Holly Bedrosian Fine Art

CSOPA Faces of Winter Exhibition

2012-01-11T10:16:00.000-05:00

I am so excited that my oil portrait, Danny has been accepted into the Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists (CSOPA) Faces of Winter 2012 Exhibition. In addition to the exhibit, CSOPA is hosting a Daniel Greene Festival, with activities throughout the weekend of February 3rd. For more information on the exhibit, go to http://csopa.homestead.com/Faces-of-Winter-2012.html.

A Second Cup

2011-12-16T16:16:00.000-05:00

Pictured here is my newest piece, A Second Cup, which is based on an earlier piece I did, Self Portrait with Tea. For this piece, I employed a much warmer and richer color palette, and also a different colored pencil technique. This piece is 24" x 18", Prismacolor colored pencils on sanded paper mounted on board.

Preview of a New Piece

2011-12-14T16:43:00.001-05:00

I have been working on a colored pencil drawing similar to one I did in 2008, but with a slightly different pose and more dramatic color scheme. I also am using a different colored pencil technique, as mine has evolved over the years. Here is a preview of a crop of the face (first image), and I have also included a crop of the 2008 version for comparison (second image). The final drawing will be scanned and posted on Friday.

Whistler Award

2011-11-20T09:12:00.001-05:00

I attended the reception for the Whistler House Museum of Art Members Exhibition yesterday, and found out that my portrait of Nick won the Whistler Award! Above is a photo of me with my piece. The other award winners were truly amazing. The show goes on until December 30th. For more information, see www.whistlerhouse.org.

WHMA Exhibition

2011-11-09T17:43:00.000-05:00

My oil portrait, Nick has been accepted into the Whistler House Museum of Art Annual Juried Member Exhibition! The exhibition will include artwork of various media by members of the Whistler House Museum of Art, and will run from November 19 through December 30. For more information on the event and venue, see http://www.whistlerhouse.org/.

Portrait of Nick

2011-10-27T18:22:00.002-04:00

Pictured here is the final scan of my portrait Nick, 14x11, oil on board.

Oil Portrait on my Easel

2011-09-21T16:42:00.001-04:00

A snapshot of my latest oil portrait almost complete... just needs finishing touches and a signature.

Ethan Awarded First Place in Oils

2011-09-12T09:01:00.000-04:00

I am thrilled to announce that my portrait of Ethan has been awarded First Place - Oils at the Richeson 75: International Figure Portrait Exhibition. The juror was esteemed portrait artist Everett Raymond Kinstler, and I am so honored that he selected my piece and wrote the following:

"Portraying a child is most difficult. I think Holly Bedrosian's painting of Ethan is very successful. Most importantly, there is a child-like innocense and simplicity about the young boy. The painting is sensitive, and while modest, has a sincerity and good paint quality. The polo shirt and its horizontal patterns are subdued and intelligently rendered. A fine interpretation, convincingly handled."

The show goes on through November 4 at the Richeson Gallery in Kimberly, WI.

On my easel...

2011-09-06T10:50:00.000-04:00

Pictured here is a snapshot (not final image) of the painting on my easel. This was my first time painting on Gessobord, and I really like the fine grain for painting portraits. This piece is a small format (20" x 16") for a 3/4 length portrait, so it was important to use a surface that facilitates the rendering of fine details, such as for her face. I didn't tone the board as I do with canvas, but rather painted directly onto the white sanded surface, first working with thin layers of paint, and gradually building up the thicker (less turpentine, more oil) layers. I tend to paint in layers, letting the paint dry overnight, adding subsequent layers each day.

Richeson 75

2011-08-24T16:11:00.000-04:00

I am getting ready to ship my portraits Ethan and Christian to Wisconsin, as they have been accepted into the Richeson 75 Figure / Portrait 2011 International Art Competition. The exhibition will include seventy-five figure and portrait paintings in oil, water media, and dry media, and is put on by the Richeson School of Art & Gallery, a division of Jack Richeson & Co., Inc. I have tried a variety of oil paints, but Richeson Oils - The Shiva Series is my favorite brand, and the one I use almost exclusively. I prefer these paints for their rich color (particularly alizarin crimson, which I tend to use a lot), and more uniform texture. For more details on the exhibition, please see my Events page.

SCNY Award

2011-08-22T08:36:00.001-04:00

I recently found out that my colored pencil piece, Smile, received a Certificate of Merit at the Salmagundi Club Annual Non-Members Painting and Sculpture Exhibition. There were over 500 images submitted to the exhibition, and about 100 pieces accepted, including paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolor, mixed media, pastel, and colored pencil, as well as various sculptures.

Art Kudos

2011-08-15T16:40:00.000-04:00

My colored pencil piece, Sanguine Expectation, has been selected as a finalist in the 2011 Art Kudos International Juried Art Competition & Exhibition. The online exhibition includes works in a variety of media from 157 artists representing 23 countries. To see the award winners and other finalist, go to www.artkudos.com.

