30 Paintings in 30 days, #7 Food trucks

Ready to paint the river, I thought "coffee" and parked in front of Starbucks. This was the view out my window and I never got the coffee or to the Falls. The colors of the food trucks and the activity on Falls Street were enough to make me paint there, on the street, at the back of the car. I had to do this piece by piece as vans and big trucks parked on the street and blocked different parts of my view.

Skateboarders were using the Starbucks corner behind me to nosily practice jumps and the painting was created to the sounds of wheels on bricks and benches, an occasional fall or cheers as a skater accomplished a move. Even the painting took a dive, it was quite windy, turning to the car trunk to get a brush the entire setup went up and over onto the road, with the painting face down on the bricked street. That cleaned up easily with a few strokes. My box went a bit off kilter, but crazy glue and a few clamps at home put it back to square. Such are the hazards of plein air painting. Later, the skating noise stopped and I heard the soft sound of something like pickup sticks or clocks ticking. Looking around, the people were scattering, it was the sound of frosty rain bouncing on my wide brim hat. I marked the unfinished light poles poles in the distance and finished this painting at home.

This painting is $75 during the 30 day event. Choose the PayPal button or click here to email me.

Lunch trucks at the Convention Center, 10x9, oil on canvas 2015

30 paintings in 30 Days, # 6 Primrose

The primroses outside my window have been green for weeks, but won't open until the warmth is more than temporary. I buy them to brighten our table and plant them outdoors later. A bit of water consistently keeps them flowering, indoors and out.

Keeping up with a 'painting a day' is interesting but I have barely dry little gems to photograph each day and I am still trying to figure out why wet paint and cameras don't get along. I usually wait weeks, or even months to photograph my work all at one time, in a controlled situation with perfect lighting and a block of time. This is quite a challenge!

Primrose in Porcelain, 6x6 oil on canvas panel, 2015

This painting is a bit larger and without a frame for $65. Click here to email me or use the PayPal button.

30 in 30 Days, Day 5 Sunday's salad

A few years ago I illustrated the cookbook 'A Stir in the Mist'. A series of food pictures were used on recipe pages and my Niagara Falls Paintings were used for the dividers. Painting this today reminded me how much I enjoyed the challenge of the food drawings. Grocery shopping involved choosing the best shaped vegetables and fruit for the pictures and not for eating.

This is a great kitchen gift for anyone. Click here to Email or use the Paypal Button below.

'From Sunday's Salad', 5x7 oil on canvas panel

'From Sunday's Salad'

Unframed $65.00 USD In Plain frame $75.00 USD

30 Paintings in 30 Days, #4 Forsythia

Nearly 20 years ago we dug a big hole and planted 3 Forsythia bushes together. It's huge and I bring branches indoors in the winter, to force the flowers. I cut some 3 weeks ago. While we can see bits of yellow barely budding on the monster bush outdoors these cut branches are in full bloom with growing sprouts. Whenever cuttings root I plant them on the edge of the woods, sometimes they grow and thrive there.

Forsythia is an annual subject to paint, but this is my first close up; I was surprised how much green these luscious yellow flowers contain. 

Original oil painting on side stapled stretched canvas. 5x4 unframed $40, with frame 45. Use Paypal below or click here for email.

Glorious Spring, 5x4 oil on canvas panel  c.2015

Glorious Spring

Unframed $45.00 USD In Plain frame $55.00 USD

30 Paintings in 30 Days, #3 Tiny Rabbit

Day 3, another rabbit, this tiny work can be an ornament on a tree, or made into a fun brooch, as well as a sweet decoration on a mantle or bookshelf. The penny is there for size, it is really very little, but it is on a real canvas mounted on wood frame. The easel is 5" and the painting is 2"x2".

My house has an incredible collection of rabbits for Spring decorating, a bit of sun and some daffodils pushing their way up and I am ready for the season. Most of those rabbits were gifts to my kids through the years but still live with me. I am determined to pass some of these decorations back to them.

'Biding Time Bunny' 2"x2" oil on canvas 2015
Gone.

Castellani Museum Collection

The text of a very special notice from Gerald Mead, this painting is now in the collection of Castellani Art Museum, located at Niagara University, New York.

