Small paintings and studies

Recently I've been working on a number of small studies and paintings. It's an interesting test for me, working small. I'm usually looking for large, loose free strokes with a big brush feel, that has space to breathe around the subjects; working in the confines of a smaller composition and canvas can prove challenging.

Subject matter needs to be simplified to it's bare essence, and content needs to be reduced (one of two elements, rather than a table full of subjects). Additionally the subject needs to be considered as 'small enough' to work within the format, e.g. Iris flowers are too large and elegant for these kind of sizes.

Small bouquet & lemons over blue

12X16              Acrylic on panel

A small grouping of lemons

12X12               Acrylic on panel

Study - Tangerine greens

12X9                  Acrylic on panel

Poppies, apricots and cherries

12X12                   Acrylic on panel

More wine?

Another 2 recently paintings from my wine bottle series. The inclusion of a bottle within my still life compositions has been a fun challenge, both in terms of position of the bottle, and choice of tone & color. I'm finding increasingly I am comfortable with taking liberties with the bottles apparent color and it's labeling; however I think it's important to keep the integrity of the bottles shape. It's a form we're so familiar with in society, that even when the labeling is missing and the coloration is 'creative', the identifiability of the bottle is still easy to place.

Irises on fish drape arranged outside

30X30                  Acrylic on canvas

A new and growing favorite of mine is the elephant tablecloth. I enjoy representational imagery within a design and these elephants are so engaging.

 Lemons & pears over Elephant patterned cloth

34X18                     Acrylic on wood