy greens. A woman came in who had on royal blue pants, a bright red shirt and magenta/purple hair. I suddenly realized why such saturated colors in abundance can be an assault on your sensitivities! I shared a still-life set-up with Grace, a beautiful lady and painter from Arizona. We were matched well, but in sharing the still-life there were compensations to be made. I didn't get the placement right and our lighting wasn't great for this one but we both learned a lot in the process.

Workshop

I have been at a workshop with Qiang Huang at the Village Arts in Putney, VT, and a paint-off with Richard Schmid. It was fabulous. I am ready to hit the sack...but will photograph my work tomorrow and post it. I so recommend attending one of Qiang's workshops if possible. He is a wonderful teacher, fabulous artist, and all around really nice person. Village Arts is a treat and they offer professional workshops. Penelope Simpson and Captain John Adams are top of the line hosts and facilitators. I also got the pleasure of meeting Nancy Guzik and many accomplished artists from as far away as China, Hawaii and California.