Experimenting With Hydrangeas

No, I'm not a mad scientist.  I actually experimented with a painting of hydrangeas.  About four years ago I painted a large still life of hydrangeas in a cobalt vase.  It was okay at the time, but I've learned quite a bit since then and realized the painting had some things that were not quite right.

Original Hydrangeas  

The problem with this original version is that I really liked the top half (the flowers), but was less than thrilled with the bottom.  The white cloth was just not right and the background didn't come down far enough, which made the top plane of the table seem a little off.

However, when I painted this I thought it was fine and I varnished it as soon as it dried.  This is where the experimenting came in.  I had always been under the impression that once something is varnished, there was nothing more you could do with it.  Luckily for me, I use Gamblin Gamvar varnish and it can be removed without damaging the painting.  

I checked the Gamblin website and found out that you could remove the varnish using odorless mineral spirits. They recommend their Gamsol brand, but all I had around was Turpenoid so I crossed my fingers and proceeded to rub down the painting.

 After the Turpenoid rub down

I was quite happy to discover that while the varnish came off, the paint did not.  I then repainted the background, the top plane and the vase.  I tried a few different ways to make the white cloth work, but it just wasn't happening.  Finally I decided to eliminate it all together.

When the cloth had been covered over, I repainted the vase to get all the white reflections out of it and tweaked the leaves underneath the flowers a little bit.

Final Result

This is the finished painting.  Please excuse the iPhone photo.  The light had just about gone when I finished up, but I will have a proper photo taken and posted soon.  I'm very happy with how this whole project turned out.  I have updated and repainted old paintings before, but never something that had been varnished.  I will be doing another next week.  It's very exciting to be able to fix up paintings as you learn new skills.  Next up, an early figure painting that could use a little tweaking.

Xo,
Frances

*Just a note,  I am not compensated in any way by the products I mentioned.  I'm just a satisfied customer.

If You Try Sometimes, You Just Might Find, You Get What You Need

Yes, Mick and Keith had it right.  After months of looking for studio space and a few disappointments, I found a great place and now have my own workspace!  I can't tell you how happy I am with this development.  Not having my own space to paint was really becoming a problem and I'm so grateful to have found a nice place that faces north.

The space did, however, need a little love.  Luckily for me, Mr. NYCPainter is very handy and fixed the place up nicely.  

These were the walls before the patch and paint job.

My north facing window! (Yes, artists get very excited about things like that).

There was a huge crack in the wall that had to be repaired as well as a bunch of holes from the previous artist displaying his work.

The walls were then painted Benjamin Moore Ivory White.  This is not my ideal color for the walls.  That would be Benjamin Moore Country Life, a dark grayish green.  This is the color my teacher uses in his studio but as I am sharing I had to stick to a lighter palette.  The ivory white is working well so far.  Because it is not a stark white, there is not too much light bouncing around.

It is hard to see in these photos (it was pouring rain both days we were getting the walls in shape) but here they are fixed up and painted.

Next, drying racks were hung as well as a shelf for still life arrangements.  We also brought over all my equipment.  So nice to get my big easel out of my bedroom!

After we finished setting up, I finished up a painting that had been sitting around for a few weeks and needed some tweaking.

Sorry about the iphone photo.  I intended to go back and photograph the finished studio and the painting with my good camera but there is a furnace problem in the building, and with our perpetual thirty degree weather, it's a little La Boheme in there right now.  I'll be back there Wednesday to take  photos of the finished studio and the painting.

My new walls and window

I also brought over some glass vases and props for still life setups and picked up some new fabrics to use for backgrounds.  Now I'm on the hunt for some colorful and interesting pottery.  It is so much fun to be able to use my own props and make my own arrangements.

I hope you enjoyed this look at how my studio came together.  I will show it to you all finished as soon as the heat is back on!

Xo,
Frances

More Paintings

Hi Everyone,

I'm still a bit under the weather, but am starting to feel better.  As I mentioned in my last post, I did manage to get all of my paintings photographed.  Here are some new ones - a few portraits and a landscape.  I originally had a few landscapes to show, but I decided that my big 18x24 needed some more work after seeing the photograph.  Isn't is funny how that happens?  It's like when you go out  thinking you looked fabulous and then see a photo of yourself and think how did I ever leave the house wearing that??  Same thing with paintings.

So without any further ado, here they are...

Portrait of Rochelle

Last spring I was very lucky to have the beautiful Rochelle pose for me.  I'm hoping to have her back some time soon.

Portrait of Donna

Lady in Red

Faith

Here she is in real life, the gorgeous Faith.  Beautiful and a great model.

Lemons and Grapes, oil, 11x14

This is one of my smaller still life paintings.  The next is a bit bigger at 14x18.  Not a size I usually do, but I had a frame so I got a canvas to match.

The Green  Bottle, oil, 14x18

That's it for today.  I don't want to get too photo heavy.  I'll be back tomorrow with a big announcement.  Stay tuned!

Xo,
Frances

I'm Back!