Portrait of Danny Completed

2011-08-04T13:28:00.000-04:00

I finished my portrait of Danny a couple of weeks ago, and above is the final scanned image.

Two Still Life Paintings

2011-08-03T10:50:00.000-04:00

Above are the final photos of two still life paintings I recently completed working from life in my studio. The setup for the first one, Trio in Blue, was illuminated using a regular (warm) light bulb, whereas I used a full-spectrum light bulb to illuminate the bottle in the bottom painting, Ocean Waves. For both of these paintings, I started with a loose drawing of basic shapes to get the images centered on the board and properly proportioned. From there, I began adding color and contrast, constantly refining until I was happy with the level of detail.

CLWAC Exhibition

2011-07-28T08:14:00.000-04:00

I just found out that my colored pencil piece Sanguine Expectation has been accepted into the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club 115th Annual Exhibition. The exhibit will run from October 4th through October 28th at the National Arts Club and will include work done by women artists in a variety of media from all over the United States. For more information on this and other upcoming shows, see my Events page.

Oil Portrait Progress

2011-07-21T18:39:00.000-04:00

I have been working on an oil portrait of my brother, Danny Bedrosian. I still have some work to do, especially on the shirt and hair, but this is getting close to being done. The glare makes it a little difficult to see details in this photo, but once I'm finished and the painting has dried, I will varnish it and photograph or scan it with better lighting.

CPSA Exhibit

2011-07-19T15:56:00.000-04:00

Shown here are a couple of photos of my piece Next hanging at the CPSA Exhibition in Dallas. The exhibit continues through the end of the month; more information can be found on my Events page. Thank you to Debbi Friedman, whose incredible piece Counterpoint in Green received the Award for Outstanding Achievement, for taking these photos!

Still Life Paintings Completed

2011-07-13T18:11:00.000-04:00

I just completed these still life paintings working from life in my studio. The bottle for the painting on the right was illuminated with a daylight light bulb, whereas the setup for the painting on the left was illuminated with a regular incandescent light bulb. This was a good exercise to observe and paint objects under different lighting situations, but now I am tired of painting blue bottles, and so I am moving on to a portrait!

Salmagundi Non-Member Show

2011-07-01T08:01:00.000-04:00

I just found out that my colored pencil piece, Smile, has been accepted into the Salmagundi Club 34th Annual Juried Painting and Sculpture Exhibition for Non-Members. This show of original oils, watercolors, pastels, colored pencils, acrylics, mixed media, and sculpture will take place at the Salmagundi Club in NYC, and be on from August 8-19. For more information on this and other upcoming shows, see my Events page.

Still Life In Progress

2011-06-22T17:54:00.000-04:00

Pictured here is a still life I'm painting from life in my studio. I have a light shining on the setup, and blackout curtains to keep daylight from interfering. I think that the next time I might try painting something illuminated with daylight, and try to restrict my painting to the same time each day (or paint really fast!)

I definitely appreciate being able to see so much more working from life. I also think that working from life makes it easier to stay aware of the object as a whole and keep colors and contrast in check. Probably the most difficult part is the initial sketch, having to compose the image without seeing it already cropped as in a photograph.

Picnic Completed

2011-06-14T16:26:00.000-04:00

Below is the scanned image of my latest work, Picnic, 28" x 20", colored pencil on sanded paper.

Colored Pencil Work in Progress Preview

2011-06-10T20:06:00.000-04:00

Above is a snapshot of a portion of the colored pencil drawing currently on my drawing table. I expect this piece to be done early next week...

Completed Portrait

2011-05-24T13:22:00.001-04:00

Christian, 14x18, oil on Pastelbord.

On my easel

2011-05-18T12:59:00.000-04:00

Above is a snapshot of the portrait currently on my easel - 14x18, oil on board. I don't usually keep track of how many hours each painting or drawing takes, but so many people ask, so this time I did. In terms of pure painting time (not including several hours of planning, sketching, and sometimes just staring at the painting looking for problems), this has taken 21 hours.

Drawing Magazine Cover Competition

2011-05-01T07:13:00.000-04:00

I just received my copy of the Spring 2011 Drawing magazine, and I am thrilled to be featured as one of the finalists in their annual Cover Competition. My colored pencil piece Quiet Moment, a portrait of my sister, can be found on page 41, with accompanying text on page 40. The neat thing about this year's competition is that along with each finalist's image and description are tips to help make your drawings stronger.

This issue can be purchased online here: http://www.interweavestore.com/Art/Magazines/Drawing-Spring-2011.html?SessionThemeID=17

Sanguine Expectation

2011-04-26T17:02:00.000-04:00

Below is the final scan of my latest piece, Sanguine Expectation.

Untitled Work in Progress

2011-04-21T18:20:00.000-04:00

Above is a snapshot of what is currently on my drawing table. I will probably finish up the skirt tomorrow, and have it scanned early next week.

