Friday, 31 January 2014

HEARTFELT on Strathmore Windpower - HEARTS AND ROSES

HEARTFELT

ORIGINAL PAINTING BY SEA DEAN
6" x 8" or 8" x 6" on Strathmore Windpower

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 


This was one of my favourite abstracts from last year. A lovely gift for someone you love. Only 14 days to Valentine's. This is a rare painting which can be displayed either horizontal or vertical. The choice is yours.

What are you planning for your significant other? I used to love the huge bouquets of fragrant lilies that Alberts ordered and had delivered wherever I was. The scent filled the house for days. For some reason, I was always surprised.

I wonder if I have a secret admirer lurking out there somewhere this year. I could count on one hand the number of men I've had a conversation with this year, so it seems unlikely. As you get older your social group gets smaller and men are not a big part of the art scene in my area. Nevertheless, for the next 14 days romance will be in my thoughts.


All these Hearts and Roses themed paintings are available in my gallery here

WINNER OF THE WINDPOWER PAINTING JANUARY GIVEAWAY WILL BE ANNOUNCED TOMORROW


Cat # 13130 Heartfelt

Thursday, 30 January 2014

FAMILY OF LOVE, SUMMER HEARTS, ACEO or ATC - LAST DAY TO ENTER GIVEAWAY

 
SUMMER HEARTS, family of love
2.5" x 3.5" ACEO or ATC
ORIGINAL BY SEA DEAN

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

With the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge over, my thoughts turn to romance. It is the season of love and this ACEO is my vision of a family growing with love. Perfect for Valentines.

The painting was difficult to photograph because of the irridescent paint on the grass, sun's rays and hearts. The shiny parts and the orangy brown pieces are all copper gold, which shines according to the amount of light.

I love this happy little miniature and I hope you do too.

FINAL DAY FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAYS
TO ENTER THE TWO GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc. does not enter you for the draw, you must come back to confirm what you did in the Give-away box to earn the points. The more points you accumulate until January 31st the more chances of winning. You can enter many times each day. 

Cat # 13205 Summer Hearts, a family of love

Wednesday, 29 January 2014

SNOWY PASS - The 30th painting, Yay! - Last but one day for Giveaway

SNOWY PASS
ORIGINAL PAINTING BY SEA DEAN
6" x 8" Canvas Panel
To view my Gallery, purchase this painting or any of my 30 paintings for the challenge, please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

This is the last submission for 30 Paintings in 30 Days. Yay! It also qualifies for this week's Daily Paintworks snow challenge. Plus I added my own challenge, to paint in a limited palette.

I used Ultramarine, Raw Sienna, Alizarin Crimson and Titanium White. It's surprising how much you can do with just 3 colours and white. I worked on the clouds in a new way, trying to create an interesting look. I made the foreground colours darker and less greyed to create distance. I paid attention to the late afternoon sun creating longer, more purple shadows. I allowed the orange sunlight to kiss the tops of the trees on the facing slope and put the road cut and the facing trees in deep shadow.

I rather enjoyed creating this painting which took several hours of total absorbtion.



TO ENTER THE TWO GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc. does not enter you for the draw, you must come back to confirm what you did in the Give-away box to earn the points. The more points you accumulate until January 31st the more chances of winning. You can enter many times each day. 

Cat # 14024 Snowy Pass

Tuesday, 28 January 2014

SHEEP IN PASTURE ACEO or ATC - Last Days iPad and Painting Give-Away - Day 29 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days


SHEEP IN PASTURE
ORIGINAL ACEO PAINTING BY SEA DEAN
2.5" x 3.5" ACEO OR ATC
To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

This is a premium ACEO, painted on extra thick card with the very best professional acrylics and mediums. It is coated with UV protection and comes shipped to you in a crystal archival bag. To complete the collectable package I include a certificate of authenticity. 

To demonstrate the size of this amazing miniature, here is an uncropped photo showing my fingernail at the bottom. My fine art ACEO may be small, but they take many hours to paint because often I am painting with a brush with one or two bristles. I know I shouldn't spend so much time on something I charge so little for, but I can't help myself.

The inspiration was a photo supplied by fellow artist Evhe for her bi-monthly challenge. I think it's in France, but could be many places in the world.

LAST FEW DAYS TO ENTER

TO ENTER THE TWO GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc. does not enter you for the draw, you must come back to confirm what you did in the Give-away box to earn the points. The more points you accumulate until January 31st the more chances of winning. You can enter many times each day. 


