Second Saturday Art Show!

October 10, 2015 is Second Saturday again!  And once again, I will have new artwork on display at the Patris Studio and Art Gallery,  3460 2nd Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95817.  Also works by Patris,  Abigail VanCannon ; Scott Martin, David Peterson and several other Sacramento area artists will be included.  I have four paintings in the show.  All are ready to hang in your home or office.  Three still life paintings are beautifully framed and the very large landscape is on a heavy cradled panel with painted edges. 

It starts around 6 PM and will include wine and live music.  See you there!

Late Summer Afternoon at Delevan  Oil on cradled panel  23 x 45

The Copper Kettle  Oil on linen panel 12x12

Late Afternoon in the Garden   Oil on linen Panel  12 x 12

Quiet Evening   Oil on stretched linen   16 x 12

My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

The Blue Vase - Continuing Still Life Exploration

 Still Life painting continues to intrigue me.  I've mentioned before that I enjoy painting still life subjects in the studio as a kind of therapy.  There's something very healing about the process.  One is painting from life, but without the pressures of working from a model or the challenges (should I say aggravations?) of plein air painting. With internet radio in the background and Dixie asleep on her pillow by the transparent plastic doggie door (so she can keep one eye out for squirrels who may have the audacity to venture into HER backyard), the studio is a wonderfully peaceful place. 

But more and more I appreciate still life painting as a chance to explore painting techniques and to simply practice what I learn in workshops and other studies.  Sometimes, I learn what NOT to do, which, if it is absorbed and remembered, is every bit as valuable as learning what to TO do.  As an example of this last point, I just completed a workshop conducted by a very accomplished painter who teaches and practices a 'classical' approach using old master techniques, colors, mediums and etc. (More on the workshop in another post.) Using what I had learned, I attempted to complete this still life and in particular the vase.  It was a disaster to such an extent that yesterday I spent about two hours completely over-painting and then re-painting the entire vase.  I did one other thing, I scraped burnt umber and raw umber from my palette forever.  I know that they are essential colors of the old masters, but apparently they knew how to use them and I don't.  And simply put, they are incredibly UGLY!   (And according to some experts found on the internet, one or both have some bad chemical properties from an archival point of view.  You can google it.)

In this painting I wanted a contrast of textures.  Against the smooth and reflective surface of the blue vase and the red apple, I tried very hard to create texture in the oranges and the table top by putting the paint down heavily and leaving it.  I think it was successful.

The Blue Vase    12" x 12" Oil on linen panel

My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

"Late Afternoon in the Garden" Still Life in Oil

The shade is deep under the trellis on this late summer afternoon. 

Late Afternoon in the Garden    12" x 12" Oil on Linen Panel  

To purchase this original oil painting, CLICK HERE

My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

Copper Kettle with Oranges and Strawberries - Still Life in Oil

 This has been a disjointed week for various reasons.  The weekend passed without any painting getting done which left me feeling a bit frustrated.  On Monday I drifted over to a local antique store and shopped for still life subject matter.  I found this copper kettle and snapped it up. Yesterday I started on a 12 x 12 painting of it, adding some oranges and strawberries for color.  Today I spent a couple of hours pulling it together.

I'm going to let it sit for a couple of days and then add any last touches, but primarily I think this is done.  I love painting subjects like the kettle.  The antique store is huge with so many knick knacks and things like the kettle that it is impossible to take it all in on one trip.   I'll be returning soon!

Copper Kettle with Oranges and Strawberries  12 x 12

To purchase this orginal oil painting with frame, please CLICK HERE

My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

Green Vase and Boy With Dogs Figurine - Still Life

I've been working on a large night scene of Noyo Harbor recently and whilc I was waiting for passages to dry I decided to start a new still life.  I found some small branches just outside my studio and arranged them around a green vase that I haven't painted before.  I found it last summer at a yard sale.  I needed something more on the right side of the painting,but I didn't have any grapes or flowers right at hand.  I did however have a little figurine I had purchased at the thrift store recently while hunting for still life 'props'.  What the heck...I plopped it in.

