River Side Findings

Last night I was again at my new favorite spot to paint, along the river's edge. The river has finally receeded to reveal the rocks and the ground dry enough for me to walk. It was a nice surprise to see these wild flowers blooming in more than a foot of water. Just you in case you can't tell, the blops are suppose to be rocks. I think these rocks were placed here to prevent the riverbanks from washing away.
It was dusk when I started so I painted quickly with a palette knife and hoped my first strokes were accurate because there wasn't time for correcting.
6"x8" Oil on Linen

Cabaret Pub

Early Saturday morning Karen and I painted in the peace and quiet of the day. I enjoyed the challenge of the quickly changing shadows and light on this blocky building. But I'm wondering if, since being a neighborhood bar, if we should return on a busy night and capture the buzz of a Saturday evening??? I'm thinking yes.

8"x6" Oil on Linen ($145. framed)

"Scalawag Onion" (sold)

I love shopping at neighborhood farmers markets because they often have veggies that I normally don't see in my local grocery. Although green onions are very common these were so wild, fresh, and colors intense that I thought they'd make a nice study. The roots were long and had a life of their own which inspired the title of the painting. This is mostly a palette knife painting although I did use a brush in areas were I needed to tame down the rougher palette knife strokes. 6"x12" oil on linen

"Purple Splash"

The model was doing quick poses all morning. She ran out of the standard poses which was really great because then she got playful and her poses looked natural to her body. I wish it was longer and I had used heavier paint but if it was a long pose I'd would have lost the simplicity. Still wish I'd used heavier paint in some areas to add more of a pow.

12"x6" oil on linen ($145.)

"Jazz Note"

After spending days working in a more thoughtful manner I seem to really need to do something more expressive and free. I'm glad to have a variety of excellent models with original flair.

20"x10" Oil on Linen (NFS)

"Corner Pub"

Plein air painting this morning was really great because Karen Phipps and I tackled the same corner = excellent discussion on many painting issues such as; is the light warm, are the shadows cool, what temperature is that colored wall, composition etc. And on top of all that, I'm still painting on this smaller size but trying to convey a big feeling. In otherwords, though it's only 8"x6," if painted well, it should command attention from quite a distance.

Amusing and interesting trivia regarding this pub at http://www.chibarproject.com/Memoriam/Rich%27s/Rich%27s.htm

8"x6" ($99./$145. framed)

0il on linen mounted on archival museum board

On the Shore

In the evenings I've been playing with small format figure paintings which I recently called my "blop paintings." I'm really having fun in my own little bubble. They seem to work best if I'm working directly from life but that's not always possible so I've started taking a gesture from another painting and using it all on it's own, also working from my horrible little scribbles and photos.

A new collector of mine recently framed four to hang as a grouping. It gave me a boost to see them hanging and revitalizing that space in her home.

This is 6"x8." Which is the largest I think my "blop" paintings should be.

"Along the River's Edge" (sold)

After a couple of days of hard rain I was surprised to find trees with spring blooms. I wish I could do them justice. The spring colors and textures are a fun challenge.

"Redd"

Yesterday was raining too hard to paint outside so I finished a piece I started a while ago. This painting is part of a plein air piece and much larger. My aim was to create the pleasure I have on a solitary walk among all the beautiful colors.

36"x24" Oil

"Swan Pond"

This area is normally a grassy park but because of all the rain the river has flooded this area. I've been told it's a natural protection which Frederick Olmsted, the developer of my town, incorporated into his design.

So here is another study on reflections. It's so easy for me to get lost in all the complexity of so many colors and shapes but a problem I am enjoying learning to solve.

6x8 Oil on Linen ($99. w/frame)

Private Interior

I've been making a lot of horrid messes this past week both in my studio and outside with my plein air efforts. These are the only two pieces I feel are "blog-worthy." But I'm not going to stress about it and after I finish my mega mug of java I'm hitting the streets to try try again.

Here's my/Churchill quote of the day, "out of extreme complexity emerges extreme simpicity."

One of my former roomates use to wisely say, "keep it simple stupid." The stupid part may sound harsh but she directed at herself. But with my many different subject matters; still life, plein air, figures, portraits, I do think it's important to simplify the shapes.

Session 3 "Kate" Oil on Linen 16"x12"
For the past three Thursday mornings I've been taking http://www.marcioleszkiewicz.com/ portrait and costume workshop. Marci is an amazing artist and very talented instructor. Each moring I learned so many new things that I always left excited and ready for another workshop. Check out her website. Her paintings will amazing you.
So what I've posted today is the head study I did over three sessions. As usual for me, I could have used several more hours to finish. I think with time and more practise I'll get there. I used everything in my art bag, extra large rounds mostly, some sables and two palette knifes and lots and lots of oil paint. To bad money doesn't grow on trees.

Session 2

Session 1

I'm sitting down and she's up on a podium. I chose this angle because it's challenging to get that upward look. Even in this early stage I could see lots of greens in her blondish hair.

plein air musings plus

The following are some pieces I did outside of my studio. I'm still working on the theme of painting- that -which -normally -doesn't -get -a- second -thought but, I find particularly beautiful.

"Blu Where There Shouldn't Be"
6"x8" Oil










On this morning the weather went from sunny and warm to dark and rainy to sunny and, well you get the picture. It really wasn't the best idea to pick reflections on those conditions. Again I struggle with getting too expressive and loosing the bit of form which gives the viewer a clue as to the fact that it is reflections in water and not purely an abstraction painting.







"River North" (Unfinished)
The sun was out, it was warm for the first time in weeks and weeks so instead of finishing the piece I was distracted by the day.

okay so this isn't a plein air piece but she is "musing" about something.

12"x9" head study in oil w/ a limited palette

plein air paintings

"Still Waters" Oil 6"x8" ($145.)


I made these paintings over the last couple of days and decided to post them together. The theme is paint-what-normally-doesn't-get-a- second-glance.

The river flooded but has started to recede leaving pools of water in the woods. It has opened a whole new world of painting possibilities. I hope to paint more before it all dries up.




"Reflections of Blu Skies" Oil 6"x8" (sold)

I never knew how much a blue sky could change the colors of muddy water.
















"Morning Glow" Oil 8"x6" ($145.)

Tried to capture the sun light as it just starts to touch some of the buildings in the morning. Normally I focus on the watertower which is shown to the right but cropped off. The smaller surrounding buildings have much charm themselves so I hope to paint them from different angles.

can you guess what it is???

Yesterday I finally got to paint this area that I pass by daily but haven't found the time to stop and paint. My primary concern was to create a simple simple composition/design with my subject matter. But now I'm wondering if the simplicity made it too abstract. If so, I probably should consider painting in a more highly realistic manner and minimalize my loosy-goosy style. So, can you tell what it is I painted???

6"x8" oil on linen mounted on 6 ply archival museum board

I love quick sketch in oils. This is one of my favorite models. She's long and lean with a pixie-like personality.

12"x6" oil on linen NFS

"On the Dance Floor"

I painted this from a small "blop" painting and added more of the floor because I wanted to show the dramatic sun-spot from the large window. I'm a bit concerned that I elongated her body a bit too much. What do you think?

11"x14" oil on linen

head study in oil

Definitely my favorite and biggest challenge are these portrait studies. There is so much information to try to capture and also the decisions on what not to paint. I want to get accuracy but keep it "painterly." I took the photos about every two hours to keep track of my progression.

14"x11"

oil on portrait linen

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.