Sunday, April 12, 2015
30 Paintings in 30 Days #8
After delivery of 3 paintings to Impact Gallery the east side of Buffalo's Main Street glowed as I drove in the mid afternoon sunlight, especially the odd combination of buildings on Canisius College campus. The central tower blocks most of the Greek Revival center behind it, but the angles of the buildings intrigued me. I parked in the Forest Lawn across Main Street. Someday, I will walk around and investigate these varied buildings built decades apart.
I remembered my tiny cigar box paint set, with a 5x7 panel in the bracketed lid. Sample tubes of paint fit nicely, but all I had were a few tubes so this was a study in resourcefulness. No mineral spirits or mediums, no way to clean paint on the raggedy brushes I found there except the two Dunkin' Donuts napkins in the door pocket. Plus, I worked in my lap, wearing white jeans. I stayed neat and clean painting this from the car, at least until I got home when I pressed my sleeve into the wet paint and it spread everywhere from there.
Gone.
Canisius Perspectives, 5x7 oil on birch panel, 2015
Saturday, April 11, 2015
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
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
Friday, April 10, 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.
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.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
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
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
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
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
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.
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| 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
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