Hi Everyone,

I'm back.  I did not mean to take such a long blogging hiatus.  Unfortunately, I've been under the weather, but I am going to try to post as often as possible.  I just looked over my last post and I'm pleased to say that I did accomplish my goal of getting my paintings photographed.  I'll show them all over the next few posts.  I'll start with the florals, as you know they are my favorite subject.

Peonies, oil, 18 x 24

Yellow Roses In A Glass Vase, oil, 12 x 16

The White Jug, oil, 12 x 16

Flowers With Apples And Lemons, oil, 11 x 14

I hope you enjoyed seeing these.  I'll be back with portraits, still life and landscapes.

xo,

Frances

Happy 2013

Abingdon Square Market, 11x14. oil

The Blue Vase, 16x20, oil

Hi Everyone.  I hope all of you are having a great start to the new year.  I'm not making any resolutions as they rarely last, but I'm going to follow Bryn's lead and set some intentions for myself.  Number one is to finish photographing and posting my paintings.  I've made a good start so far and was gifted with a Canon Rebel for Christmas (a great surprise) so I'm hoping to have this project completed soon.

The Brass Pot, 16x20, oil

Intention number two is to get back to The Artist's Way.  Unfortunately, some circumstances cropped up that made it impossible to do the course when I originally planned to, so I'm going to get started on it again for the new year.  Already did my artist date for this week and will tell you about it in a separate post.

And number three is the big one.  Get my own studio space.  Not easy in New York City as the rents are incredibly high, but I will find one.  

What are you guys planning on for the new year?  Leave me a comment.  I'd love to hear what you're all doing.

xo,

Frances

Holiday Windows: Fifth Avenue and 57th Street

I'm back with the last of the holiday windows.  Yes, your intrepid photographer braved the cold and the crowds to capture the holiday windows on Fifth Avenue and 57th Street.  While all the stores were decorated, I have to say I was a little disappointed this year.  There was a lot of tasteful greenery, but the great over the top decorations of the past were not there this year.

Luckily, Bergdorf's never disappoints so I was able to get some fun holiday photos.  Enjoy!

Paintings

 Hi Everyone.  I hope all of you had a great holiday.  After a long and fruitless search for a fine art photographer, I've been working on photographing and editing my own paintings.  Here is some of what I've been working on.

The Copper Pot 12x16 oil

Blue and White Bowl With Oranges 16x20 oil

Yellow and White Roses  9x12 oil

The Blue Vase 16x20 oil

Blue and White Vase With Oranges 16x20 oil (sold)

Hope you enjoyed seeing these.  I'll be back tomorrow with the last holiday windows post for the year.

xo,
Frances

Merry Christmas

Hello everybody.  I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy and safe holiday season.  Hope you get everything on your holiday wish lists!

Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center

If you are able, there are many people still needing help after Hurricane Sandy.  Here is a link to send needed items to residents still dealing with the storm aftermath.  Every little bit helps.  Thank you.

xo,

Frances

Christmas Decorating

Hi Everyone,

I want to wish every one a very happy holiday season.  Have you decorated for Christmas?  I haven't in a very long time, but this year I was done in by what else, Pinterest.  I started collecting images and before you know it the decorating bug got to me.  I bought a new Martha Stewart Chritmas Tree and had lots of fun decorating it.

My other half made this pink ribbon garland for me years ago after I saw it on Martha's Sunday morning show. (Remember that show?  So much better than the last one with the annoying celebrities who knew nothing about art or decorating).  Anyway I ended up saving a picture from Lonny on my Pinterest Holiday Board and they had the same pink ribbon!  Mine was made years ago, so I'm glad it did not go out of style.

I'm not the only one who likes having a Christmas tree again.

As you can see above, the kitty "helped" us set up the tree.  She loves sitting under it and I know she will miss it when we take it all down.  She absolutely wore herself out helping us and had to spend the rest of the day asleep on her heating pad.

Yes, she has her own heating pad set up on the couch.  What can I say?  Choupette is not the only spoiled kitty out there!

I'm still working on the rest of the decorating (why not wait until the last minute, right?), but I'm so happy with the tree.  Have you decorated for the holidays?  Put a pic in the comments.  I would love to see them!

xo,
Frances

Holiday Photos: Flatiron

The median on 5th Avenue and 23rd Street

Hi everybody.  I'm back with more night time holiday photos of New York City.  The decorations around the city are really beautiful and I love taking pictures at night, something I have never done before.  Hope you like them!

This display is in back of the one above on the 5th Avenue median in Flatiron.  I have no idea why the sign is upside down, but this is New York so anything goes!

These photos are the Marimekko store windows decorated for the holidays.  I'm obsessed with Marimekko, but window shopping will have to do for now.

I'm not sure what this is suppose to be, but this fun display in Madison Square Park changes colors all night long.

The Empire State Building all lit up.

I was standing in nearly the same spot when I painted this:

The Christmas tree in Madison Square Park.  Love the blue lights.

I hope you enjoyed seeing these night time holiday pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them.

xo,
Frances