Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Apples and Pears on Green


Andrew Daniel
"Apples and Pears on Green"
Oil on canvas
12" x 12"
400$

Northcoast Open Studios is June 4,5,11,12. Come hang out!

This is a still life I did about a year ago. I always fantasize about doing still lives. When I do them I really enjoy it too. The problem is, whenever I'm in the studio to paint vs. out on location I get overwhelmed with the stacks of unfinished paintings and end up grabbing one with the hopes of closure.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

California Poppies


"California Poppies" by Andrew Daniel
12" x 12" oil on canvas
$400 contact artist

Northcoast Open Studios is June 4,5,11,12. Come on by!

This was my first floral for the spring. I did it in response to an invitation to a themed group show made up of Native Wildflowers. Initially, I had trouble finding a wildflower that had the presence and personality I was looking for, but once I came across some photos of California Poppies, I knew I had met my match! 

This painting was the start of a thematic exploration, that I had mentioned in an earlier post. I'm seeing that the demands of the flower's dynamic shape and delicacy is making it necessary for me to approach paint application in a very different manner. 

Ideally I want the shapes to dance like a free form abstraction, which means that I have to be very conscious of how I manipulate the edge of shapes, so that the eye isn't grabbed too strongly. Also, I have to be selective in how heavy I put down the paint, at times using thick impasto to grab the eye, at other times letting the shape trail off into mystery.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Lazy Bend in the Slough


"Lazy Bend in the Slough" by Andrew Daniel
12" x 12" oil on canvas

This last weekend, was the grand opening event for a new public nature trail at Freshwater Farms. The event was put together by the Northcoast Regional Land Trust and included a whole ton of Plein Air artists working along the trail with over 1000 people attending. The weather was perfect, like it felt like the day would never end, so perfect one felt grace in it. I set up in the shade and got to gander on this beautiful bend in the slough for a few hours while chatting with visitors.