I other words, I didn't take my time and carefully set the stage before beginning.  When will I learn to slow down that rush to get the brush moving?  Because of that, I spent extra time as I went along composing on the fly.  And because I spent several painting sessions on this, when most of my still life paintings are done in one or two sessions, my plants keep dying and I had to keep replacing them!  A moving target, in other words.  But while my start left something to be desired, the painting began to come together after a while.  I was determined to see if I could do something with it, and I feel like I did OK.   In fact, I do like the figurine, even if the little boy and his puppy friends seem a bit out of place.  But then, it's good to keep in mind Norman Rockwell's statement that whenever his painting was not going well, he put a puppy in it.  So I'm just following the Master!!!

A fun experiment.....and darned if I don't like the painting. 

Green Vase with Boy and Dogs Figurine   12" x 16" Oil on stretched linen canvas

If you are interested in purchasing this painting, please contact me or
SOLD
My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

Oranges Brass Bowl and Wine Bottles - Still Life

 I'm very pleased with the subtle values in this still life.  I had painted it about a month ago, and while I liked the darker values, it always seemed dull to me.  I couldn't quite put my finger on the problem.  I didn't want to brighten the entire painting, even if I could figure out how to do that.  Yesterday, I added just a bit more color and modeling to the oranges and I repainted the placemat, making it lighter.  Both changes introduced a bit more light into the composition, but didn't completely change the subdued feeling, which I liked.

Also, this painting was photographed with my new Nikon DSLR and the image is straight from the camera via photoshop Elements.  Other than cropping, the image is exactly what I was able to capture with the camera....and it is a very accurate representation of the painting.   I'm beginning to get a handle on using the camera...a Nikon D5300.  It's an entry level DSLR, but loaded with features and manual settings that permit me to get this kind of shot.  I'm thrilled with it so far. 

Oranges and Brass Bowl with Wine Bottles   12 x 16 oil on panel 

To purchase this painting, please click HERE


My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

Brass Bowl with Wine Bottles

When it comes to photographing oil paintings and getting faithful reproductions of the original there's a lot to learn.  I've read many sources on the subject, and I'm still floundering.  Then, to add further to the challenge, I'm trying out my new Nikon DSLR for the first time.  I've had a chance to review some of the manual settings and I was very pleased with the resulting picture. I was able to save it in Photoshop without any adjustments except for the normal cropping.  However, now I'm experiencing problems with imported image into Blogger.  The picture below is not the quality of the original image that I have in Photoshop.  I have not had this problem before.   Obviously more to learn! 

This simple still life is done on 12 x 12 linen panel.  I enjoy painting these still life setups.  They are truely painting "from life" - something I think most artists don't do enough of - but they will sit patiently for you as you struggle along...and even wait overnight for the next session.  I appreciate that!

Brass Bowl Oranges Apples and Wine Bottles   12 x 12 oil on linen panel

My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

White Vase - Still life

Painting still life is a restful and cathartic experience for me.  I've been distracted from the easel lately by many things.  Home improvement projects have demanded a lot of time and mental energy for planning and negotiating...but so far have gone well, thankfully.  And the office is busier than it has been in a long time as we finally begin to recover from the long recession / depression.  These are all good things, but they demand mental energy that might otherwise be channeled into the studio.

At these times when creative energy is at a low and the urge to paint is almost nonexistent, still life comes to the rescue.   In this case, I found some fake - yes, not real - 'flowers', a vase, and a brass bowl.  With a few apples and an orange, I was ready to go and painting in minutes.  I didn't worry about 'symbolism' or complexity....I just wanted to paint and forget other demands for awhile.

White Vase    Oil on stretched canvas   16 x 20

The very light area at the right is a light reflection ....that area is actually very dark.  