Window Light

2011-03-30T16:04:00.001-04:00

A scan of my latest colored pencil drawing: Window Light, 18x24

Portrait Commission

2011-03-29T11:42:00.000-04:00

I recently finished the portrait commission shown here, 16" x 20", colored pencil. Prior to starting this portrait, I had begun work on a new figurative piece, and I am now making final touches. I should post this new piece sometime tomorrow or Wednesday.

Electric Pencil Sharpeners

2011-03-24T08:34:00.001-04:00

When I started working in colored pencil just over four years ago, I used a small hand-held sharpener, but I quickly realized that it was very time consuming, messy, and strained my hand after hours of work. After about 6 months I got an X-Acto Model 41 pencil sharpener, shown above, and I used it for the past three and a half years.

I know you aren't supposed to use colored pencils in electric pencil sharpeners, but this one worked like a charm - it quickly sharpened my colored pencils to a long, sharp point (many handhelds sharpen to a shorter point, i.e. showing less lead, which wears down more quickly). The other day, when the motor finally gave out, I was frantically researching the latest and greatest in electric pencil sharpeners. I even found one that claimed to be made for colored pencils. Unfortunately, the reviews were less than stellar, many people claiming that theirs broke after a year or less of light use! So I decided to go with the same one as last time.

The sharpener arrived the other day, and so far it's fantastic. It seems quieter than my old one (maybe because the motor was on the way out), and sharpens SO quickly. This model does come with a ten year warranty, but it looks like it might not apply to me because I used colored pencils in the machine. I don't mind though; if this thing can take three and a half more years of abuse with waxy lead, I'm happy!

Show in May

2011-03-15T16:50:00.000-04:00

I just found out that my portrait of Ethan has been accepted into the Academic Artists Association 61st Annual National Exhibition. The show is on from Sunday, May 1st through Saturday, May 14th at the Karen Sprague Cultural Center, 1000 State Street, Springfield, MA. A reception will be held Sunday, May 1st from 1-4pm.

I am currently doing final touches on a portrait commission, and then have a new figurative piece already started that I hope to complete by the end of the month.

Winter Blues II

2011-02-22T18:42:00.000-05:00

Above is my latest piece, Winter Blues II, 11x14, oil on panel (I previously did a colored pencil self portrait titled Winter Blues). I have started planning my next piece, which is to be colored pencil, but it will have to be put on hold for a bit while I work on portrait commissions.

Now this makes me smile!

2011-02-17T19:30:00.000-05:00

My colored pencil drawing Smile has been awarded Honorable Mention in the Artist's Magazine All-Media Competition! Images of the winning artwork in all of the media categories is now online: http://artistsnetwork.com/2011-online-competition

Acrobats and Apples

2011-02-03T15:15:00.000-05:00

Above are scans of my two latest paintings, Acrobats and Apples, and Lady in Blue (a much better image than my previous photograph!)

Winter Distractions

2011-01-21T16:43:00.000-05:00

This photo is not me getting ready to go skiing, but getting ready to go shoveling. Again. But I have been planning a new still life, and my canvas is prepped and ready to go for Monday. In the meantime, below is a photo - actual size, on my screen - of a mini (3x3!) drawing I did of a local farm. This drawing, along with other drawings by members of the New England Chapter of the Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA), will be part of a collage that will be shown at the Annual CPSA Convention in Dallas, TX this July. I did this on sanded paper, so some of the details are rough... but it definitely has the overall feel of Peter's Farm in the summer. And it made me forget about the snow for a little while.

New Work - Lady in Blue

2011-01-13T08:50:00.000-05:00

Here is the final piece, Lady in Blue. I was able to get the canvas re-stretched without disturbing the partly dry paint, but next time will stretch the canvas first!

Oil Painting - Step by Step

2011-01-05T18:22:00.000-05:00

I started a new oil painting just before the holidays, and am nearing completion. I decided to photograph my progress, as I was trying a new "technique" with this piece. Previously I had painted directly onto a white canvas, but I find it's much easier to judge values when starting with a toned canvas. I had also tried a grisaille technique, establishing the values in grey tones prior to adding glazes of color. This didn't prove to be a successful technique for me, as I tend to let the paint dry and then repaint entire sections. So with this piece, I just decided to go with my instincts. In the first photo below, I just loosely established the basic shapes to get the proportions right, and wasn't too concerned with details.

In the second photo below, I have begun to lay down some color, mostly darks and mid-tones.

In the third step, I have continued to lay down color, adding more lights and contrast in general.

In the fourth step, I have begun to tighten up the details, except that I have purposefully left out the baby's breath flowers in order to allow the background to dry first.

In the final photo, I have made a few adjustments and added the flowers. The only problem is that the canvas is loose, so I will have to carefully re-stretch it before photographing the final piece.