Channeling Wolf Kahn c. 2014, Kath Schifano

Kath,
My apologies for not contacting you sooner - very good news - your painting was accepted for the Museum's collection at the December meeting of the Acquisitions Committee. 

It is now part of a new special segment of the collection that has been designated as their Lending Collection - Kate explained that this means that it may be selected to be shown on campus. (it is a new and frankly very smart initiative)

So, congratulations you are now in the collection of the Castellani Art Museum!

Best,
Jerry

Painting the Mist on Day 2

This is the second post of my 30 Paintings in 30 days challenge.

It was sunny when I left the house to paint, but as I approached the Falls, clouds were rolling in and I took the turnaround on Robert Moses Parkway to paint the Canadian skyline and Horseshoe mist from the Power Project intakes. I had photographed here in the winter; today I realized that I was driving on the sidewalk for quite a distance that day, today I would have to hike to the chosen spot with my supplies. A true plein air experience carrying easel and pochade today, not one of my favorite lazy paint outs next to my car.

Having experimented and contemplated grays and muted colors recently I found the soft colored buildings of the distant Canadian Niagara Falls a good subject for trying the duller tones. With westbound traffic blocked and construction at the end of the parkway in progress the bright orange traffic signs put a punch of color on the road (enlarge the painting to see them.)  $65

Calm Before the Rain, 5x7 Gessoboard, c.2015

Calm Before the Rain

Unframed $65.00 USD In Plain frame $75.00 USD

Easter painting

Just a perky bunny pausing for a moment but ready to run. Having friends who have accepted the challenge of making 30 paintings in 30 days and eager to get back to regular outdoor paintings with the change of weather, I am going to try it. 30 paintings in 30 days. 

These will mostly be sketches, an opportunity to try new ideas and experiment, but each will be my best work, and probably small. watch for more, here and on Facebook.

These paintings are for sale as soon as they dry, a week or so, paypal, cash, check and credit are all accepted, email for info, ks@kschifano.com  This little guy can come in a frame. $65, unframed, $55
"Ready, Set, Go" 4x6 oil. c. 2015

Ready, Set, Go

Unframed $55.00 USD In Plain Frame $65.00 USD

'The Plume Over Three Sisters'

This is another bridge painting at Three Sisters islands at the Niagara Reservation State Park, now hanging in Dr. Marrone's Dental office along with another of my falls paintings showing the power of the upper rapids. I started it as a bridge picture with emphasis on the plume of the Horseshoe falls in the sky. The early Fall colors and the light and shadows of the bridge took over and the mist is a smaller part of the painting than I first imagined. Something about the bridges, I love being there.

I have used this composition as a reference for a much larger pastel, a good experience taking a plein air to the studio.

The Plume Over Three Sisters. 9.5x12, oil on birch panel, 2014

Another Croton, this is an oil at the Botanical Gardens in Buffalo.

Over the years, croton colors begged to be observed and recorded. I have made several paintings in different media and each has a different personality. This day, a new path had opened to the north inside the Palm Dome at the Buffalo Botanical Gardens, I couldn't resist.

A little reminder, every one of the images and paintings in this blog belong to me, I retain copyright for all of them, sold or not.

Another Croton, 9.5x12, oil on Arches oil paper, 2015

In the collection of the Burchfield Penney Art Center

I am now personally in the collection of the Burchfield Penney Art Center, or at least this photo of me. David Moog is creating a series of photographs of Western New York artists for the museum. One of the uses will be for a 100 year retrospective, 2115! Be there. 

David Moog (b. 1944), Kath Schifano, 2015; Archival inkjet print, 20 x 15 inches; Gift of the artist, copyright David Moog, 2015

A southern tier home sketch

  

This was drawn in pencil for a friend from a series of family photos and a little help from Google Earth. It was her childhood home and she wanted a picture to coordinate with an old drawing of her grandfather's home. The house has many changes since then, including being surrounded by mature trees, but I was able to capture the roof lines accurately from a street level view from Google maps.

An 'indoor Plein air' at Buffalo's Botanical Gardens.

