September Art Show Preview

Although I am saving the pastel sky paintings for the show 'Skies over Buffalo, Wait a Minute' at Quaker Bonnet in September, I mentioned in the last post that I was painting skies from a single location.

I'm putting this up as an early weather warning post! First Fridays in Buffalo feature openings at many galleries, so save the evening-September 3rd-for my new solo exhibit. This is the first oil of the series which are from Grand Island, looking south to weather in the distance, my view. These perky clouds were dancing lightly on a perfect Spring adventure, but not all the skies are this cheery!

Sky Series, 4-12-10,'Off the Lake', oil 11x14 2010

Market Sreet Art Center BNAA show

Market Street Art Center in Lockport is host for the Buffalo Niagara Art Association 2010 Spring show this month. Everyone was pleased with the strength and range of the work which filled the downstairs gallery.

It's hard to choose when a snow painting should be displayed! After winter, I look for light & bright & colors like green, but in Fall, I thought the snow looked so 'last year'. I was determined to show this view of Huth Road from our upstairs window & it was mighty cold when I sent the application last month. It was downright hot when I delivered it last week, & perfectly lovely today for the opening reception. I now believe there is no right time for a snow picture, just enjoy the colors & composition. Long trunk shadows are created by streetlights, so they are the same all year long--but sometimes with leaves.

I adapted this scene from photographs I shot before dawn last March as the light started to change. We had a late snowstorm which silently continued all night & it was truly lovely even after a long winter. Then it took two long months to paint in my studio. This March there was no snow at all following a rather mild winter season.

The second painting in the show is a pastel, 'Not a Lift Bridge on the Erie Canal', showing a section of the canal near Widewater in Lockport.

Winter's night Dawn 36x24, oil 2009

Niagara Falls Boys & Girls Club Cookbook

I have been working since last summer on illustrations for a hardcover cookbook to be published late this year by the Niagara Falls Boys & Girls Club. Volunteers have been testing recipes & preparing the chapters for a long time already.

Each page has a 'sidebar' that may contain information about this area, the restaurant a recipe is from, or some cooking information. This painting will appear there - gray-scaled & as a screen so that the type will show clearly.

My challenge was to find an image that would work in a format that is 3 times as tall as it is wide! They are considering using two different sidebars, so the next will be 'more mist, less land'. This scene took a few tries, but I am thrilled with the result. It is from Prospect Point looking across the Niagara River to the Horseshoe Falls.

Masterviews, oil on stretched canvas, 24x8 2010

Inspired by the Cupcake Queen

Delivered today, this painting just jumped onto the giant naked wall it was made for. Sometime ago, Cupcake Queen Amanda DiCesare mentioned that she wanted to 'do her kitchen' in the cupcake theme that had already manifested itself in cookie jars, candles and more. This kitchen already has a major collection of PINK appliances-toaster, mixer and more. She liked the old fashioned desserts shown on the tray here, so I took it for inspiration & an example of what she might be thinking about.

I drew about ten different plans, including family items like the teapot & bowl before I found a good composition for a 'larger than life' painting-it is three feet wide, the cupcakes are huge.

As I painted, I thought. [That's what I do when painting, even when the music is loud.] How could I put a picture full of sugared foods in the kitchen of a home with three children? Besides, my teeth were hurting from painting so much frosting. That's how the cookies turned into apples & the milk replaced other sweets. This is the milk bottle that I had asked around for, but eventually found & borrowed from 'Kelly's Country Store' on Grand Island.

It's not what I usually paint, but I had a lot of fun doing it, & it was worth it just to hear Amanda when I delivered it today. I brought the tray back, too.

My Mixer is Pink, 24x36 oil, 2010

Still waiting for these orchids to bloom

Now that winter is official with the solstice, I am thinking about the Botanical Gardens in South Buffalo. Last winter I was able to go only twice to the weekly Thursday paint outs. Both times, I spent more time walking around admiring the gardens & new layouts than I did painting.

This is a branch of Cymbidium or Dendrobium orchids, before opening. There were plenty of fantastic open examples, but I had hoped to come back in a week to see these blossoms open & paint a pair of pictures. It began as a plein air, but I continued to work on it in the studio for several long sessions, the depth represents the distance I feel from the Botanical Garden when I cannot go back to paint regularly. The closed blooms symbolize a promise of something special.

This is an expressive & dramatic painting in my studio, I feel fortunate to be able to paint like this.