Cat # 14022 Sheep in Pasture ACEO 

Monday, 27 January 2014

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY, JACKSON POLLOCK - JACKSON BOUQUET - iPad and Painting Give-away - Day 28 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days


STILL WET IN EVENING LIGHT

JACKSON BOUQUET

4" x 4" MINI MASTER BY SEA DEAN
on Canvas Panel
INSPIRED BY JACKSON POLLOCK ON HIS BIRTHDAY

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

TO ENTER THE TWO GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc. does not enter you for the draw, you must come back to confirm what you did in the Give-away box to earn the points. The more points you accumulate until January 31st the more chances of winning. You can enter many times each day.  

I thoroughly enjoyed the process of creating this painting. The joy of studying a famous Artist and creating a work in their style is that you seem to be communicating with them in some way. It is a far deeper process than reading about their technique or studying their life. 

Although his poured paintings appear to demonstrate sheer abandon, once you start working the technique it is clear that a lot of thought goes into the process. There has been some talk that he was subconciously working with fractals, but his main desire was to evenly cover the canvas and leave no possibility of conversion to form. 

When I am in my painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It is only after a sort of 'get acquainted' period that I see what I have been about. I have no fear of making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well. 
Jackson Pollock, My Painting, 1956

When you study a Pollock painting, you mainly get a sense of energy, which was created by him circling a large canvas, using his whole body almost like dancing. He became totally absorbed, pouring and throwing paint with brushes and turkey basters and moving it around with broomsticks until he was satisfied. I am at my desk with a tiny canvas, toothpicks and pen points, so the end result is different, but I tried to keep focus and work with a rhythm. Jackson wanted to create pure pattern without form, but my painting started to look like flowers and I went with the flow.



JACKSON POLLOCK
Born PAUL Jackson Pollock in Cody, Wyoming, USA, 28th January 1912. He was a leading artist of his generation, an influential painter and a major figure in the Abstract Expressionist movement.

Jackson was reclusive and struggled with alcoholism most of his life. He was notorious for his mood swings and drinking bouts as shown in Academy Award winning film Pollock, starring and directed by Ed Harris. In 1945, he married Lee Krasner, also an artist, who was a major influence on his career. 

Pollock numbered his paintings, not wanting to give hints of interpretation, but names were added later, sometimes by him and sometimes by those marketing his work. His work hangs in major museums around the world including his most famous work Blue Poles Number 11, 1952, purchased in 1973 for $1.3 Million. Estimates of the current value vary between $20 and $100 Million. A few years ago I visited Canberra, Australia, to view the painting and it certainly has the presence of sheer size, but more substance is added with incredible depth of paint. Luckily my homage painting is only a Mini Master because otherwise the supplies  would have cost a fortune.


On August 11, 1956, at the age of 44, Jackson Pollock died in a single-car accident near his home. It was an alcohol-related accident and he was driving. Several months later, in December 1956, his place in the history of art was established in a retrospective memorial exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.


Cat # 14023 Jackson Bouquet
The Pollock Krasner Foundation

Sunday, 26 January 2014

LAST LIGHT - Day 27 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days - LAST DAYS TO WIN AN iPAD OR PAINTING BY SEA DEAN



PROGRESS PHOTO
LAST LIGHT
ORIGINAL PAINTING BY SEA DEAN
6" x 6" Gallery Wrap Canvas
Miniature Masterpiece Series

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

LAST LIGHT
This is not an abstract, it was inspired by a photo of one of those silent evenings without a breath of air, when the sun slips quietly below the horizon. As you can see from the detail photo, the painting is far more beautiful when you stand in front of it. It is near impossible to capture the glow in an image.

LAST LIGHT DETAIL
This is one of those paintings that give the appearance of being easy, but that is mistaking simplicity for speed. I've heard visitors say "my 3 year old can paint like that": Perhaps! But if true they are on their way to millionaire status. I wish it was that easy, but it takes a great deal of education to select colours, place them correctly and create interest while retaining simplicity. 

I got to the progress photo stage late last night after a couple of hours of careful painting. I liked it, but it didn't have the so important surprise factor. The green cast sneaking into the clouds looked like pollution and in fact when I looked at the inspiration photo, it was! Hmmm. Who wants pollution in their sitting room?