It is 'back to the gardens' season. Too cold to stand outside on ice covered ground in the swirling snow with wind chills hovering around zero, my Thursdays at Frederick Law Olmsted's 1900 Botanical Gardens are a relief from winter house air. Oxygen, green tropical plants, fragrant flowers and happy visitors make for wonderful paintouts-indoors.

  

Orchids and Amaryllis, oil 9x12, 2015

Burchfield 'Artists Seen' Photo project

David Moog, a Rochester based and well known B&W photographer is in residence at Burchfield Art Museum, he was given a studio on the first floor for the next three years. His project involves photographing WNY artists for 'undecided' uses right now, but especially for a 100 year retrospective in the museum to be shown in the 22nd century. Talk about planning ahead!

I was invited to sit for my portrait and also enjoyed an afternoon discussion of art, artists, introspection and philosophy with both Mr. Moog and Don Keller in their photo studio, meeting a few Museum staff and reviewing the Alexander Levy exhibit that filled most of the first floor.

I had been advised to choose whatever I wanted to wear, and there would be no props. I spent at least a week thinking about what  to choose to wear and do. I had a vision of leaning against a wall, standing. The 100 year later photo of Me that I imagined needed to be comfortable and natural, so I chose jeans and a vest, the Andy Warhol pin already on the pocket flap. Walking into the room, Mr. Moog told me he had decided to do closeups this week. Although many of the photos involved looking directly into the lens, the one he chose of me was relaxed and looking down, two hands to the side of my face.  Clothes were not the subject, once again I was unnecessarily concerned about a detail.

'Photo of the Photographer'

WIne On Third WInter displays

Winter Night's Dawn c. K. Schifano

Impact Artists Gallery held a satellite exhibit at Wine On Third, Niagara Falls. These two oil paintings were on display in January through the middle of February, the colors and mood of these paintings were perfect for the patrons braving the weather. Other artists contributed landscapes, still lifes, portraits and abstracts, for a very interesting variety compared to their usual one person exhibits. 

That Impact show was followed by an exhibit of work for the NACC auction fundraiser on March 15. I donated a painting to the show, a small salmon colored Amaryllis in a lovely gold carved frame. Go there!

Coomer Road Concords, c. K.Schifano

Winter Night's Dawn, 30x20, oil 
Coomer Road Concords, 20x16, oil 

An indoor study

Nearly finished, 'Fresh Orchids'

Ah, February, it hasn't had a thaw yet and it is too frigid to paint outdoors. 

Contemporary realist painter,  Thomas Kegler held a one day workshop in still life painting at Partners in Art, North Tonawanda, and I joined for a day out and some inspiration. I had attended his workshop two years ago and was intrigued by his use of glazes, especially on a finished painting.

At that time, I had a spray of orchids which I carefully protected on the frigid drive to East Aurora. For this workshop, I hunted around for a similar subject and found this cymbidium plant. My plan was to create the same size and subject to create a pair of pictures. Now that I have them home together I see the difference two years of painting-and thinking-can be. Yes, it is a pair and I hope they stay together.

5/5 days of the Facebook artists challenge.

The last day of 5 in this FB painters challenge.
As much as I love water and am tempted to post waterfall paintings from the Adirondacks, I spent this beautiful day enjoying fresh snow and sunshine in my yard. The art lesson is to paint what you know, so I chose my outdoors for the final day. Thank you, Frances Gaffney for the nomination, we need to paint together soon, this was fun and a bit of a challenge to post daily. Breaking the rules I post 4, and nominate some more. Marcus L Wise, you generously support so many artists, Dave Borkenhagen you share my love of water, and Kathy McDonnell painter of landscapes: I hope you three rise to the challenge, post 3 artworks a day for 5 days and nominate another artist each day.

1. Behind the Pool, plein air oil 11x14
2. Fall Back, 25x19 pastel
3. Rainbow Spring, 24x20 oil
4. Didn't Miss Fall plein air pastel 16x20

Add caption

Day 4 of 5 FB painting challenge

Day 4 of 5 in this FB painters challenge. I have selected three views at Niagara Falls demonstrating the power of nature, the fury and energy of tumbling water racing from Lake Erie, up the Niagara, down the Falls to Lake Ontario. I love to paint close to the water, the experience of the spray and the roar of the cataracts give meaning to the words power and majesty. 1&2 are plein air, the third is a studio painting.