Not Orchids Yet, oil 11x14, 2009

Albright Knox Area Artist Exhibit

Today this studio painting was selected for 2009 Area Artist Exhibit at the Albright Knox. It seemed like a long time from the application process announcement until the final decision. Previously, this show was juried by invitation. Artists brought their work-maximum two-to the Museum for jurying, and received a phone call about works selected or declined. This year required a green online entry; less gas & time, but by applying a bit earlier, it seemed a long wait. There will be a reception May 15th with the exhibiting artists. It's an honor to be selected & the work at the show is an area artist who's who  to me. I'm pleased to be included!

5 Apples & the Light,  oil 22x28  2008

Mini painting

At the end of a vacation trailer park in Sanford, FL there is an area to be developed which has a paved road, picnic benches & a bridge which I was painting. 'The Red Bridge' took two days to complete & on the second morning I arrived too early for the correct lighting, so I turned to the south & captured the sun coming over the trees in the breeze. This is really tiny-almost as small as an index card. The canvas has a rough texture which emphasized each stroke & made it hard to photograph until it was drier & no longer shiny.

Turnaround oil 4x6 2009

Studio challenge in January

In the warm weather I always paint outside, but I also take A LOT of photographs. This past year I collected images of waves and water in a variety of weather & places. This is a great tumble of water before going over the American Falls, painted from a photo taken from the Niagara Falls State Park pedestrian bridge. This is entirely studio work, carefully rendered as opposed to the speedy plein aires which are painted on location under various uncontrollable conditions of wind, weather & tourists.

Rapids Up Close 16x20 oil 2009

Study, rework & repaint

I am quite adamant that I finish a painting before starting new. That doesn't mean that every canvas is 'good'. The surface can be scraped out, repainted or stuck on a back shelf.

Last winter, I painted our front yard rhododendrum by sitting on the porch chair in the sun. The snow melted as I painted. Somehow, the picture did not seem finished to me, & this year, I studied the same branches pushed out of the snow. I realized the original greens were too light [or perhaps had darkened by the extra plant food last summer].  Challenged, I took the year old painting & glazed the leaves with rich greens & reworked the stems-this original 2008  plein air turned into a 2009 studio panel, but I like it a lot more!

Rhody in Snow oil 11x14 2008-9

Barack & Carl

[Edited with the correct images, this is a 'repost' rather than deja vu.]

FYI- You can easily post a note by clicking on the 'comment' word below. I see them before they are posted, & they will remain 'out of sight' unless you click to see them. 

Three paintings are drying now & will be posted soon. I have been working on several canvases at once. I finally went back to Buffalo Botanical Garden Thursday & enjoyed relaxed charcoal sketching of tropical leaves & flowers while the wind & snow howled around the dome. I'll probably use pastels there next week to capture more Amaryllis for my 13 x 16 series. It was just nice to be back.

Carl has been showing some of his spectacular digital collages in Buffalo lately. He has two art openings next Friday-one at CEPA, the other at Big Orbit. We each have a piece at Art Dialogue this month - our January is hot! I noticed that he had several Barack Obama images created over the past year, so I borrowed this one to share. The spirit of positive energy Obama exudes is infectious, I hope that we can all move forward through the rough times we face in the next few years as our country is repaired. 

Yes We Can Not Fade Away, digital collage 2009 by Carl Schifano

Barack Obama digital collage 2008 Carl Schifano

Press Releases

There is another K Schifano on the web, a teeny-bopper who films herself jumping on the couch & posts the 'film' on her own blog. Occasionally interested in whether her nubile pursuits come up when I am googled, I found recently published press releases about myself! Click on these for the latest.

Open House article

Family Justice Center Announcement

Family Justice Center Event on Buffalo Rising

It's snowing-a lot-& more snow is expected with record breaking cold. I am doing my best to stay out of trouble while my newest painting dries a bit so I can get back to waves, water, rapids and mist. Very abstract, yet realistic. We had a lot of house guests & fun for the holidays & painting was put aside. It's nice to be painting again.

Snow Angel by Sandi Peters  New Year's 2009

Holidaze

After a December Open Studio, two extra events at which my work was featured & a house full of cookies, sweets & family, I find that my recent artistic output has been limited - mostly food & decorations. A large painting of the Polechetti's pink house at 555 Pine Ave in Lockport is still in progress & has benefited from the extra time for evaluation & reflection.