December Happenings

2010-12-10T09:48:00.000-05:00

I may not be blogging as much, but I have been working on a couple things (in addition to Christmas shopping!) I finished my portrait of Caitlyn, and I have a couple of commissions in the works. Also, I will be doing a new still life in oil, which I hope to post by early January! Finally, Ethan remains on display at the Whistler House Museum of Art through December 30th.

New Portrait - Almost Done

2010-12-04T09:33:00.000-05:00

Finishing up an oil portrait - below is a quick snapshot.

WHMA Reception

2010-11-21T16:37:00.000-05:00

The Whistler House Museum of Art Annual Members Exhibition reception yesterday was a wonderful event, and I was thrilled to be awarded third place for my portrait Ethan, shown above. The exhibition includes a variety of works in oil, pastel, mixed media and sculpture, including Mary Rose O'Connell's stunning piece, A Winter Landscape, which was awarded first place. The show continues through December 30th at the Whistler House Museum of Art in Lowell, MA.

Next Wins Award!

2010-11-08T17:12:00.000-05:00

I am really excited to announce that Next, shown above, has won the Vera Sickinger Award at the American Artists Professional League 82nd Grand National Exhibition. The exhibit of painting, graphics, and sculpture at the Salmagundi Club in NYC continues through November 12th.

Kevin at CLWAC Exhibition

2010-11-01T08:39:00.000-04:00

I am really excited that Kevin has been awarded the Katherine A. Lovell Memorial Award at the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club 114th Annual Exhibition. The awards ceremony took place this past Friday at the National Arts Club, and though I was not able to attend, Kendra Bidwell Ferreira, whose work was also accepted into the show, was kind enough to take the photos of my piece shown here.

Ethan Framed

2010-10-15T08:11:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I had Ethan framed, and I thought I'd post a photo...

Practicing Oil Painting...

2010-10-14T17:37:00.001-04:00

Since I spent a few weeks on my last colored pencil piece, I decided to do a quick study in oil before diving into my next oil piece. This painting of an old tarnished bowl was done in about hour last night, with light only from my easel lamp. It was interesting to paint something that would be difficult (if not impossible) to see in a photo, but the resulting painting is way too dark!

By the way, you can kind of make out the reflection of my head and easel lamp upside-down in the center of the inside of the bowl!

2010-10-05T19:29:00.000-04:00

Newest piece, Smile, 22x28, colored pencil on sanded paper:

Rubik's Turns 30

2010-09-15T18:29:00.001-04:00

I recently found out that the Rubik's Cube, which I have spent many frustratingly fun hours solving in my lifetime, turns 30 this year: http://www.rubiks.com/World/Rubiks%2030.aspx

Of course, I've only captured the winning moment in my piece Mastery, shown below (e-mail me with purchase inquiries).

"Next" going to NYC

2010-09-08T09:13:00.000-04:00

I just found out that my colored pencil piece Next has been accepted into the American Artists Professional League 82nd Grand National Exhibition. The exhibit of painting, graphics and sculpture will be at the Salmagundi Club in NYC from November 2nd through November 12th, with a reception on November 7th.

Colored Pencil News

2010-08-16T09:41:00.000-04:00

I am much happier than I look in this self portrait... I recently found out that I am now a Signature Member of the Colored Pencil Society of America, as I have been accepted into the annual exhibition for the past three years. CPSA is a wonderful organization with a plethora of information for colored pencil artists, and I have found the members to be very encouraging and supportive.

Also, Reticent, shown above, has been accepted into this year's Art Kudos International Juried Art Competition and Exhibition. The entire exhibition is available at www.artkudos.com, and my piece can be viewed on this page.

Finally, my first open studio event this past Saturday was a great success - I was thrilled to have people view my art in person, two pieces were sold, and I am excited about upcoming commissions. Future open studio events will be announced in my e-mail newsletter.

CPSA Award Winners Announced

2010-08-02T07:44:00.001-04:00

The Colored Pencil Society of America's 18th Annual International Exhibition Award Winners have been posted, and I am thrilled to announced that my piece Quiet Moment has received an Award for Excellence! I wish I could have attended the convention this year in Los Gatos, CA, but I hope to be able to attend next year's in Dallas...

Work in Progress, Open Studio

2010-07-31T13:19:00.000-04:00

Pictured above is a 16"x12" oil portrait I'm currently working on. Sign up for my newsletter to receive an announcement for my upcoming Open Studio event to see this and other sample portraits:
http://hbedrosian.fineartstudioonline.com/email-newsletter

Kevin Framed

2010-07-28T18:08:00.001-04:00

I'm posting this photo of Kevin framed partly because I really like the frame, and partly to feel productive because I do not have any more artwork to show at the moment! I did start a new larger oil painting (not a commission), but I had to abandon it after a few days of working on it. I was struggling with it in every way - proportions, colors, values... and I also realized that I wasn't too happy about the overall idea after I had already worked on it for hours and hours. It was an expensive mistake, but I learned to plan better for my paintings - especially the larger ones - in the future. In the meantime, I am starting a smaller portrait that will hopefully get me comfortable with oil painting again.

