Year End Studio Sale

SOLD

It's the last two months of the year and I would like to thank all my supporters and collectors by offering a year-end Studio Sale. I am offering smaller paintings for sale and using ebay to allow you to bid on your favorite piece. Because of the economy - and out of gratitude - I am starting each auction at an extremely low price so I hope you'll click over to ebay and see what's happening.

This painting is titled "Tempest". It is 14" by 14" on 1.5" stretchers, a wonderful linen that I prepared using rabbit skin glue and an oil ground. I've painted the edge thinking that it could be framed in a float frame with just a hint of the color vibrating between canvas and frame. It's not framed (one reason for the low starting bid) and could live quite happily on your wall just as it is until framing is desired.


Thank you again for all of your supportive comments and feedback. I appreciate the time you have invested here.

Lily Pads at Hosmer Lake

Lily Pads at Hosmer Lake
oil, 15 x 30
Sue Favinger Smith @2010

Hosmer Lake is one of the most beautiful fly fishing and kayaking lakes in Oregon. Surrounded by marshes and snow capped volcanic mountains, it is a very spiritual place, one of renewal and contentment. Surrounded by birdsong, buzzing and flitting dragonflies, the bitterns, osprey and bald eagle - it's as close to the natural world as you can get.

Lost Horse Lake

I have been working on this painting, titled "Lost Horse Lake" for the past several days. As I have been studying the classical methods, I thought I would also post my sketch work that reveals some of the underlying grid and placement of major lines.

I've been working in the smaller 16 x 20 format lately. At first, it was a struggle to reduce the proportions from my favored 22 x 28 format. Even though both sizes have the same ratio aspect, I did have to go back to the underlying patterns to get the correct "fit."

For example, with a 16 x 20, the golden ratio indicates grid lines at about 7.5/12.5 and 9.5/6.5 to divide the space harmoniously. I placed my grid lines in the above sketch at these divisions, with a dominate arrangement counterbalanced by a secondary arrangement.

I also paid more attention to the contrasts of hue/intensity/value in the color work. I am finally gaining some understanding about "edge work" - which not only refers to the quality of edges on the major shapes (ie: hard, soft, lost, etc) but also the edges of the painting, and how to gradate the color intensity to move the eye in and around the composition.

I did use an inspiration photo:

This is a man made lake just west of where I live. Because it doesn't have a natural inflow and outlet, the water is extremely calm and allows for perfect reflections. I utilized information but created a painting that is original and different. I remember an artist who was giving a lecture once said that his paintings did not reflect his photographs, but could not be created without them. I could say the same about this painting.

Mesa Series #2; Greeting the Sun

This is the second painting in the Mesa Series. dimensions are 40 inches high by 30 inches wide, and my process involves working with oil washes on a textured ground, with the layers gradually building with thicker paint. This painting is also in the submission process and won't be available until the middle of May.