1. Roiling AM, 12x16 pastel-rocks at the base of American Falls
2. Winter Divot, 8x12 oil-a rock on the precipice of the Horseshoe in winter
3. Another Surprise on the Path, 21x30 pastel-off the path from 3 Sister's Islands.

It seems easy to choose paintings for this challenge, but nominating another artist is difficult because of the mathematics of the challenge, each nominee invites 5 more, they each invite 5 more, that's 5 artists, then 25, 125, 500, 2500, 12,500, 50,000 artists (thats 750,000 pictures on our news feed) posting in just a month. And they all have to be on FB. Every time I thought of a name, I see they have been challenged. So, Kim James Yarwood, let's see what you are up to.Fine artist and storyteller,neighbor and longtime friend, it's your turn to post 3 art works a day for 5 days and nominate another each day.

Day 3 of 5 paintings Facebook Challenge

Day 3 of the 5 day art challenge to post 3 artworks a day for 5 days. In the spirit of celebrating friends from the past, and showcasing their art, today I nominate Sarah Louisa Burns to join this challenge and post her amazing knitted sculptures-or other work- hopefully with her hilarious comments 3 each day for 5 days.
Today's subject is the ocean-all plein air, all from the same spot by the Ohio Street jetty, Long Beach, Long Island, NY. I am visualizing warm sunshine and bare feet on sand as snow gently falls in my yard.
1. Incoming Tide, 8x10 oil
2. Waiting For the Big One, 12x24 oil
3. Slack, 12x16 oil

 — with Sarah Louisa Burns.

Day 2 of 5 FB paintings

Day 2 of 5 Facebook Painting Challenge.

I selected unpublished paintings that had a bit of humor when they were made. The first 'My Peonies Have No Ants' is a Springtime plein air; painting the flower buds outdoors I watched so many fat ants crawl around that I decided to be 'different', therefore, no ants.

The second was painted at a vendor workshop, 'Studio Zygocactus'. We were to paint from photos to evaluate a new paint product. I forgot eyeglasses and painted this sideways, displayed it sideways and didn't know it. Nowadays, I often paint outdoors without my glasses.

The last is a Botanical Gardens close up. Behind me was a vicious spiked cactus, hence the title, 'No Leaning.'
I nominate Patricia Gaeta to post 3 paintings a day for 5 days, we want to see what you are up to!

 — with Patricia Gaeta.

From Facebook Artist Posts 1

Day 1 of 5
I am nominated for the current Facebook Challenge by Frances Gaffney, a Manhattan and ADK artist and friend, to post 3 artworks for 5 days and nominate another artist each day. It has been a pleasure to see so much great work from so many artist friends and I am pleased to be a part of making FB posts beautiful.
These 3 are earlier works, pastels on 22x30 BFK created from real roses in my studio. I have always been inspired by nature and this series of rose paintings 2003-04 were stepping stones to becoming a better artist by observing and recording as well as the experience of working with limited color.
In the shadow of Frances, I nominate Elizabeth Flannery Damesimo to post 3 paintings a day for 5 days.
1. Investigating Pink
2. Rotated Rose 
3. More Moon Shadows

Finally lifting a brush to under paint a new studio painting, 36x24

 I say 'finally lifting a brush' because I have finally recovered from my wrist surgery in September. I had no idea how much I had been missing or how much I had been hurting until the pain was gone...the same day as the surgery. 

Thinking that it would work itself out was not the best plan for me, as it had started to really bother me in June of 2013, by August I wore a small brace and in the Fall I finally made an appointment. By then I had stopped using pastels and modified techniques with the brushes so I could still paint. A hand specialist gave me a bigger brace that kept my thumb immobile, various appointments involved cortisone shots, useless pain cream, different braces and suggestions to consider other tests and surgery. Not an ideal patient, I wanted to just be fine without any stitches. Boy, was I wrong, I could have saved a year of complications. Now that I have had a 'First Dorsal Compartment Release' and waited the right amount of recuperation time I can paint and pastel, within reason, at least until I get it all figured out. New artwork will be posted more often now!