"Next" Completed

2010-07-21T17:09:00.002-04:00

I was inspired to do this piece attending a piano recital recently, when I recalled my own experience waiting for my turn to play even more than the act of getting up on stage and actually playing the recital piece. I've decided to call this colored pencil drawing "Next".

Almost There...

2010-07-19T17:50:00.000-04:00

My colored pencil work in progress is at the stage where I will spray it with workable fixative, and then go over the entire piece making adjustments in value and color, as well as cleaning up rough areas.

My plan is to complete this piece by Wednesday, and have it mounted and scanned at Image-Tec... the final piece should be posted by this Thursday.

Colored Pencil Drawing in Progress

2010-07-15T08:03:00.000-04:00

I've done a bit more on my drawing of children at a piano recital. You can see that the chair on the left is more dull than the chair on the right, due to "wax bloom". Over time, the wax in the colored pencils rises to the surface, creating a grayish cast that is especially obvious with darker colors. I will remedy this by gently wiping the surface and spraying with a workable fixative.

Recital Drawing - In Progress

2010-07-13T17:05:00.000-04:00

I've been making slow progress (enjoying the warm weather and busy with other stuff too) on a new colored pencil drawing of children at a recital. In the progress photo shown here you can see that I am working left to right in order to avoid smudging the pencil on the sanded paper. This makes it difficult to judge the piece as a whole, but my plan is to make final adjustments once I've laid down most of the pigment (and the pencil is less smudgy).

This piece started off as a really rough 3x4 grid drawing on 18"x24" paper, based on a 6"x8" photograph divided similarly. You can see here that I really haven't gotten any details down, but rather just made markings to place the composition elements. I don't like to start with too many details early on because then I get bogged down and lose sight of the overall proportions.

After getting the basic drawing down, I start creating contours with a dark green, red, or blue. I work very quickly in order to get the basic impressions of the drawing, knowing that I will be laying down various other darks, mid-tones, and lights later on, thereby continuously refining my drawing. Another reason I like to work quickly in the initial stages is to allow my subconscious mind to work and get a more intuitive depiction of the people or objects, rather than slavishly copying a photo in a more mechanical fashion.

Kevin - BoldBrush Painting Contest Finalist

2010-07-04T07:23:00.001-04:00

My portrait of Kevin has been selected as one of the finalists in the BoldBrush Painting Contest!

FAV 15%

Finalist

BoldBrush

Painting Contest

June 2010

Kevin - Completed

2010-06-11T10:38:00.001-04:00

Below is the completed oil portrait of Kevin (I will probably take a better photo later). Kevin is actually an artist himself, working in various media including drawing and pottery (and yes, he did design the pendant he is wearing!) He is working on a website, and I will post it as soon as it is available.

Kevin - Progress 9

2010-06-09T17:00:00.000-04:00

Oil painting is such a slow process for me, since I am still so new to the medium. Anyway, after about another couple of hours work today (I've been too distracted with other things to give this portrait a full-day's work) I have adjusted the background and smoothed out the shirt a bit. Tomorrow I'll make minor adjustments, and hopefully sign it.

Kevin - Progress 8

2010-06-08T16:37:00.000-04:00

Here I've done a little bit more adjusting to the skin tones, but I now see that the background is very distracting. Sometimes I like bold backgrounds, but this just isn't one of those times. I'm going to tone it down next, and then work on the shirt and necklace.

Kevin - Progress 7

2010-06-07T15:11:00.000-04:00

The skin tones are better now that I've toned them down a bit. Next I'll be cleaning up and fine tuning.

Kevin - Progress 6

2010-06-04T17:18:00.001-04:00

I've done a little bit more work in the photo here, and the next step is to tone down the ruddiness and orange tint, especially on the left hand side of his face. I've actually started this process, but I want to get more done before posting a progress photo. Painting over the entire face is difficult because I want to tone down certain areas, while maintaining general facial contours already in place.

Kevin - Progress 5

2010-06-02T16:42:00.000-04:00

Getting there... I'm still not happy with the background, and the shirt obviously still needs detail. I'll do that next, and then re-evaluate the piece as a whole.

Kevin - Progress 4

2010-06-01T13:16:00.000-04:00

Continuing on with the portrait of Kevin... the shadow under the eye on the right is still too harsh, so I'll be toning that down next. I will also be adding texture to the shirt and necklace, while adding more layers of paint to the background.

Kevin - Progress 3

2010-05-28T15:41:00.000-04:00

Here I've blocked in more color, and now I have a lot of refining to do in the face. I tend to use a lot of red and orange in the early stages and then tone it down later on (almost like adding skin on top of the flesh).

Kevin - Progress 2

2010-05-26T16:25:00.000-04:00

Adding more of the background and shirt definitely helped, but I have a lot more work to do...