My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

Blue Vase with Oranges and Grapes

The composition in this painting evolved as it was painted.  That's not a good way to do things, but it was a good learning experience.   I started out with just the blue vase, the copper bowl, grapes and oranges.  But the arrangement left a large empty background to the right...and even some empty table space right below it.  When the painting was nearly complete I decided to see if I could fix the awkward and unbalanced composition by adding the vine leaves and small flowers and the apple along with a couple of grapes.  I think it addressed one problem, but created a second one, albeit less noticeable in my opinion.   Now I have a vertical on the right as well as the left!  An odd composition for sure, but at least the canvas is no longer empty.  I'd say the 'fix' worked overall.

I love this vase.  I've never used it in a still life before, but I will again.  And it is a natural and complimentary foil to the oranges.  I enjoyed creating this painting...and I also enjoyed the challenge of the in-progress adjustments. 

 

Blue Vase with Oranges and Grapes.    12 x 16 oil on canvas panel.

My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

White Pitcher with Flowers - Still Life Oil Painting

This is another high key still life.  These brighter paintings are still a learning process for me, but I do enjoy the opportunity for playing with the light and color.

White Pitcher with Flowers    Oil on 9 x 12 linen panel

To Purchase this painting, please click HERE


My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

Black Label and Roses - A Still Life Oil Painting (Sold)

I'm painting small still life as frequently as possible for awhile.  They are relatively quick to do...2 to 4 hours at the most and it's excellent practice.  This one was painted this morning and early afternoon.  I'm following the Qiang Huang process as much as I can.

Black Label and Roses    Oil on linen panel   9 x 12

(Sold)
My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

Wine with Oranges and Apple - Still Life Oil Paintting (Sold)

It was Sunday, the end of a very busy week.   I had spent three intense and amazing days in a workshop with master painter Qiang Huang and I had also spent a day with artist friends painting at a beautiful winery in the Gold Country.  Let me just say that the wine was a lot better than my painting!

So when Sunday rolled around  I was tired but still exhilarated with what I had learned in Qiang's workshop.  I just had to try another still life in my own studio.   I had to make do with a cardboard still life 'stage' which I sat on top of a storage crate which was in turn sitting on a table...all that to get the still life up near eye level.   I didn't have much in the way of props, but I did have a bottle of wine and two wines glasses (things aren't THAT desperate around here) and I located two oranges and an apple.  Finally I picked two branches off of a climbing vine that is taking over the trellis outside my studio.  With those props and a black sheet (a long story, but NOT what you think) I started painting.

I followed Qiang's five steps as closely as I could.   Within a bit more than 2 1/2 hours, the painting was done.  So much fun!  What a great painting exercise too.  Easy to set up and have a "live" model anytime I want.

Thanks one more time Qiang! 

Red Wine with Oranges and Apple    9 x 12 on oil primed linen panel. 

(Sold)

My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

Qiang Huang Workshop - Day Three

The final day of the fabulous Qiang Huang workshop arrived.  I felt refreshed after the previous day's struggles and I was ready to paint!  Once again Qiang started the day with a demonstration.  He picked a "high key" subject for the day's painting, with a light background and lighter colored objects.   He spent some time explaining the different approach that he would use.   Of course it would be the same five steps as before, but the lights and darks would be handled differently. 

During the demonstration, I had the distinct feeling that Qiang was struggling a bit.  He had already admitted that the higher key paintings were something he was still learning and growing with.  Although he never mentioned it, I felt that the day's painting was a battle for him.  I could be totally wrong...and his final painting was lovely .... but I found it very interesting to watch.  Again, I'm totally guessing, but I think his eventual success was based on well-earned confidence that he would win out in the end, and also on self disipline.  When I am in trouble on a painting, I start to "fix" things,going back to passages again and again.  He never did that.  He followed the 'rules', he put it down and left it, he NEVER reworked areas.  The painting stayed fresh and finally came together.  During the workshop I learned so much from Qiang, but maybe on that final day, I learned the most important lesson. Have confidence that what you know will see you through.

I have a front row seat! 

