Inspirations for Still Life.. are both natural and man made items that are depicted in a unique manner. Artistically it provides the freedom to experiment with the arrangement and composition the subject elements.
Inspired by… the interesting reflections created by the sunlight coming through the window, highlighting the studio paintbrushes on the windowsill We were in one of my favorite art galleries in Charleston when I took the photo of the paintbrushes. The intense sunlight bounced on the containers and the ferrule of the brushes. <back to still […]
Inspired by…the anticipation of the tasty, sweet summer peach harvest. South Carolina has wonderful peaches and there are several farms nearby allowing for weekly visits to the farmer’s market. The black and white rendering allows for a full value range highlighting the textures of the peaches, the indentions on the metal tray, and the dark […]
Inspired by… the contrast of the light vs.dark, smooth vs.etched hosta leaves which become more pronounced in late summer. The overlaying of the deeply veined leaves of the green monotone hostas created an interesting composition. The leaves were showing their age from the hot summer as they began their transition into the end of the summer […]
Inspired by… the effect of using direct lighting and a gray palette to create an oil painting of monotone shapes and shadows. For this painting I constructed a three dimensional white foam core model. I used directional lighting to create the deep shadows in and around the model. The black was created by mixing alizarine […]
Inspired by… the craftsmanship and texture of the African artifacts, the handmade Botswana basket and the seedpod belt. I inherited these artifacts from a family member that lived and worked in Zambia and South Africa for several years. I loved the details and the craftsmanship of the items. This drawing won the 2019 Callie Stringer […]
Inspired by… the metal and wood rusting away that became a new home for spring vines. I liked the contrast between the hard metal and the faded paint on the wood. Plant shadows provide repetition of form from an organic material upon a man-made element. The patina of the metal is varied from the bleached […]
Inspired by… the fall foliage attached to the metal siding rusted and pitted from years of exposure to natures elements. I was attracted to the weathered metal siding that had become pitted with rust. The cool blue-grey streaks of the aluminum siding provide a sharp contrast to the warm analogous colors of reds and oranges […]
Inspired by… a weathered tractor trailer, pitted by rust, covered with foliage that had now reached its last destination at the end of the road. I choose this cropped view of the back left corner of an abandoned tractor trailer container because of the intense value contrasts. Bright sunlight creates bold shadows from spring vines […]
Inspired by…the vibrant colors and textures of a hot pink zinnia petals, drawing your attention to the yellow center disk. I abstracted the view of the zinnia so you could see the variety of subtle colors in the petals not noticed from afar. Easy to grow, zinnias are a favorite in my summer garden. <back […]
Inspired by… a close up view of the yellow and orange zinnia, textural and abstracted. This is the first in a series of summer zinnias. Zinnias in bloom means it is summer. They are many colorful varieties, each with their own personality. They symbolize to me the less stressful time of the year, a season […]
Inspired by… the texture of the paper thin skins of the three onions in color. Although alike structurally the uniqueness of each is magnified in the colors and textures of the onions. The paper thin skins of the three varieties of onions are illuminated by the strong light coming from the left of the composition. […]
Inspired by… the anticipation of tasting the tomatoes on the vine when they ripen, just waiting for the perfect moment to be picketed. Nothing is more tasty in the summer than a sun-ripened tomato that is freshly picked from your garden. Daily checks of the ripening of the tomato only heightens the anticipation of the warm, […]
Inspired by… the layering of triangles, cups and other objects on the table. Bright colors, textures and shapes unify this abstracted table setting. In this painting I focused on the cast shadows and subtle color changes of the objects as the lighting affected areas differently. Viewing objects through glass changes the structure and reflections of […]
Inspired by… the luminosity and richness of the colors and the shadows made by the deep folds of the fabric draped on the wall. As an undergraduate textile major I am always interested in fabrics; their textures, colors and tactile feel between my fingers. When looking at historical paintings I am attracted to the fabrics […]
Inspired by… the circles, triangles, rectangles and other shapes found in Louis Kahn’s architectural design of the Bangladesh National Parliament. Louis Kahn designed many important buildings during his career. I constructed an abstract mimesis model using circles, triangles and other geometric shapes from his famous Bangladesh National Parliament building. <back to still life>