Looking Westward

Sunset Strip #2 (Albuquerque)
Original oil, alkyd on wood panel
2.75" x 9" unframed
SOLD

It's been dry in Florida, with clear skies for weeks. Those wonderfully fantastic clouds that catch the evening light and make for dramatic sunsets...and dramatic sunset paintings, too...just haven't been around.

However, Florida is not the only place that can boast beautiful evening light effects. While living in Albuquerque, I enjoyed the view to the west from my second story studio window. There were many beautiful sunsets out over the mesa, like the one which became the painting posted today, Sunset Strip #2. I hope you enjoy it.
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Text and image ©2011 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Back to Basics....Again

Lemon Grisaille (WIP)
Oil, Alkyd on panel

In past posts, I've talked about "painting the grays." This is a grisaille rendering of a nice fat lemon I picked up at the grocery store last week and decided to paint. You would think that a simple object would be simple to paint. Yeah, right!

I did cheat a little, as I began the painting on a burnt umber toned panel and let that brown color show through in the background. Once the paint dries, I'll be glazing color on top of the grays. It's been awhile since I did an entire painting--even a small painting--using this method, so we'll see how it all turns out.

This week I also complete the second "Sunset Strip" but it's still too wet to put on the scanner. So, I'll be sharing that painting with you next week.

Thanks for taking a look. Enjoy your weekend.

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Text and image ©2011 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Try, Try Again...

Florida Pines, 2011
Original: oil, alkyd on 5" x 3.5" panel
Framed size: 7" x 5"
Contact Artist to Purchase.

Wow! I received so many positive responses via email regarding the Sunset Strip #1 painting I posted last week. Many thanks to all of you who took a moment to give me your feedback and comments.

It seems that the long horizontal format is a hit, with several of you suggesting cool places where such a format could be installed. I, too, have been looking around my house, noticing all kinds of places a long strip--horizontal OR vertical--could go. There are a lot more niches for that format than a regular, rectangular painting, as I see it. And, yes, the Sunset Strip paintings will be for sale, once I figure out the postage costs and shipping logistics.

Today's painting may look familiar to my longtime readers, as it was posted 'way back on June 29, 2008. Since then, I framed the painting, and it has been hanging on my studio wall, nagging me to do "something" to give it a little zing, or "wow" factor. (Another lesson learned: Framing will not improve a boring painting.)

Since I'm on a sunset kick, I decided to give those Florida pines a more interesting and colorful background. I think a Florida sunset was a good solution, eh?

Thanks for taking a look. See you next week.
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Text and image ©2011 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Trying Something New

Sunset Strip #1, 2011

Original: oil, alkyd on canvasboard
1.25" x 16" unframed
Private Collection

I've been thinking for awhile that I'd like to do a series of sunset paintings. I know, I know, that sounds like a pretty cliched subject to take on. Well, what the heck. I have several strips of canvas board and gessoed panel that I've cut off other paintings and saved. So why not use them?

A few evenings ago, as I was finishing up in the studio, I looked out the window to see dramatic clouds strung across the sky. Since I had one of those canvas board strips handy, I went for it and did my first "Sunset Strip" that you see posted here today.

So, there's another item on my list of New Year's Studio Possibilities: Try out a new idea. And, hey, it was fun to do, too.

Thanks for taking a look. See you next week.
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Text and image ©2011 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.