I think this is the 25th year creating our Christmas cards. At first it was difficult, as we had to convince our little kids to do line drawings of Santa or trees that could be reduced & copied on the technology that was available-copy machines, one step up from a mimeograph. Color copies were next, but we could only choose ONE color! Collages, paint, glitter, photos of artwork, screen prints, individual collages, we did it all as a family each year. 25 years ago boxed envelopes came in two sizes-legal & letter, all in white. Using digital cameras with Photoshop & Adobe InDesign our cards became totally professional, we have several friends who still don't know we send them 'homemade' Christmas cards.

One thing we try to do is make card sending fun, so they often come late. Fine with me. This year is particularly busy, so although all the components are ready, the art is printed & the draft is prepared, cards are still here-for at least a few more days.

Tangled in celebration 8x6, oil 2008 - Schifano Christmas card

New paintings in Niagara Falls

Niagara Arts & Cultural Center's Winter Show opens next Friday Night with a big red door & red balloon celebration, a Hell's Kitchen cook preparing food, violinist playing to the crowd, open studios and prizes. Carl and I are each represented by two artworks.
and Kate Koperski.
The forsythia painting had won the pastel award at Market Street Art Gallery in Lockport in the Spring.

Spring Gold 2007  12x18, pastel  2007

Winter-EastWest Road in Buckhorn 22x30 oil, 2008 [formerly titled 'The Road to Work']

Torrit Grey Competition

An annual painting contest limits artists to painting with white, black & the annual 'Torrit grey'. It is created by the Gamblin company by cleaning the filters of accumulated gook & giving tubes away at art stores. It is a 'green' use of mixed paints that would otherwise be garbage. This is my 2nd time entering the Torrit competition, the first was in 2006. The scene is from Buckhorn, a late snow on budded trees. Click here for details, you can see last year's entries.  Gamblin Artists Colors: Torrit Grey Competition

Spring Interrupted by Snow, 8x10 oil

NACC opening preview

Friday, June 20 is the opening for the 5th annual 'Beyond the Barrel' show in Niagara Falls, NY. I have two pieces accepted in this show, & Carl has two digital collages in the show. Also, it is his birthday. 

One is the wide plein air painting 'Secret Garden in Youngstown', the second is pictured here. This large studio oil painting shows the sunlight rising over the trees & shining into the mist.

Morning Light on American Falls, 24x24, oil, 2008

Travels as it Dries

This juicy rose is home again, and pleasing me at the end of the hall. It was delivered, still wet, to the NACC solo show February 1st. It dried very nicely there for two months, with plans of relocating above Martha's couch. Well, it went 'fine with the rug', but clashed with the pink pillows and afghan on the couch. The gold & black frame had too much drama, too, so the other newer painting will remain there. It spent a few days at the Albright Knox, too, but I fortunately have it back, ready to do the 'wall-dance' at 1575.

The varnish goes on late this summer.

Complementary Rose, oil, 24x24 2008

Buckhorn State Park

As I pack up sweaters and gloves for the season, I find myself putting snow pictures away as well. Painted last year, this is the road through Buckhorn that I use to drive to Niagara Falls. Having had less snow than cold, I rarely was on a snowy East-West Park Road this winter. That's a good thing.

The painting was acclaimed at Quaker Bonnet, it created a contrast with the Allen Street buildings-kind of a window to the country.

The Road to Work 22"X28" pastel

Painting Night in Winter

This gem was inspired by the best (and final) snowfall of the winter. It had snowed lightly, but steadily all weekend, trees were spectacular weighted with snow. This is earliest morning light, facing East on Huth Road. The streetlights are yellow-orange in color, casting long violet shadows. These trees are now blooming with Spring leaves; the painting took me longer than any other I have done. I also learned a great deal about using glazes and multiple layers of color to build depth while I worked up a sore shoulder from all the strokes required to create the branching. This is the absolute opposite of plein air, but is influenced by all I have learned by painting on location as well as the series of studio oils completed in the past few months.

Out of place with blooming Forsythia in the yard, I look forward to the summer, as I look back at what I was able to capture during the most beautiful weather event of the winter.

Snow Before Dawn 28"x22" oil

Not so black & white

I thought it was Spring & awoke to fresh white-but not a lot. It was just enough to cover almost budded branches and create a winter wonderland-in earliest Spring. From my favorite Buckhorn road, you can see me surrounded by beauty. I am considering a B&W painting, but I still see the colors-shall I leave out the pinks or the golds?

Watch for the painting!