The workshop finally begin to wind down.  I got Qiang to sign his article in the latest Artists Magazine and we took a group photo.

Qiang Huang (left), Patris, (center in pink), me (reddish shirt) and a group of great ARTISTS!

Although I was tired from the intense learning and painting experience, it was sad to see it all draw to a close.  I would love to paint with Qiang and all these painters again.  Thank you Patris!!

Brass Bowl with Oranges   Oil on canvas  9x12

(Sold)

My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

Qiang Huang Workshop - Day Two

We started our second day of the Qiang Huang workshop bright and early on Tuesday.  Many of the participants were in place and working on their still life paintings from the day before well ahead of the official starting hour.

One the second day, Qiang again started a demonstration, but this time he had everyone return to their own paintings after each step in the process.  We set up a new still life arrangement for the day.  Honestly I didn't feel comfortable with this arrangement.   In particular I didn't like the lone flower and the foreground seemed a bit scattered to me.   I know a better painter would have made these 'shortcomings' work, but I struggled.  It might have been also that I felt a bit of a come down after the first exciting day of meeting Qiang and finally getting started.   Whatever the case, I was out of rhythm all day. It seemed I forgot everything I already knew and everything I had learned the day before. 

Once again, there were many really beautiful paintings done by classmates.  I was impressed as I struggled along with my own battle.  Qiang's instructions and guidance were as solid as the day before and he gave me suggestions that helped pull my painting out of the abyss even if it came up a bit short in the end.  When I got home I felt mentally and physically exhausted, but I couldn't wait for the next day to begin.

My painting for Day Two.   I have done a little bit of work - on the flower in particular - in the studio but because I didn't have a good photo of the set up, I was unable to do much. However, as I look at it now, it doesn't seem as lost as I had originally thought. 

Red Flower, Orange and Apple   Oil on panel (Ampersand)  9 x 12 

My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

Qiang Huang Workshop - Day One

Last August, when I saw that Patris, owner of Patris Studio and Gallery in Oak Park, Sacramento had managed to sign up Qaing Huang for a workshop in March of the next year, I signed up immediately.  I've followed Qiang's blog for several years and in that time I not only found a painter to admire and emulate, but a very extraordinary individual whose writings on his blog reveal a special soul...artistic and otherwise.  You can follow Qaing Huang (pronounced Chong Wong, by the way) here if you aren't doing so already.  You are in for a treat.
http://qiang-huang.blogspot.com/
And you can find more about Patris and her active and energetic studio and gallery here:
http://patrisstudiogallery.blogspot.com/

It was a wonderful three days full of art, laughter, learning and atching a fine artist at work.  Qiang demonstrated a complete still life painting everyday, and I never tired of watching and listening to him explain and teach.

Day One:
After introducing himself and his wife Song, Qiang spent the morning instructing us on his five step process for still life painting. With his engineering background (he is a doctor of optical physics!), he has naturally spent some time breaking down and studying the art process and he has developed an easy to remember and follow road map for still life, and I suspect, any other subject matter.  It's too involved to explain here....not to mention that it's HIS process....but during his demonstration on the first day, he literally showed us each and every step from accurate placement of objects to establishing values and final modeling and refinement.

I followed his demonstration in the afternoon with my own effort.  Patris had established enough 'stations' that we each could set up our own still life subject with only one other painting partner.  I found that the process Qiang taught and demonstrated was a very natural progression.   Some of it I had already been doing thanks to the outstanding online instruction I received from Dan Edmondson.  Taking that background from Dan and adding Qiang's own processes and insights felt comfortable.   I don't mean to say it was easy or that I had instant success....far from it!  But it all made sense and was easy to follow the concept.

This is my still life from day one....

Green Wine Bottle with Oranges  12" x 9" Oil on RayMar canvas panel 

At the end of the day, I felt tired and elated at the same time.   What a special day it was!  Thanks Qiang and Patris!

 More on the workshop will follow in the next day or so. 

(Painting is SOLD. )

My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art