Winter gift show at NACC

The Niagara Arts and Cultural Center winter gallery exhibit is titled 'Fire and Ice'. I have two paintings there but this is my display earlier in the day when the NACC was open to the public for a holiday show and sale on tables. I brought some mini paintings, the 2015 calendars and an assortment of small framed plein air canvases. It was a fun day and interesting to hear comments about the smaller works and to meet other artists with their work.

Snovember cancellation

 Not sure where there is a road open but the amount of snow on this car is a small indication of how much there is in the storm center. I assume this is in an area that is not the hardest hit.

A photo in the newspaper showed this marquee with a snow pile on top that is taller than the sign height. I like the message they added here.

This weekend was supposed to be my major end of year event, replacing the "Open Studio" I hosted for the past five years. Unfortunately most snow records were broken this week as the Southtowns of Buffalo were inundated with snowfall amounts measured in feet with numbers like 5-6 feet in the worst areas. Since the Holiday Art Festival was scheduled in the lovely Knox Mansion in East Aurora in the midst of the snowbelt it has been rescheduled to Spring. With the amounts of snow there- a whole year's worth in two days-some may still be melting in the lots then.

Obviously these are not my photos, we had about 3 inches on Grand Island, the photos are from the internet.

Using a penny for emphasis

Mini paintings take a bit of effort and concentration, as well as a good collection of exquisite small brushes. I wish I had more small frames, but it is probably better that I do not; these are 'testing the wrist' paintings. I waited longer than I wanted to start to paint after my wrist surgery and the small brushes require more control and a firmer grip than I expected, so this was an uncomfortable series to complete. Nevertheless, I love them!

The penny in the center indicates how small they are. The first Horseshoe falls is the largest, at 2.5" by 3.5", all four with frames can fit in one hand easily. These will be coming to the Holiday Art Festival at the Knox mansion in East Aurora the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Two of these are from a set Annette Baumgarden gave to me years ago, I had another one painted, but they are so small I ruined it by drilling the hardware right through to the front. I have searched the internet and have not found a place that sells small frames, unless I count the wholesale lots with a minimum order of 500 pieces.

Ending one Season, Starting Another

The Autumn leaves are still brilliant and there are more paint days ahead but an end of season art show for one of my groups will open November 1 in Lockport at the new Lock Side Art Center.

My friends in Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters had scheduled paintouts at various locations, 7 or 8 every month since Spring. We hope for a good turnout to see the paintings that members choose from these sites to display at this exhibition. Although I painted the same number of pictures as usual this year, they were concentrated in three separate adventures, trips to the ocean in Delaware in June, the Zhang and Wooley workshop mid-summer and another late summer ocean week in Long Beach. In between I worked fairly small and skipped many dates to rest my wrist. In mid September I had wrist surgery and am thrilled at the improvement I feel, although I have not attempted more than a few touchups with paint yet. Some tiny studies, about 2x2 and 2x3 tested my small brush skills and took longer than I expected.

Not back to a regular painting schedule yet, I look forward to the opportunity to work with pastels again and I am considering some still life experiments this winter. It remains to be seen!

P4P doesn't always work

 

The original expansive Delaware Court structure had a lovely curved facade; Painting for Preservation artists had gathered there on a brilliant Fall Saturday to bring attention to the fact that the Chippewa Street businesses and stores were moving out to demolish the classic building and replace it with a monster huge structure. 

At a quick stop at Spot Coffee exactly a year later I see the new building is in progress. Fortunately the architect preserved the curved facade, it will be interesting to see how it is finished and how it effects the area as time goes on.  I am glad I had an opportunity to capture the original building, spend some time with it and paint a dignified portrait.

Delaware Court, oil, 10x12, 2013

This is the sitting room at the Knox Mansion

The sitting room of the Knox family is at the top of the main staircase. I think it was the master bedroom as the bath has the original pencil marks of the growing family's heights marked on the molding and now preserved with acrylic. The house is mostly empty, with a full pro kitchen it is used for special events.

November 21, 22, 23 the Friends of Knox Farm State Park present the Holiday Art Festival in the main house. I have been invited to present my art there; Monica will be sharing the room with me and another textile artist. This photo shows 'my side' and an exit door. Let the plans begin!