Back to the easel first thing and after careful consideration of the colour wheel and colour swatches, in popped some magenta. What a difference. Then for the all important foreground, again I liked it but it wasn't making my heart sing. Two hours later I found the right shade of turquoise to give the impression of the evening shine on the sand or lapping waves. Lastly that stroke of pyrole red at the end of the reflection trail to bring the eye to rest on the surprise. A few light kisses of gold near the sun and it was done. Phew!

I will probably continue with this series, which I'm finding most engrossing.

MORE 30 in 30 PAINTINGS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
AT DAILY PAINTWORKS
LAST DAYS - TO ENTER THE TWO GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc. does not enter you for the draw, you must come back to confirm what you did in the Give-away box to earn the points. The more points you accumulate until January 31st the more chances of winning. You can enter many times each day. 







 








Cat # 14020 Last Light

Saturday, 25 January 2014

THE BIRTHPLACE OF CIVILIZATION - SYRIAN REFUGEE FUND RAISER - iPad and Painting Give-Away - DAY 26 of 30 PAINTINGS IN 30 DAYS


THE BIRTHPLACE OF CIVILIZATION
ORIGINAL PAINTING BY SEA DEAN
6" x 6" Mini Masterpiece

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

This painting came to me in a vision. I chose the name because of it's connection to the middle east, the birthplace of civilization.

SYRIA
After recently researching the Syrian crisis, I found myself wanting to do something to help. The news is dire. Lebanon has opened their arms to over one million refugees, most of them women and children, with only the clothes on their backs. Lebanon's generosity has stretched their resources well beyond reason for such a small country (population about 4 million). It is freezing cold in the camps and EVERYTHING is in short supply. Refugees are dying in large numbers. My thoughts drift to what I would do if this was my family, my little great niece, my niece and nephew, my sister and mother.


So, what can I do and what can you do if you feel like me? Here is a little something we can do together. It occurs to me that people from all over the world visit my blog: They benefit from my insights and enjoy my paintings and move on. Surely this little pleasure must have some value to them. So, if you believe in paying forward, here is an opportunity give in return. Below is a button for donations, all you have to do is click and donate through Paypal and add the words RED CROSS in the message line. Easy peasy. I will donate the accumulated sum monthly. It doesn't have to be much, a dollar or two, or $10,000. It will all go to a good cause. If you can't afford $1 then please share this to FB, Twitter, Pinterest, G+ etc.

After today you will find the donate button at the end of each blog.




And while you're here, enter the FREE DRAWS below as a thank you. 

As an artist, there always seems to be someone asking me to donate work to a charity auction, but there is never an offer to pay my expenses. This seems ludicrous when I worry about spending $25 on a tube of paint. I like to do what I can, so occasionally I auction a piece through Daily Paintworks and send the donation to the Red Cross. There is no Syria auction currently running at DPW but I would still like to support the Red Cross campaign in whatever way I can.

THE BIRTHPLACE OF CIVILIZATION painting above, is currently on auction at Daily Paintworks with a start price of $95 including shipping. Profits go to the Red Cross campaign for Syrian refugees. My regular retail price is $125 before tax and shipping, so you will either get a bargain or feel free to bid higher. Click here to bid.


TO ENTER THE TWO GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc. doesn't register you automatically, you must confirm your action in the Give-away box to earn points. The more points you accumulate until January 31st the more chances of winning. You can earn many points each day. 


Cat # 14019 The Birth of Civilization 

Friday, 24 January 2014

HEADING HOME - iPad and Painting Give-away - Day 25 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days


HEADING HOME
ORIGINAL PAINTING BY SEA DEAN
10" x 8"Gallery Wrap Canvas with painted sides

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

TO ENTER THE GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF MY BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc. does not enter you for the draw, you must come back to confirm what you did in the Give-away box to earn the points. The more points you accumulate until January 31st the more chances of winning. You can enter many times each day. 

Some paintings go through a few adjustments until you are 100% happy and this is one of them. I really love the magenta, orchid tones of this sunset and the golden highlights. I love the ocean and have a real connection with the story of hard working fishermen heading home for much deserved rest. But there was something not quite right... 

I've studied the painting many times and tried to think it through, but it wasn't until today that I had the answer. As the subject, the boat needed to stand out and in life it would be silhouetted against bright water. A quick look at Google images confirmed that the shimmer needed to circle the the boat. Aha! 

I added about half an hour of careful brushwork and now I think it's just perfect. I'm learning so much from making these small adjustments. I find it very exciting to see what a difference they make.



