First Sitting Red Grapes and Vine

I had a really nice time at my brother’s house in Vermont. I was fortunate enough to sell three of my paintings over Thanksgiving to his beautiful wife. I was planning to use one of the paintings as this year’s entries for Salon International 2011 at The Green House Gallery. I had the first entry done already now I will need to have a new painting for my second entry.

8 x 10 in oil on panel

This is the beginning of the painting it was started by drawing in the background in sepia colored pencil. This is the first sitting where I roughed in the background and other elements. Unfortunately the image is not that good of quality. I’ll have to work on the documentation of the process.

Background colors: Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, and Burnt Umber mixing equal parts.

Grapes: Cad. Medium Red and Vermillion Alizarin. I added the grays(Cad Orange and Ultramarine and white) over the top to start and get the blush

Leaves: Titanium Yellow, Yellow Ocher and Sap Green

I like the brightness of the leaves in the setup and hope that will be the focus and subject of the painting. I am also going to focus on as much detail in the veins of the leaves and the way that the light hits the edges.

As a painter of still lifes, I work in oils on both canvas and panels, using color and position to convey Modernist composition with a classical painting technique. Each of my paintings features extreme attention to detail, especially the effect of light as it hits objects. I recognize the value of craft in my painting and continually work on my technique and style.

I am an active member of Washington, D.C.’s artistic community.