Kevin - Work in Progress

2010-05-25T17:02:00.001-04:00

I started an oil portrait recently trying an Ampersand panel designed for oil painting. I really like the fine texture of the board, and I'm not missing the "give" of traditional canvas working on this panel.

This is in a rough phase still, especially the edges, forehead, and right side of his face. I need to finish blocking in the background and color of the shirt so I can better judge the edges and skin tones.

Eliza Jayne

2010-04-25T09:03:00.000-04:00

And here is the completed portrait I was working on in the photo in a previous post.

27th Annual Portrait Show

2010-04-19T07:42:00.002-04:00

The 27th Annual Portrait Show at Francesca Anderson Fine Art | Portraits North will be held April 22nd through May 22nd. My pastel portraits Sophia and Cate will be on display. There will also be a Children's Event on May 1st and a Portrait Demonstration on May 15th. See www.portraitsnorth.com for more information.

Happily Painting...

2010-04-16T17:52:00.000-04:00

Another Pastel

2010-04-05T10:29:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick snapshot of another pastel portrait of Sophia I completed recently. This piece is the same size as my previous portrait of Sophia, but this time I worked on a textured paper rather than sanded board. The larger grain of the paper seemed to allow the pastel to adhere more readily, though the grain texture remains visible in the final piece.

Pastel Portrait

2010-03-24T10:02:00.000-04:00

Recently I completed a 12x16 pastel portrait of Sophia, shown framed above. This is my fifth time using pastels, and I've decided that I really like the medium for rendering children. The only drawback, in my opinion, is all of the dust it creates (I wear a mask while working), and the need to frame the piece behind glass. This piece is framed with museum glass, which minimizes reflection and helps to protect against UV light.

Academic Artists Association 60th National

2010-03-16T08:20:00.003-04:00

I just received notice that my piece Self Portrait with Tea has been accepted into the Academic Artists Association 60th National Exhibition.

The Academic Artists Association is dedicated to promoting artwork of classic media rendered in a representational manner. The exhibition will include works in oil, watercolor, graphic, pastel, and sculpture, and takes place at the Karen Sprague Cultural Arts Center in Springfield, MA from April 25th through May 7th. Jurors for this event are Larry Preston and Arlene Fins.

"Hands" Prints Available

2010-02-25T14:52:00.000-05:00

I am now offering prints of two of my hands pieces, shown above, that were recently published in an article about my colored pencil work in American Artist Drawing magazine. To order, simply click here and select the size, finish, and framing options you desire.

A Couple New Oil Paintings

2010-02-23T16:33:00.000-05:00

I recently painted the two oil portraits shown here using a toned canvas, a technique new to me. Basically, before sketching the figure, I applied a thinned layer of neutral colored mid-tone paint over the entire canvas. I chose a lightened mixture of black and raw sienna for one, and raw umber for the other. I really like how starting with a neutral toned canvas makes it easier to judge lights and darks, as well as warm and cool tones.

Also, these two portraits were done on very large grain canvas, which I have decided is not ideal for achieving details in portraits. I will probably stick to a finer linen in the future.

Drawing Magazine Article

2010-02-01T18:59:00.003-05:00

I am so excited to be featured in an article in the Winter 2010 edition of American Artist Drawing magazine! The article talks about my path to becoming an artist, as well as some of the techniques used in my hands and self portrait drawings in colored pencil. You can subscribe to Drawing magazine on the Artist Daily website or order a copy of the Winter issue here: http://www.interweavestore.com/Art/Drawing-Magazine/Drawing-Winter-2010.html

Faces of Winter Exhibit

2010-01-20T08:45:00.004-05:00

The Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists is holding a "Faces of Winter" exhibition beginning February 5th. My piece Eclipse will be among the over 70 portraits on display. See the exhibit announcement below for more details on the event.

New Year, New Studio

2010-01-02T13:19:00.006-05:00

Over the holidays I've been busy moving into a new house and new studio. I'm really excited about having more room to store my art, as well as a larger workspace. The first two photos below show my studio with an extra deep chair rail along the entire perimeter of the room, which allows me to display some of my artwork. The last photo is of my art storage room, where I have temporarily set up an easel to work on my next painting. I plan on setting up a larger easel in my studio in the future and paint portraits from life. I also plan on hosting an open studio in the near future.

Exhibition Winners

2009-12-15T16:31:00.004-05:00

The winners of the Whistler House Museum of Art Members Only Exhibit have been announced, and I am very excited to have won second place! See the award winning pieces here:

http://www.whistlerhouse.org/blog/?p=121

The exhibition continues until December 31st; see www.whistlerhouse.org for more details.

Whistler House Museum of Art Reception

2009-11-23T11:47:00.006-05:00

The exhibition continues through December 31st at the Whistler House Museum of Art in Lowell, MA. See http://www.whistlerhouse.org/ for more information.