Cat # 12026 Heading Home

Thursday, 23 January 2014

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY, WILLIAM MORRIS - SNAKESHEAD - iPad and Painting Give-Away - Day 24 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days


William Morris aged 53
SNAKESHEAD
BY SEA DEAN after William Morris
4" x 4" MINI MASTER SERIES
Famous Artists Birthdays 

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Limited prints may be available by contacting me. As always, my small paintings are examples of my work which can be commissioned larger. I would be pleased and honoured to recreate any of Mr Morris's work for you in any size.


WILLIAM MORRIS
24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896
English Pre-Raphaelite Writer and Designer

William Morris was an outstanding Victorian designer, that created bold and brightly coloured designs with ornate patterns. He lived in an era of lavishly decorated and overdressed homes. Interiors were lit by candle, oil and gas lamp after dark, so bold design was important to show up in the gloom.

He died before the Impressionist movement took hold, so Morris was influenced by Victorian industrialization. He specialized in decorative textile and wallpaper designs which were based on repetition. His work was widely popular in his time, partly because he was one of the first artists to go into mass production. His designs are still in major production and loved by interior designers worldwide.


Cat # 14018 Snakeshead after William Morris

Wednesday, 22 January 2014

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY, EDOUARD MANET - MANET's ROSE - Give-Away - Day 23 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Manet's Rose by Sea Dean in natural light

Manet's Rose one step piror to completion
MANET'S ROSE BY SEA DEAN
after  "Flowers in a Crystal Vase" circa 1883 by Edouard Manet
4" x 4" MINI MASTER SERIES
Famous Artists Birthdays 

I love how this painting turned out. As you can see I did a few last minute tweaks and it made such a difference. What I learned from Manet was giving the impression of a study while concentrating on precise brushwork. Look at the difference a light touch of mixing white made to the outer petals.

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Limited prints may be available by contacting me. As always, my small paintings are examples of my work which can be commissioned larger. I would be pleased and honoured to recreate any of Mr Manet's work for you in a larger size.

TO ENTER THE GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF MY BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc. does not enter you for the draw, you must come back to confirm what you did in the Give-away box to earn the points. The more points you accumulate until January 31st the more chances of winning. You can enter many times each day.  

EDOUARD MANET

23 January 1832 Born in Paris.

Edouard was from a wealthy family who could afford to send him to the best schools. He was a student of Thomas Couture in Paris and worked in Spain. He traveled widely and studied Masterpieces in The Louvre, France, Spain, Italy, Holland and Germany. Some of his early influences were Velasquez, Murillo, Zurbaran, and Goya. He was a highly influential figure amongst the early impressionists and the main instigator of the group at the Cafe Guerbois which included all the impressionists and many other artists of the era.

On a recent trip to Paris I renewed my love affair with Edouard Manet. I can remember being awestruck at his work while studying Art History in England, but I drifted towards the vibrant colour of Expressionism. Having seen Manet's work up close I was reminded of the power of value. Value in artistic terms means the intensity of colour on a scale of 1 - 10 and using the power of light and dark colours in composition. It has nothing to do with colour and everything to do with how the eye perceives.

An early painting, "The Absinthe Drinker" was refused by the Salon in 1859. The Luncheon on the Grass (Le déjeuner sur l'herbe) was also rejected, but exhibited at the Salon des Refusés in 1863. One of his most famous paintings was "Olympia" which I won't try to cram onto one of my Mini Master canvases. It is almost life size and completely stunning in person. One has to remember that the sheer size is impressive and influences the angle from which it is viewed and the presence it has in the room. As you can imagine, the two paintings created a sensation in1863 and 1865 Paris. Here Manet has used value to lead the eye from her face, down the channel of darks and along the languid body, up past the delicate bouquet of flowers and you stop abruptly at the shockingly dark face of the servant. Although he painted in a fluid style, Manet was could add a substantial amount of detail in the paintings because of their size.

Manet was a staff officer of the national guard during the Franco Prussian war, an event which disrupted the lives of many of the early impressionists. After the war he spent some time at Argenteuille, where Monet encouraged him to paint Plein Air. These two events caused a radical shift in his work, as can be seen in "Boating" ; it becomes lighter, softer and less harsh. Even his interiors move away from the stark blacks of his youth.

