Bowl of Mandarines

Bowl of Mandarins  Oil on Linen  8 x 8  NFS

I finished this little painting yesterday, and it wasn't until I posted it, that I realized I don't like the dark background. It's too harsh  and cold, with the warm soft colours of the foreground. So I will go back into it and make some changes to the background, and then repost once I've made those changes. I think maybe a subdued wallpaper, or kitchen tiles. Any ideas for the changes?

Bowl of Mandarines

Chez Monette

Chez Monette
Acrylic on Exhibition Canvas   24 x 24  $600 + s/h


I'm really pleased to be part of the Autumn Show 2010 in the Victoria Airport Arrivals and Departures Lounge. I received lots of feedback on the last show that featured my Jazz Series. This new show will feature some of my Still Life paintings. I haven't been able to see the shows because I'm not traveling so I don't have authorization to enter the area. Darn!

I enjoy painting the sculptural, sensual forms of pears and I really love painting textiles. In this case the textile was a lace edged linen tablecloth. The embroidery was quite complicated and I thought how am I going to simplify that? So I really squinted the whole time I was painting the lace edge and tried to capture values, rather than trying to recreate the actual pattern of the embroidery. I wasn't sure if it was going to work, and I had one of those 'please don't wreck this painting' moments, but in the end I was really pleased with the effect. So I highly recommend squinting! I'll post another one or two of the Airport paintings over the next few days.

Chez Monette

Above the Courtyard

Acrylic on Exhibition Canvas  24 x 24  SOLD
Image is painted around all four sides

When I was living in the Southwest of France I loved the intimacy of the wrought iron balcony with it's warm sunshine and quiet moments with friends, while down below in the courtyard another animated world complete with fountains, children, seniors and pitanque players was taking place. I worked hard at capturing the golden warmth of the early evening sunlight as it hit these gorgeously ripe nectarines and the folds in the cloth. I'm also really pleased with the reflections in the glaze of the ceramic bowl. I used a combination of full body and fluid acrylics to create the glow and light effects.

 

Above the Courtyard

Red and Green

Original Oil on Canvas Panel  6 x 6  
Currently Showing at the Christmas Small Works Show
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

I just love the combination of these two complimentary colours, red and green. I spotted these grapes in the fruit bowl and quickly put them in my favourite green bowl and painted away. My husband was a bit concerned that once again he couldn't eat the fruit he had just brought home, but I managed to complete the painting in time for dessert.

Red and Green

Tuscan Oranges

Original Acrylic on Exhibition Canvas   20 x 16  SOLD


This is one of the paintings that I submitted for the Summer Small Works Show at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. It's a vibrant, fun, feel good painting, and will make an impact on someone's kitchen or breakfast nook wall.
I have been busy painting a piece for my Retro Series, which I had planned to post today. I've been photographing it in progress, to show a step by step, but decided that I like
it so much, I'm going to save it for an upcoming show, and therefore can't post it. Sorry about that, but I hope you enjoy the painting I posted in lieu.

Tuscan Oranges

Backlit Grapes

Backlit Grapes Acrylic on Linen SOLD

I had a great time painting this one. The grapes were so translucent and the backlighting really shone through them. I also really like the red/green effect with the colouring. This is a little Moroccan bowl I have from our travels, and the glaze has a great reflective quality.

Backlit Grapes