Trio - Still Life in Oil

I spent Thursday wrestling with a painting that included roses....wow, what a challenge that is!  I must have wiped the flowers out three times.  Finally I called it quits with that awful feeling of frustration and failure.  But I resisted the urge to wipe off the painting.  On Friday I returned to the painting and made a final attempt.  I finished the painting....at least, I've done all I'm going to do on it.  By now I realized that the roses were not the only problem with the painting.  The composition was weak and the whole setup lacked energy and interest.  Another lesson learned.

Still filled with that feeling of frustration, I immediately set up a more familiar still life...wine bottles and grapes.  And I used the darker background again.  It's my favorite so far.  Anyway, in a short two hour session, I painted this still life.  I returned for another hour on Saturday to finish it up.  I really enjoy doing this type of painting.  I love the subtle lighting and the value relationships are a real test. 

The title "Trio" refers to the label on the bottle of wine.  It's a cabernet that was given to me many years ago by a business friend.  His family had purchased a vineyard and this wine was made from grapes grown there.  The "Trio" name refers to the members of the ownership group, if I remember right.  The bottle is now some 13 years old.  It's the last of several bottles that had and the wine was delicious, but I hate to open it. I think I'll just leave it unopened....it makes a great still life subject and brings back memories of a great guy, long retired and moved to greener pastures.

Trio    oil on 12" x 16" linen panel 

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My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art