30 April 1883 Died in Paris, far too young, aged 51 after contracting Syphilis, the AIDS of his day. As with many, the disease was left untreated and lead to pain and amputation. He painted until near the end and this was one of his last works.


Cat # 14015 Manet's Rose

Tuesday, 21 January 2014

SALMON, WILD AND FREE - ENTER GIVE-AWAY HERE - Day 22 - 30 paintings in 30 Days


SALMON, WILD AND FREE
ORIGINAL PAINTING BY SEA DEAN
6" x 8" Canvas Panel

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

TO ENTER THE TWO GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc. does not enter you for the draw, you must come back to confirm what you did in the Give-away box to earn the points. The more points you accumulate until January 31st the more chances of winning. You can enter many times each day. 

There is an exhibition at our local gallery with photographs of a salmon run and it is paired with an exhibition of drawings of water. One drawing in particular is perfectly lit and the overall impression is fresh, sparkling, golden light. In the spring, that is not an unusual sight here, because we are surrounded by lakes. 

After seeing the exhibition, I decided to work on a painting awaiting a tweak or two. "Salmon Run" is a study working on pushing colour, and it never seemed to resonate. I worked on it for a couple of hours, stood back and it still didn't have the magical effect I wanted to convey. 

The thought came to me that I should start again from scratch. Just north of us is a famous Salmon run and I have many beautiful reference photos of golden spring light on water. It was past midnight, but I wasn't tired, so I grabbed a fresh canvas panel and created this painting. Now back to that tweak of the other painting.


Cat # 14018 Salmon, Wild and Free

Monday, 20 January 2014

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY, JEFF KOONS - PINK DOG - iPad and Painting Giveaway - Day 21 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

PINK DOG
Homage to Jeff Koons
PAINTING BY SEA DEAN
4" x 4" Mini Master Series
Famous Artists Birthdays

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

TO ENTER THE TWO GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc. does not enter you for the draw, you must come back to confirm what you did in the Give-away box to earn the points. The more points you accumulate until January 31st the more chances of winning. You can enter many times each day.  
 
JEFF KOONS

Born on January 21, 1955, in York, Pennsylvania, Jeff Koons studied at the Maryland Institute College of Art (BFA 1976), in Baltimore and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

I'm a bit at a loss what to say about this amazing artist. He is one of the highest grossing artists of our day. His work is eye popping and outrageous, but at the same time strangely intellectual. It appeals to my analytical and scientific nature. I also love that it is super clean, almost clinical. I certainly wouldn't mind one of his works on my front lawn.

On November 12, 2013, Koons’s Balloon Dog (Orange) sold at Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York for $58.4 million, above its high $55 million estimate, becoming the most expensive work by a living artist sold at auction.[1]  From Wikepedia


Cat # 14016 Pink Dog

Sunday, 19 January 2014

DESIGNER NEST - iPad and Painting Give-away - DAY 20 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days -


DESIGNER NEST
ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIA BY SEA DEAN
5" x 7" Canvas Panel

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

TO ENTER THE TWO GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc. does not enter you for the draw, you must come back to confirm what you did in the Give-away box to earn the points. The more points you accumulate until January 31st the more chances of winning. You can enter many times each day. 

The inspiration photo for this nest included some turquoise fluff which the enterprising bird had decided to decorate with. Perhaps he or she thought it would attract the sunlight and keep the eggs warm. I have painted this fluff over and over again in different shades and values, but it always looked odd.

A couple of days ago, when I was volunteer greeter at the local public gallery and trying to get some paintings cataloged and completed, a visitor commented that she loved it because it looked like sunshine. I saw what she was talking about, but it was that illusive fluff that had originally attracted me and it was that part which I wanted to get right. Then it came to me to use real natural wool and create a mixed media piece. Today I saw these beautiful feathers and the transformation was complete.





Cat # 13230 Designer Nest
Acrylic, Natural gathered wool, Treated natural feathers

Saturday, 18 January 2014

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY, PAUL CEZANNE - PURPLE MOUNTAIN - iPad and Painting Give-Away - Day 19 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days


PURPLE MOUNTAIN by Sea Dean
after Mont Saint Victoire by Paul Cezanne c1889

4" x 4" Canvas Panel
MINI MASTER SERIES - Famous Artists Birthdays

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

TO ENTER THE TWO GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc. does not enter you for the draw, you must come back to confirm what you did in the Give-away box to earn the points. The more points you accumulate until January 31st the more chances of winning. You can enter many times each day.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this series of homages to Famous Artists on their birthday. I wouldn't choose to study many of these paintings without my commitment to the sereis and it has been a real revelation. Most of my students with my "Paint a Masterpiece" class choose Monet and it's nice to try something else for a change. I'm learning a lot.

