Four Inch Brush, completed

The Four Inch Brush from my last demonstration is finally finished. The image below is the last one from the "in process" series I posted a few weeks ago. I had quite a way to go in the finishing step.

I used the same color mixtures throughout the process, but they look different in the two photos. The finished photo was taken in natural daylight, while the process photos were taken under indoor light. The photo above shows more accurate color. I did change the colors of the brush in the final version.


I will be doing another First Friday demonstration on April 1. I hope those of you in and around Anchorage will drop by the Upstairs Studio to say hello. In addition, my still life weekend classes are ongoing and have openings. If you would like to join us this weekend, or during April or May, please get in touch through my email:
info@carollambertarts.com

8 x 10
oil on linen panel

First Friday final versions

In honor of the upcoming First Friday, I am posting photos of these completed demonstration paintings. The one above is now called Frank's Pointer. Everyone thought it was a gardening spade, but actually it's a mason's tool. I began it at January's First Friday.

Below is Slotted Spoon, from February's First Friday.

March 4 is First Friday, and I will start another painting. Please come by to see the show at the Upstairs Studio Gallery. Location: 406 G Street, Suite 209, Anchorage, Alaska. The opening goes from 5 PM to 9 PM.

First Friday Demo, a Slotted Spoon

On Friday, February 4, I did another all-day demonstration for the First Friday festivities at the Upstairs Studio gallery. Thanks to Daniel, of Daniel Jackson Photography, for this photo of me at work! What follows is my step by step progress.

This is the basic sequence I take people through in my weekend classes on classical still life technique. There is still room in the workshops coming up on the next 2 weekends, and beginners are welcome. Please contact me at info@carollambertarts.com if you are interested. There are also classes planned in March, April, and May.


Here is the set-up. This old slotted spoon came from a friend's grandmother's kitchen. Another friend gave me the deer antler. These objects seemed to get along well.


This is the block in for the composition.


At this stage, I am working up the values in monochrome. I am also thinking about the final colors, since this set up was mostly monochrome anyway.


Here is my first color pass.


This is what the painting looked like at the end of a rather long day. It isn't finished: the antler needs more modeling, and I will adjust values and sharpen some edges.

At some point I will post my demo paintings in their finished state. Thanks for your interest!

A demonstration painting at Upstairs Studio

Friday was art opening day in Anchorage, and my first opening at Upstairs Studio, where I now have studio space. (Click here for more details about this new development, I'm very excited about it!)

I celebrated the occasion by doing a painting in the gallery. I love doing demos because people are always interested, and this was no exception. Lots of people stopped to visit with me, and I got to introduce folks to what I do and how I do it. Many thanks to fellow artist Erin Osinkosky for taking this photo and the one of my hand below!

For those of you who couldn't make it, below are some photos of the work in progress.


This is what the painting looked like at the end of the evening. I'm not saying it's done, exactly, but it's pretty close.

Sometimes fingers are good brushes.

This is the first color pass.

Before the color goes on, I often do a monochrome underpainting.

Here is the first stage, the initial sketch where the basic composition takes form.

I may do another demonstration painting at the next First Friday, please come by if you can.

Pulley #2

This is the companion to Pulley #1, which I posted last November. Next up, both pulleys in one painting! However, they will have to get to the end of the line, there are so many other characters waiting patiently to be onstage.


10" x 12" oil on linen panel

To purchase, contact me at info@carollambertarts.com

Plumb Line

I am a fan of tools, all kinds of tools, but especially tools for drawing.

8" x 10" oil on linen panel

To purchase, contact me at info@carollambertarts.com

Pulley #1

This is called Pulley #1 because I have an even bigger pulley waiting in the wings, so I know there will be at least one more pulley painting, and I might not stop there. I really like these things. Thanks to our friend Paul for lending me this one!



10" x 12" oil on linen panel

To purchase, contact me at info@carollambertarts.com
$720 plus shipping, unframed

Shoemaker's Forms

My partner Paul found these in a market in Argentina. They are for a child's shoe, the mark says size 6. I love the feel of old tools like this, I get a sense of connection with the persons whose craft went into making and using them. This is the first painting I did at the Peter Van Dyck workshop I blogged about last time. This painting is actually oil on treated illustration board, a different surface for me. I enjoyed using it, it grips the paint, and invites a looser, more free brush stroke.

I apologize for going so long between posts! My desktop computer blew up just before we left for our painting trip to Denali National Park, so when I got back I had the task of recovering what data I could and getting set up with something new. I decided to switch to an IMac, which was difficult at first, but I don't regret it one bit! My photo editing software took forever to get here, but it arrived today, so I am back to the blog. Thanks for your patience!

9" x 12" oil on linen panel

To purchase, contact me at info@carollambertarts.com
$410 plus shipping, unframed

Hand Drill, completed

Here is the final result of some months of work on the hand drill painting. Below are a few more photos of work in progress since my last post.


I took this as I began to finish the lower part of the drapery and the drill.


Going a little further to refine the drapery and the values.

I began this painting in November 2007, put it aside for quite a while, and picked it up again in December of 2008.

Yes, I had the set up in my studio for all those months! I needed to move it a few times, so the drapery was disturbed from its original position. I rearranged the drapery as I worked.

If you compare the finished piece to the "in progress" photos in this and the previous post, you will see changes in the drawing, the edges, and the drapery of the lower half.

Normally, I try to keep all parts of a painting moving forward at the same pace, but this one had "arrested development." For all these reasons, the top and bottom parts of the painting were completed at different times.

Thanks to everyone who gave feedback on the "in progress" post!

24" x 12" oil on linen panel

No price on this one yet, but if you are interested in a purchase, contact me at info@carollambertarts.com

Hand Drill, Work in Progress

This is something new for me, posting an unfinished painting. Because I have been working on this one for quite a while, posts to the blog have slowed down. Also, getting my website redesigned and launched accounts for some of the delay, I am so glad that project is done! But I want you to know I am still painting, and this is what I am working on.

This still has the appearance of the monochrome underpainting. I have started to add a bit of color in the red and green parts of the drill. I love its subtle rusts, patinas, and worn paint, and these muted colors will be an important part of the finished piece. As you can see, I also enjoy working with drapery.

This is not the first painting I have made of a complex tool, but it is the largest one so far. I plan to do more, and have a wonderful line-up of models just waiting for me to get to them. They all look treasured and well used. For me they carry a direct connection to the hands that held them, the care that went into their use, the value of the work they accomplished. The drapery feels right, paying homage to their democratic, honest power.

I hope to have this one finished shortly. There is a lot of work left to do on the lower drapery, in the shadows, and the gear wheel is a wonderful green, got to get that just right. The handle for turning the gear needs work, and all those gear teeth, have to adjust them until everything reads correctly. Not quite in the home stretch yet on this one. I will post the finished painting.

I wonder if you will find it interesting to see a painting in progress? Please let me know. If this is a success with readers, more "in progress" posts will appear.

Old Measuring Spoons

These spoons are old family items, much used, now in honorable retirement.
To purchase, contact 2 Friends Gallery
907 868 4648

8" x 6" oil on linen panel