Exhibition in Lowell

2009-11-16T13:50:00.004-05:00

The Whistler House Museum of Art 2009 Annual Members Exhibition commences this Saturday, November 21st with a reception from 2:00-4:00. My piece Resolute will be on display, along with a variety of other artists' work in oil, watercolor, mixed media, and more. Regular museum hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11am-4pm, and the exhibit runs through December 31st.

Amira wins award

2009-11-09T13:33:00.004-05:00

I was recently notified that my painting Amira, shown above, has won the President's Award for oil and acrylic paintings at the American Artists Professional League 81st Grand National Exhibition. The show runs through Friday, November 13th at the Salmagundi Club in NYC, and includes various works in oil, acrylic, watermedia, pastel, graphic and sculpture in the style of traditional realism.

Self Expression

2009-10-28T18:39:00.005-04:00

I recently completed another self-portrait in oil, shown here. I find it very convenient to use myself for a subject not only because I can take unlimited photographs, but also because I can use a mirror to check skin tones and see what the camera missed.

For this piece, I set up a camera using the timer to take several photos of myself set against a mostly white background. I wanted to create a feeling of being overwhelmed or desiring to hide in one's surroundings, and decided to call the final piece "Eclipse".

Portrait of Amira on Display in NYC

2009-10-09T17:29:00.006-04:00

It's been a while since my last post, as I have been busy searching for a new home and studio. I should be back painting and drawing this month, so stay tuned for more artwork and news. In the meantime, I would like to share that my oil painting Amira, shown above has been accepted into the American Artists Professional League 81st Grand National Exhibition (http://www.americanartistsprofessionalleague.org/). The exhibition will be held at the Salmagundi Art Club from Tuesday, November 3rd through Friday, November 13th; open to the public daily 1-5pm.

Sonia - Portrait in Colored Pencil

2009-08-24T06:21:00.003-04:00

Above is my latest portrait done using colored pencil on Pastelbord. The surface is rough, so it accepts several layers of colored pencil; I like to build up the darks using many different colors. Despite working up many layers, the texture and color of the board remain visible in many areas of the portrait, but I think I like how the grey color contrasts with her warmer skin tones.

Art Kudos Finalist

2009-08-17T07:10:00.006-04:00

My piece Resolute was selected as a finalist in the 2009 Art Kudos International Exhibition. The show represents 132 artists and 15 countries. To see all of the finalists and award winners, visit http://www.artkudos.com/.

CPSA 17th Annual International Exhibition

2009-08-03T08:38:00.004-04:00

This past weekend I attended the Awards Banquet and Artists' Reception in Duluth, GA for the Colored Pencil Society of America's 17th Annual International Exhibition. I really enjoyed the opportunity to meet some of the artists and see the work in person; all of the work exhibited was of such high quality. Above is a snapshot of me by my piece in the gallery.

I was also tremendously honored to receive an Award for Oustanding Achievement. The Award Winners are posted to the CPSA website: http://cpsa.org/GALLERY/WINNERS2009/AG2009.html

The Rumor

2009-07-21T13:52:00.005-04:00

The Rumor, 12" x 16", colored pencil and watersoluble pastel on board

I recently finished another still life, this time going back to working with colored pencil. This one's kind of humorous, and I had fun with the bold colors. I'm not sure yet whether I'll try another still life next or go back to portraits/figures... we'll see!

Starting Still Life

2009-07-15T13:17:00.003-04:00

Family Secret, 9x12, oil on panel

I recently finished my first still life shown above, and I am already beginning another. I am enjoying a change of pace from portraits, though faces and hands are still my favorite subjects. For this next still life I decided to use to colored pencil on a sanded surface (Pastelbord), with an underpainting with watersoluble pastels (Neocolor). Also, my next still life is simpler than the one shown here - no dolls, just fruit! I should be finished with it sometime in the next few days, and will post an image shortly thereafter.

Salmagundi Club Non-Member Show Reception

2009-07-13T14:43:00.008-04:00

This past Friday I attended the reception for the Salmagundi Club 32nd Annual Juried Painting and Sculpture Exhibition for Non-Members. I was really blown away at the high quality of work on display, and the drew quite a large crowd of people. Below are some photos of the event (including one of my model next to his portrait):

Amira Revisited

2009-06-30T20:30:00.003-04:00

About a year ago I completed two portraits of a girl named Amira. The first was done using colored pencil on panel, and the second was done using colored pencil and water soluble pastel on sanded board. I recently decided to revisit the subject, and the finished painting is shown above (12" x 16", oil on board).

Telling

2009-06-18T16:56:00.005-04:00

I just returned from getting the portrait of the Storyteller scanned (see image above). I forgot to mention that this was my first time working on Gessobord, though I found it to be very similar to painting on Pastelbord. This piece is 36" x 24".

