Another scorcher today...but what do you expect? It's summertime, after all! And our paintings reflect that. We start out with the familiar exercises—color wheels, color matching, paper towels, skin color, collages. And then we move right into the essence of the season—trees (along plazas, paths and lakes), fruits of summer, lakes, folk tales, sunny trolley cars, siestas, a tropical village on a hill and even an air-conditioned mall for the urbanites among us.
And keep scrolling to the end for our special feature. We got such a good reaction last week that we've done two this time!
Salute to Impressionism
And here's our salute to impressionism! First, we examine a popular technique of featuring a painting in the background of another painting. While this goes back to the Renaissance, it was particularly popular with Impressionists. Here's an especially attractive use of the technique (below). The background portrait goes beyond mere decoration to actually further the story—it's a painting by the sister of the woman in the foreground (also an artist!). Even if you don't know the full story, you know there is one and you can't stop looking. It's that good. Reminds you of some of Gaugin's Tahiti paintings, doesn't it?
Wondering what happened with the Summer Solstice sketching party? It was a huge success—enough that we're hoping to ring in all the seasons with a sketch! See below for an impressionistic take on the party. Like Renoir's Boating Party, this is a fresh and vibrant plein air celebration of a celebration. Doesn't it make you wish you were part of the fun?
And lest you think we're getting too "art history," here's a painting with a story behind it. It's another artistic tradition—the memorial painting. Below, Isa celebrates her dog, Roxie, in a beautiful and sensitive work that captures the essence of a much-loved pet. This beautiful remembrance touched a chord with everyone and sparked reminiscences of other pets we've painted and lost (we even had a laugh at a memorial painting of a favorite car). Take some time to enjoy the exquisite texture of the fur and the grass; smile at the sparkling personality in Roxie's eyes; and remember a favorite pet of your own.
See you next week!
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