Thursday, September 17, 2009

8"x8" untitled oil painting


After watching Michael Van Zeyl demonstrate four different still life block-in ideas I was excited to make a new still life painting myself. Michael is an amazing artist and a wonderful teacher. I recommend that you check out his art.
Painting in my studio is such a different experience from plein air painting. There are no distracting city sounds or people stopping to admire or harass you as you paint. But I work from life and today used natural light so I still had that pressure of a limited amount of time to paint. My focus was on the shadow and light, so hard and so challenging.
I think this will be one for the "Adornments Show", a fundraiser for the Hinsdale Art Center in Illinois.

12 comments:

Mary Beth J Bellon said...

Beautiful,inspiring.
I'm sorry I missed the first part of Micheal's class, hope to take the other half. He is an amazing artists and teacher.

susan hong-sammons said...

Hi Mary Beth, Thanks for taking a peek. You'll have to join us for plein air painting!

Jill Berry said...

Wow, you've been busy over here since I've had time to comment.
Love the "edges" on the lemon,
And the guts to allow most of the painting to encompass the darkness.
The foggy one is also a cool work.

Nice new profile picture!

susan hong-sammons said...

Thanks Jill, I got inspired from looking at other artists who create that sense of mystery and moodiness and was hoping I could do the same.

Honor Bradley said...

I really like how you captured the subtle glow of the vase without overpowering the lemon. Nice painting.

Karen said...

Perfect!! And I love it, a "dark" painting! Okay, now I have to go work on the air in mine...it's perfect in this one.

susan hong-sammons said...

Thank you Honor, It's been a wrestle and a fun challenge to discover how much is enough and when it's too much

susan hong-sammons said...

Thank you Karen! Since we often are working on similar agendas it's with relief and gratitude to read your complement.

Anonymous said...

a beautifully atmospheric piece. i love your use of colour, so much energy in your paintings Susan. r.

Deborah Younglao, Silk Painter said...

The eye is drawn right to the lemon of course but then it goes to the light on the vase, wich is beautifully rendered. I like the mixture of hard and soft edges.

PS - Check out the Giveaway over on my blog!

susan hong-sammons said...

Hello Rahina,
I'm glad to hear that you responded to the energy within this piece. I tend to really love a more austere attitude for still lifes and then worry that the somberness has sucked out the life.

susan hong-sammons said...

Hello Deborah,
Thank you Thank you Thank you!
You know how hard we try to get it just right.