Portrait of a Storyteller

2009-06-12T10:59:00.003-04:00

I am nearing completion on a portrait of a woman who is a Storyteller, and I wanted to post a photo of my work area along with reference photos. In this case, I had several photos to work from, but I still chose a combination of three to use for the portrait. I don't have Photoshop, so the combining process is more creative than technical. In general, I used the photo on the top left as a reference for painting her face, while her hands and the book were based on the photo on the bottom left. The photo to the right of the portrait is one I used as inspiration, as I felt it showcased her personality. Though the portrait is not quite complete, I am satisfied with the likeness, as I feel it represents her essence better than any of the reference photographs.

One from Last Week

2009-05-28T12:46:00.002-04:00

I am taking the week off from painting, but I realized that I have not yet blogged about my latest painting that I finished last week. "Etude", shown above, is 30" x 24", oil on linen.

Down Time

2009-05-27T07:37:00.003-04:00

This past Memorial Day weekend was a busy one for me, starting off with a half marathon (Boston's Run to Remember) that I ran with a friend who was visiting from Texas, followed by a trip to NJ to visit with family. Now I am in recovery mode, taking a few days off from painting and running, as I am paying the price for a lack of training for the race and a lack of sleep. I could probably force myself to start another piece, but I think it's best I wait until my mind and body are revitalized.

In the meantime, I have three art shows now and in the near future: the Francesca Anderson Fine Art 26th Annual Portrait Show with my pastel pieces Allison and Cate on display, the upcoming SCNY Annual Non-Member Painting and Sculpture Exhibition where my oil piece Resolute will be on display, and the upcoming CPSA 17th Annual International Exhibition where my colored pencil piece Self Portrait with Tea will be on display.

After the Rain

2009-05-22T14:26:00.004-04:00

I just returned from getting a scan of "After the Rain", 24" x 18", oil on Pastelbord. This image is much more like the original than the photo I posted earlier... thank goodness for Image-Tec!

26th Annual Portrait Show

2009-05-17T06:43:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I stopped by the reception for the 26th Annual Portrait Show at Francesca Anderson Fine Art Portraits North (I'm standing by my two pastel portraits of Allison and Cate, above). The show is a beautiful arrangement of some of the most amazing oil, pastel, watercolor and pencil portraits I have ever seen. The artists represented are listed on the gallery website, along with contact information to schedule a viewing.

Oil Painting on Pastelbord

2009-05-12T07:22:00.003-04:00

I finished the oil painting on Pastelbord and took a quick photo, shown above. The experience was very different than working on canvas - more "delicate" as I couldn't apply too much paint or it would get streaky. The background in the reference photograph was lacking because at the time the trees didn't have many leaves yet and the flowers hadn't really bloomed (not to mention that there was a big barn-like shed in the background). So I got my ideas for the background while on my morning jog, taking note of the variety of spring colors in the trees and flowers. To make sure the colors were accurate, I also looked at the trees outside my studio window while painting. Since it has been raining so much, the background ended up taking on a wet look, so I decided to call this "After the Rain".

Salmagundi Club 32nd Annual Non-Member Exhibition

2009-05-08T07:43:00.003-04:00

I just found out that my oil painting Resolute, shown above, has been selected for the Salmagundi Club 32nd Annual Juried Painting and Sculpture Exhibition for Non-Members. The exhibition includes oil paintings, watercolor, pastel, acrylics, mixed media and sculpture, and will be held at the Salmagundi Club in NYC from June 29th through July 10th. For more information: www.salmagundi.org.

Exhibition News

2009-05-05T15:25:00.002-04:00

Today I found out that Self Portrait with Tea, shown above, was juried into the Colored Pencil Society of America's 17th Annual International Exhibition, to be held in Duluth, GA. I also found out that the same piece was accepted into the American Juried Art Salon 8th Biannual Juried Show (online). For more information on these exhibitions, please see my Events page.

Learning from Mistakes

2009-05-03T19:25:00.005-04:00

Everyone has different learning styles, but I am the type of person who likes to dive in and do it my own way. For my first oil painting, aside from following the "thick over thin" principle I had read about, I pretty much just threw a set of paints haphazardly onto a palette and started painting using a few brushes I had on hand. Yes, I had read about the different types of whites, about pre-mixing colors on the palette before beginning, and how one must have a full array of brushes to complete a successful painting, but I found all of the advice to be overwhelming and often contradictory, and I decided that I would learn the best from actually trying it myself.

Aside from the thick over thin principle, What I learned from this experience is that it actually is quite helpful to premix some colors that you know you will be using, though I don't exactly follow any prescribed methods, and my palette seems to change a little each time I mix the paints. Had I followed someone else's palette and methods exactly from the beginning the process might have been easier, but I think that the lesson would have less meaning to me.

Now, working on a piece smaller in scale on Pastelbord (work in progress shown below), I am learning the value in having more sizes and types of brushes, as I struggle to get thin lines and fine textures.

Occasionally I find that following my own instincts is very helpful in developing my own techniques and style. But other times (and perhaps more often) my mistakes help me to really learn the value of the lessons and advice given by seasoned painters. So I continue on, happily learning and growing from my mistakes.