New Painting! "Mulier"

Self Portrait, "Mulier". Oil on board, homage to Rembrandt Peale.

Rembrandt  Peale, "George Washington, Patriae Pater",  PAFA

New Painting! "Sunday"

 

                        "Sunday". Oil on linen

New Sketch - "Rog Zoom Sketch" Oil on Paper

"Rog Zoom Sketch", Oil on Paper

 Think Creatively!

New Painting - "Pretty Pipes"

"Pretty Pipes" oil on linen boar

Stay Safe and Think Creatively!

Just When You Are About To Give Up...

I am writing this blog about Vincent van Gogh because I am struggling a little with a concept for my 2013 exhibit. I have always felt an affinity for van Gogh, not only for his unique painting style but most importantly because when I look at his artwork his struggle as an artist is palpable. His early work was, well, average. I particularly like the example below which shows two of his sketches. The one on the left of a simple figure, strangely proportioned and two years later the one on the right vastly improved and beautiful.

 

Vincent van Gogh

  

I know from his biography that he loved art and was a plodder like me. He kept painting until he was satisfied and even if he wasn’t satisfied he kept painting anyway. He started painting late in life and continued on to become one of our most admired master artists. Mental illness may have ended his life prematurely but surely he lives on in the wealth of artwork left behind.

So the next time you struggle with a composition, a subject or a concept, please keep trying. And trying. And trying…

Best Regards, 

Monica

I Am Marble by Monica Vanzant

 

Why I Love To Paint Landscapes

The other day I was working on a new piece and I wondered why I loved painting landscapes so much. I think it is because nature is ever changing, regenerating itself despite season, desolation or man's interference. The elements of nature will be here long after man has disappeared. A volcano erupts, lava flows and what do you get? More land. Something that can be so destructive actually creates more than it takes. A fire burns, leaving the acrid smell of smoke and ashes and what does that leave? Regrowth. Buds burst from the burnt cinders and generates the wonderful gift of nature for us to enjoy once again.

The ability to destroy yet also renew, to be both as beautiful as the first bloom of a spring flower or as glorious as the most ominous storm cloud is why I love landscapes. It is never the same. I see something new in every leaf and every petal. My senses glory over the smell of newly cut grass, the scent of an impending rainstorm, the wonderful quiet of a hidden field of wildflowers that only I have managed to discover; at least in my own mind.

When I paint landscapes, in some small way, I try to show the viewer that though the nature of a season may remain the same, none are ever identical.

Monica

Blick Sponsored Art Challenge!

Announcing an oil painting challenge currently in progress in the Oil Painting group (OPG) on a site I am a member of called Red Bubble (RB). If you don't know about it, it is a social networking art and photography website and is a wonderful forum for communicating with other artists and also exhibiting and selling your art. Unfortunately, the contest is for RB members only, but now that you know about it - check it out! You may want to become a member and enter the next contest. Please visit the Oil Painting Group Challenge Page to follow the challenge titled "Artists Choice". This challenge is sponsored by Blick Art Materials . If you haven't visited their website you're in for a treat! They are currently celebrating their 100 yr anniversary so please visit their website http://www.dickblick.com/ to discover all this company has to offer.

Best Regards, Monica

Results of the Red Bubble Challenges Sponsored by Kama Pigments

And we have our winners! The talented artists who won the Kama Pigments sponsored challenges on RedBubble are:

Graham Clark won the Landscape challenge with his painting "Brimham Rocks".

Elena Oleniuc won the Still Life challenge with her painting "Happy Morning" .

and Elena also won the Human Figure challenge with her painting "Dance" .

To learn more about Graham...Graham Clark or
here.
To learn more about Elena...Elena Oleniuc .

Red Bubble hosts thousands of talanted painters, photographers and writers. Please pay a visit to the wonderful art networking site.

Thanks again to Kama Pigments our sponsor for these challenges and visit their website to discover all this company has to offer.

This was a wonderful challenge but I have one question. Are you ready for next year?

Best Regards, Monica

New Painting

It has been a month since I have painted in my studio. I've been preparing for two exhibits back to back and my painting time has suffered. Even though I have not picked up a brush or palette knife, I go into my studio regularly just to sit and ponder because I truly love the smell of oil paint. It reminds me that there are so many paintings in me yet to be completed. Of course, I also like the smell of gasoline so maybe I have some olfactory issues I need to deal with...

But I am starting a new painting and I have the usual anticipatory butterflies in my stomach when I begin a new painting. This time is extra special because I plan to try something new. Looser, less structure, more creative. I am in the mood to break some rules!

I plan on attending the Turner exhibit at the Met. I am not sure when I'm going but there may not be another with this many pieces (in the US) during my lifetime so, of course, I must go. Also, he is one of my favorite painters so I'm really excited. I think I will dedicate my next post to Turner.


I'm off to paint. Take care.

Best Regards, Monica