Paul Cezanne had quite an unusual palette which was heavily influenced by the light in the south of France, where he worked. I titled my miniature copy of his work "Purple Mountain", but perhaps it should have been "Peach Mountain" because he had quite an affinity for peachy, fleshy, orangy pigments.

What I discovered in creating this painting is that Cezanne was a master of mixing greens, ochres and peaches to create the dappling effect of sunlight on a landscape. I also found that he had a way of laying down paint with a staccato effect, placing warm and cool versions of the same colour adjacent to each other. This makes the eye dance back and forth and enhances the impression of moving light. He also varied his brush strokes with each area of the painting; the sky is swirly, the mountains and trees are blotchy, the village is cubic, possibly done with a palette knife and the grass in the foreground was painted with a small brush. Quite fascinating.

PAUL CEZANNE 1861
PAUL CEZANNE

19 January 1839 Born Aix-en-Provence, France

In 1861 Paul Cezanne studied in Paris in at the Academie Suisse with Camile Pissarro and Armand Guillaumin. He exhibited at the Salon des Refusees in 1863 and also the 1874 and 1877 Impressionist Exhibitions. After the death of his father in 1886, he settled in Aix. 

Cezanne painted in Pontoise and Auvers with his Academie friend, Pissarro who helped him choose landscape and nature as his genre. He was slo friends with Emile Zola, the famous French author.

He was an Impressionist in style, but he experimented with the stronger style of cubism. The above painting is a fine example of this crossover style.

22 October 1906 Died in Aix-en-Provence, France


Cat # 14014 Purple Mountain

Friday, 17 January 2014

THE GREEN COUNTRY ACEO or ATC - iPad and Painting Give-Away - Day 18 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days


THE GREEN COUNTRY
ORIGINAL PAINTING BY SEA DEAN
2.5" x 3.5" ACEO OR ATC

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

TO ENTER THE TWO GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different automatic selections. Once you have left a comment on this blog, tweeted, Like-d on Facebook etc. you must return to confirm your action in the Give-away box to earn points. The more points you accumulate the more opportunity to win. You can earn over 30 points each day and enter every day until 31 January.

This is another tweak. The painting retains its title and catalog number because the changes are minor. I warmed the foreground, added more violet to the upper sky and some brilliant blue to the central trees. The painting includes an original 2013 signature in the bottom left, which is difficult to see in the photo because it is made with bronze paint.

Over the last few days I've caught up with all my varnishing, cataloging, filing and packaging of paintings. At one point I had every surface in my tiny studio covered with miniature paintings looking beautiful in their shiny new coats. Now I feel I can attack some larger paintings which were put on the side during the holiday rush. I can't wait to finish them and make space for new ideas.





Cat # 13155 The Green Country
Blog # 365 Yay!

Thursday, 16 January 2014

FOREST, EARLY SPRING MORING ACEO or ATC - iPad and Painting Give-Away - Day 17 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days


FOREST, EARLY SPRING MORNING
ORIGINAL PAINTING BY SEA DEAN
2.5" x 3.5" ACEO OR ATC

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

TO ENTER THE TWO GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG
You must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc. does not enter you for the draw, you must come back to confirm what you did in the Give-away box to earn the points. The more points you accumulate until January 31st the more chances of winning. You can enter many times each day. 

Sometimes when I'm creating a painting from a challenge photo, I struggle because I see the other artist's work and think it is so awesome, that my painting looks insignificant. Often my painting sells in spite of this feeling, but when it doesn't, I'm left wondering what I could do to improve it. That was the case here. 

I quite like the composition, which cannot be changed anyway, when it's a challenge photo, but I never liked the predominance of warm blue. The problem with reflections is that if you already have too much of a colour in the subject, the reflection makes it completely overwhelming. I surmise that this is what happened here.

1. I added more icy lemon sunlight to the upper area.
2. Then some cool blues and reds to the trees.
3. I darkened the shadowy water with purple and indigo.
4. Added warm blue to the reflection of sky in the foreground. (As a rule one should paint warmer tones towards the front of a scene).
5. I dabbed some spots of reflected colour into the weeds in the foreground.
6. Finally I added my 2014 signature and voila!

