blop,blop, blop

This is a tiny piece and done quickly before the teen bounced off to do whatever these kids do. My hope was to get the size and placement in that bit of light from a side window, as accurately as possible. I'd like to do more of these "blop" pieces and then see if I can successfully make them larger in my studio. I call them blop pieces because that's what I feel like I'm doing, just blop in the values in the right place the first time cause there's no second chance.

6"x4" oil on linen

head study-"DaLawn"

I feel very fortunate to be a part of the Palette and Chisel Art Academy and Gallery. They have over 60 hours of open studio/live models. This young man can sit hours, literally, without a break. Finally we artists were just too hungry and needed a rest.
9"x12" Oil on Linen

"Spring Fling" group exhibition

The City Art Gallery in Greenville, North Carolina(http://www.cityartgreenville.com/) has been representing my figure paintings for the past few years. This year several of my lastest works will be included in their group show. This is a sample of some of my paintings to be exhibited. The show opens April 2, 2009.

The first and third paintings were first oil sketched, on location, on tiny canvases, 6"x8" -8"x10" and then later repainted on larger canvases in my studio.

"Night Shimmers" oil 30"x24"

"Swwwish" oil 24"x12"

"Buddies oil 12"x12"

(The gentleman holding the bag wasn't happy that I painted him. But in the oil sketch he looks like a blob)

These paintings are also shown on my website, www.hong-sammons.com

sold

For those of you who are in or near Chicago, The Palette and Chisel Fine Art Academy Gallery (1012 N. Dearborn (312)642.4149), will host it's annual fund raiser called "Under $300." this Saturday, March 28, 2009. Most members donate art and/or proceeds from the sale to benefit one of America's oldest non-profit art organizations. I hope you can stop by and see (and buy) hundreds of beautiful paintings. I will be submitting six oil paintings. Two which have been on my blog and shown once again here.

"David" - charcoal study

I've been trying to do a figure study in charcoal or pencil at least five times a week to improve my drawing and painting abilities. These studies are under three hours. (It's sort of like going to the gym to lift weights when I'd rather do something cardio) I am using casts from Michaelangelo and Greek sculptures. The contour studies in particular, show me where I need improvement. I'm trying not to use mass, which is how I prefer to draw, and limiting personal expression. My focus for these studies is accurate form and getting that more quickly.

17"x12" ($35.) charcoal on toned paper

almost there

This is a rather large painting for me, 30"x40." It's almost finished. My previous post was a detail of one of the flowers. One of the challenges was learning how to get back into this painting after letting it sit unattended, sometimes days. Normally I try to finish the bulk of a painting in one session but then, those are smaller paintings. Still working on chiaroscuro.

detail

I've been working on a large still life these past few weeks. Part of the challenge is the subtle translucent passages in the leaves as well as the value shifts.

Riverside Art Center
Riverside, Il

"Works on Paper"
opening tonight, March 13, 2009

Please stop by for a glass of wine, art viewing, and fellowship. One of my charcoal drawings will be shown.

mess

I ran out real quick to try jot down a few notes before dark and more rain. This is a bit of a painting mess. Shows what happens when I'm not calm. But it helps me remember the values and colors. Perhaps later I can paint this again with more thought. It's about our flooding rivering. Even though it leaves such a mess, there are really beautiful colors.

8"x10" oil sketch

"Dana"- oil study

My favorite and most challenging subject to paint is portraits. This is a 4 hour oil study. I wish I had had 40 hours. Besides trying to capture a likeness, I wanted to capture the glow of her youthful skin, the feeling of structure- bones, muscles, life, and interesting brush strokes, attention to edges, correct values,... When I get frustrated at my progress I remind myself that it's all a beautiful journey and to enjoy the process.

12"x9" Oil on Linen

oil study/sketch (Sold)

playing around with artificial light and jazz musicians

Lime Wedge (sold)

I haven't worked on my Bitty Bite series, where I investigate a solitary subject on a square canvas, in quite a while so today I chopped up a lime. Maybe this composition and cropping is awkward??? But I was really attracted to the tactile quality for this painting and had fun using just a palette knife.

8"x8" Oil

"Brambles"

I call this painting "Brambles" because I kept snagging my thumb on it's tiny torns while working on the arrangement for this piece. It seems to take me such a long time to create a set-up even though in my mind I see exactly what I want. But the objects don't always comply and flowers seem to move as they wilt and open. Once again I'm investigating chiaroscuro, creating the shapes from shadows and light, against a dark setting.

16"x20" Oil on Linen

www.hong-sammons.com

Something Shiny

Karen Phipps gorgeous still lifes on satin fabrics encourage me to try a little "shine" myself. And under the thought provoking tutelage of Michael Van Zely, the satin ribbon slowly went from being a drab piece of cloth to something more closely resembling it's true self.

16"x12" Oil on Linen

Waterway - City Colors Series

Painted on another typical wintery Chicago morning standing on a bridge looking down the river. It was nice and foggy when I started but that burned off so I elected to stop the painting at this point.

Milk Glass

On January 8, 09 I posted this value study which focused on whites and translucent objects. I recently went back and made another painting with similar shapes but used full color. The biggest challenge for me was showing the gentle colors in the vase as well as the subtle translucent milk glass. I thought the tulips would be the problem but that went surprisingly easy.

unfinished - oil sketch

I decided not to continue on this painting after spending an evening on it because I feel I lost the sensitivity to the concept, lost the soul to the piece. I like how everything, including the light, was arranged so I will definitely try to paint this again but on another canvas.
12"x16" oil

shoreline study

This was painted on a Saturday morning along lake Michigan in Chicago. There were piles of frozen snow and as well as sand. Texture and edges was what I was concentrating on with a palette knife this very windy February morning.

8"x10" oil study ($90.)

"Winter Brilliance"

Just left of yesterdays painting is a river and little waterfall. The waterfall was what I really wanted to paint with part rushing water and part frozen water. But I started too late in the morning and the bright sun washed out the scene so I used the dam as an abstracted element to hopefully keep your eye from falling out of the painting and lead you into the cool shadows cast by the trees on the far bank.

10"x8" Oil ($190.)

"Winter Passage"

I love to paint. So instead of playing on the computer and keeping my website and blogspot updated, I've been painting. Getting on the computer eats my painting time. Anyone else have this problem?

This painting was done right around the corner from my home. The long cool shadows and the warm brush caught my eye. But someday I'm going to return to paint this elegant corner building. Someone told me it was originally a bar about 100 years ago.

10"x8" Oil on Linen ($190.)

p.s. see Karen Phipps 2/11/09 painting. She's standing about 40 feet behind and down hill from me. I'm in her painting, painting this piece.