Archives for Still Life

Their Walls are Alive

Their Walls are Alive

November 25, 2013 | by

To describe Bob and Curtice McCloy as avid art collectors would be a gross understatement. The couple shares a voracious appetite for art, one they have satisfied during more than three decades by amassing a collection of almost 300 paintings. That collection—or rather a portion of it—is featured in “Patrons Without Peer,” a 240-page, hardcover book that was published in 2009 by Collectors Covey with text written by Tom Davis. Included within its pages are reproductions of more than 260 paintings and sculptures by a myriad of artists. Bob Kuhn Fox in the Ferns Acrylic 13.25″ x 18″ William Acheff
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Let There Be Light – And Shadow

Let There Be Light – And Shadow

September 25, 2013 | by

The last time we featured Kyle Polzin in the pages of this magazine, it was in an article we titled “Young Guns.” That was five years ago, when he was 34. He’s still going strong, and his paintings continue to sell at an almost unheard of pace. Polzin has never had a show that hasn’t sold out. Kyle Polzin The Offering Oil 23˝ by 35˝ “I love the atmosphere of this painting. There is a slight haze to the air that gives the feeling that the pipe had just been smoked, and the incense of tobacco is in the air.”
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The Language of Painting

The Language of Painting

July 25, 2013 | by

Sherrie McGraw is in the midst of preparing for what she says will be the highlight of her career. The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio, will host a solo show for the talented artist September 14, 2014. The event will showcase 50 to 60 of McGraw’s paintings and drawings—including approximately 35 new pieces—and by April of this year, she already was hard at work creating new pieces for the show. Two days after our visit, McGraw was heading out to teach a workshop, then was to teach a portrait drawing class and judge the portrait competition for
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I’m Not Trying to Stay Safe

I’m Not Trying to Stay Safe

May 25, 2013 | by

Laura Robb admits that, as a teenager, she was such a misfit that she didn’t even fit in with the other misfits. Those days are long past, and today she creates still life paintings that are beautifully composed and masterfully painted. The colors, the light, the textures are skillfully combined to create paintings that are a sheer delight. And that is how Robb has planned it, spending hours to create a painting that looks effortless but that is an artistic jewel. Laura Robb (New Mexico) Sunflowers And Green Apples Oil 30″ By 16″ These stunning variegated sunflowers were from the
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Emotional Intensity

Emotional Intensity

September 26, 2012 | by

William Shepherd’s still life paintings are more than renditions of interesting objects placed in aesthetically pleasing compositions. They are tantalizing vignettes made even more compelling by the shadows Shepherd places so strategically in each setting. William Shepherd (New Mexico) Shadow Flight Oil 50″ By 48″ This painting was a marathon. I believe it was Picasso who said, ‘Paintings aren’t finished, they are abandoned.’ Shadow Fight gave real meaning to those words. The two greatest difficulties were finding the subtle shades of color and density in the shadows, and finding just the right colors on the surface of the tray to
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The Love Factor

The Love Factor

May 26, 2012 | by

“I do portraits of pottery.” So says Patricia Dobson in a simple statement describing her paintings, but those works are much more than mere portraits. The placement of objects in her still life paintings are works of art in themselves; her use of color and light take those arrangements to an extraordinary level, one that does not go unappreciated by art lovers. Patricia Dobson (Arizona) Oklahoma Territory Oil 18″ By 24″ With the Oklahoma Centennial in mind, this arrangement includes a Comanche drum, Cheyenne moccasins, and a check written in Guthrie, Oklahoma, in 1898, along with some wonderful old books
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Beautiful World, Beautiful Life

Beautiful World, Beautiful Life

March 26, 2012 | by

Cary Ennis’ still life paintings embody a simple, elegant beauty while radiating with color and light. They are lovingly arranged, beautifully painted, and enthusiastically collected. A comment made by a viewer of one of Ennis’ paintings sums it up nicely: “Oh, I wish I saw the world that way!” Cary Ennis (New Mexico) Lemon Orchids Oil 28″ By 32″ Spending time in Hawaii was enhanced by access to such wonderful flowers. Orchids have such character and variety, and they last a long time, which makes them perfect for still life painting. The exquisite form of these white and yellow Cataleyas
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Making Music

Making Music

November 27, 2011 | by

Nancy Guzik loves nothing more than the challenge of capturing—and conveying—the beauty she finds in a face or a flower, a teacup, or a tree. That she more than meets that challenge is apparent in the many awards her paintings have earned and the many prestigious collections throughout the world that include her work. Nancy Guzik (New Hampshire) Peony Tea Oil 11″ By 14″ In this fanciful composition and color harmony, I get the chance to play with making flowers look like delicate peonies, and teacups feel like real china-magical! Nancy Guzik (New Hampshire) Creativity Oil 16″ By 12″ In
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It’s Got to Come From the Soul

It’s Got to Come From the Soul

July 27, 2011 | by

It wasn’t a typical phone call for a guy who paints cowboy art. The caller was a representative for George Lucas-yes, that George Lucas, the producer of “Star Wars” fame—who was soliciting art samples for an upcoming book in which Lucas wanted his legendary characters depicted imaginatively in different genres. As Idaho artist Nelson Boren talked to the caller, he pondered the assignment with his usual wit. Nelson Boren (Idaho) Flowers Don’t Lie Watercolor 14″x14″ I’ve always loved the contrast between rough leather and soft flowers. Most cowboys I know are rough on the outside, but have soft hearts. Nelson
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Following the Flowers

Following the Flowers

May 27, 2011 | by

When it comes to deciding what to paint, oil painter Kathy Anderson follows the flowers. Keeping abreast of what flowers grow at certain times of the year, she shares their delicate beauty through her award-winning garden, still life, and landscape paintings. Kathy Anderson (Connecticut) Poppies And White Peonies Oil 20″ By 24″ Every year I paint several poppy paintings from life in May, when my huge poppy garden is blooming. My peonies growing with them are pink, but sometimes I decide to make them white for the effect I want. Kathy Anderson (Connecticut) The Lemon Tree Oil 12″ By 9″
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