I'm always trying to duplicate the beauty of soft pastels with acrylic, and I think I achieved it here.

If you love the painting, or any of my miniature ACEOs and would like a frame, I have a choice of eight different frames available. I would be happy to frame your painting free of charge., so all you pay for, is the painting, the frame and the shipping. Contact me for choices.


Cat # 13061 Forest, early spring morning

Wednesday, 15 January 2014

SUMMER WAVES ACEO or ATC - iPad and Painting Give-Away - Day 16 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days


EARLIER VERSION OF SUMMER WAVES
SUMMER WAVES
ORIGINAL PAINTING BY SEA DEAN
2.5" x 3.5" ACEO OR ATC

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me. 

This is another ACEO tweak. This painting keeps it's name and catalog number because the tweaks are minor, but I think no less significant. See below.

TO ENTER THE TWO GIVE-AWAYS USE BOTH BOXES AT THE END OF THIS BLOG

To clarify, you must click and enter each Give-away separately because you are submitting for two different draws. Leaving a comment on this blog, tweeting, Like-ing on Facebook etc., while very much apreciated, does not enter you for the automatic selection process. It is important to return to confirm your action in the Give-away box to earn the points. Points accumulate until January 31st. The more actions you take and the more days you enter, the more chances of winning. You have multiple daily entries and it starts counting again after midnight. 


What did I change? 1. Added more Violet to the upper sky.
2. Added some yellow to the underside of the wave to depict sunlight shining through.
3. Darkened the sand to make it look wet.
4. Added more green low-lights to the water
5. Added more small white-caps to the foreground.
6. Added more white clouds to the sky.
7. Added more shadow to the underside of the foreground wavelet.

Originally I was aiming for a pastel effect, but I think this left the painting without definition. All the small additions above were focused on subtle changes to value without being heavy handed. I hope you like the result.


Cat # 13054 Summer Waves

Tuesday, 14 January 2014

NUDE IN OCEAN BLUE ACEO, ATC - iPad and Painting Give-Away - Day 15 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

NUDE IN OCEAN BLUE
ORIGINAL BY SEA DEAN 

3.5" x 2.5" ACEO Series

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me.

FOR THE GIVE-AWAYS SEE THE END OF THE BLOG


I'm in love with the beautiful MATISSE Southern Ocean Blue. It is even more translucent, glowing and vibrant in real life. 

The painting is of a statue my mother owns by and unknown artist. I love the statue and painted it over a year ago with a completely different background, but it never looked right, so I put it on the side for review. Today I picked it up and tried a touch of this stunning paint on the edge and that was it!

It's amazing how sometimes a painting requires only a small adjustment to complete it and other times it takes days to figure it out. I think today I was truly inspired and it's possible this may be a study for a larger painting still in the planning stages. 




Cat # 14013 Nude in Ocean Blue

Monday, 13 January 2014

FAMOUS ARTIST BIRTHDAY - BERTHE MORISOT - FIRST DANCE - iPad and Painting Giveaway - 30 Paintings Day 14


FIRST DANCE
BY SEA DEAN after Berthe Morisot  
4" x 4" Mini Master Series

Famous Artist's Birthdays

To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. Larger originals or prints may be available by contacting me.


BERTHE MORISOT
PORTRAIT OF BERTHE MORISOT BY MANET

Born 14 January 1841 at Bourges, France.

Berthe and her sister, Edma Morisot, both chose the life of an artist. This was fairly rare for a female at the time because it was unusual for women to work outside the traditional female rolse.  The sisters studied at the Barbizon School under influential landscape and figure painter Camille Corot. Corot was well connected and introduced them to many top artists and teachers. He was one of the first artists to move out of the studio, into the countryside and became a forefather of plein air painting. 

Berthe worked alongside Édouard Manet and married his younger brother Eugène. Being part of Manet's family meant that she became part of the early Impressionist group

In 1864 Berthe exhibited at the Paris Salon which was the official, annual exhibition of the Académie des beaux-arts. Her work was selected for six subsequent Salons.  

In 1874, she showed nine works in the first Impressionist exhibition, with Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Alfred Sisley. She went on to take part in all but the 1879 exhibition. Berthe was described by Gustave Geffroy in 1894 as one of "les trois grandes dames" of Impressionism alongside Marie Bracquemond and Mary Cassatt.

She died in Paris in 1895


Cat # 14012 First Dance