Monday Morning, St. Petersburg, 8x10"

St Petersburg has rush hour in the morning, just like any large city today.  The biggest difference for me was the sight of those arresting domes hovering over the skyline.  The architecture there is unlike any I have seen before-- it made me feel so very far from home.

To bid on this painting, please click on Ann Feldman St Petersburg.

I wanted to share a mosaic I photographed in St Isaac's Cathedral with you.  At first glance, this piece looked like a stunning oil painting, but on closer inspection, it turned out to be a mosaic of thousands of tiny ceramic squares, each perfectly colored to show form and light.  I stood in front of this masterpiece with my jaw dropped and my eyes wide open for what must have been a very long time.  Long enough for my mother to finish her shopping in the cathedral gift shop, and then we were off again!

CW Mundy Workshop

"After" CW Mundy

"Before" CW Mundy

If a picture is worth a thousand words, I hope that the two versions of my simply painted apples will describe the transformation that my painting style went through after meeting and studying with CW Mundy last week in New Harmony, Indiana. Our class of 20 students had just settled in to our seats on the first day when CW told us to get up, set up, and paint a piece of fruit quickly.  My "before" version is above and it served as a benchmark for the changes I was to go through in the next few days in class.

I came in to CW's class with the intention of loosening up my painting style.  Sounds easy enough, but it turned out to be one of the most difficult processes I've ever gone through.  Surprisingly, after painting in "my" style for a few decades, it was not easy at all to break through to a new level of painting.  The left side of my logical brain was so resistant to change, it was shocking to me.  CW saw the frustration (also known as tears) in my eyes, and gave me space to wrestle with my demons.

I'm happy to say that the quiet complacent right side of my brain finally had a say in the matter.  In the stillness of my studio, my intuition is beginning to emerge.  This new style is not second nature to me yet, but in about 20 more paintings, I hope to have a sense of comfort with Impressionism.

I'll write more about the workshop in upcoming blogs.  I hope you'll stay tuned!

The idyllic town of New Harmony, Indiana

 We were treated to a talk on Visual Language by the workshop instructors:  Frank Serrano, Ken Backhaus, Carolyn Anderson, and CW Mundy

Glad to See You, 8x10"

I painted this one using a palette knife and a softening brush.  I took a little movie of my progress to show you how this painting developed.  I hope you enjoy it!

For purchase information, please click on Ann Feldman Glad.  Thank you!

Autumn Reflections, 8x10"

This painting was created as a demo for my Impressionism workshop at Mainstreet Art Centre.  It was painted with a palette knife and loads of oil paint.  Everyone tried their hand at the scene, and the results were spectacular.

So Much for Galoshes, 8x10"

I was lucky enough to snap this scene in Montreal last month.  I couldn't help but smile at the never-ending battle of parents everywhere who try to keep their kids dressed appropriately for the weather, only to turn around and find that all their attempts are for nothing!  To bid on this painting, please click on Ann Feldman Galoshes.

DEMO ANNOUNCEMENT:  If you are an artist in the Chicago area, I'll be giving a painting demonstration for the Palatine Art League on September 7th.  It would be great to see you there!  Email posstroke@sbcglobal.net for information and to register.

White on White, 8x10" (Sold)

WHITE ON WHITE

Recently, I've become very interested in the subject of painting white.  I just completed painting a portrait of three sisters in white dresses, and while I was in the process of painting it, I visited every master painting I could find in Chicago and Boston to see how the Greats handled this very complex subject.

Here are a few things that I found:

     1. Simplify.  Keep white objects and fabrics as simple as possible.  First, find the lit areas and the shadow areas.  Find an average color in the right value and cover the areas boldly.  Step back and decide where the color can be tweaked a bit, and indicate a few details without stepping outside your values.

Cecilia Beaux

     2. Look for color in both the lit and shadow areas for vibrancy.  I've never seen anyone able to show warmth and sunlight on white fabric like Sorolla, but his whites are far from white!  Pink, blue, and yellow dance all around, without a single stroke of pure white to be found.  And yet, those fabrics are white!

Joaquin Sorolla

     3. Balance warmth and coolness in the shadows.  Sargent's shadows make me want to weep, they are so beautiful.  When I saw his portraits in person, I could see that each shadow has both a warm and cool tone in each one, giving them life and interest.

John Singer Sargent

The most important lesson that I learned on this journey is that in order to paint white, the artist has to slow way down and observe the subject closely.  In fact, white has taught me to become patient, and to let the subject dictate the right path to follow in painting it.  Many rules and preconceived notions about painting have to be put to the side, and silent study is put in their place.  Sometimes, all this patience and study reward us with a new level of achievement, and we can say that it was all worth it.    

The Good Dog, 8x8" (Sold)

I saw this modern-day cowboy out fixing fences in Colorado a while back.  What really impressed me (besides his fancy red horse with wheels) was his really good dog perched on the back of his bumpy vehicle.  He was more than ready to jump down and give some cows a little instruction!

To bid on this painting, click on Ann Feldman The Good Dog.

Nesting Time Again, 8x10" (Sold)

If this painting looks familiar, I painted one very similar a few months ago, and was asked to paint it again!  I rearranged the order and tilted them the opposite way, but I still found it pretty difficult to paint another painting so closely related to one I had done before.  This one took about twice the time the first one did, and I think it's because I lost the freedom I had with the first one-- I had to match all the decisions I had made before, and it was a completely different process.  I enjoyed it nonetheless, because I'm intrigued with shiny objects and bright colors (I guess it's the magpie in me).

Aspens in the Snow, 8x10" (Sold)

This past weekend was Parents' Weekend at both boys' schools in Colorado, so I left a few days early to paint in the Oil Painters of America's Paint Out in Woodland Park, near Pikes Peak.  The Aspens were in full color, and I was in heaven.  This being my first "away" paint out, I wasn't very well prepared!  I sat on my suitcase and balanced my painting on my knees while the wind whipped all around me.  The landscape moved me so much that I lost myself in my painting and didn't realize that I came pretty close to hypothermia one blustery morning...

Next time, I'll be ready!  Fingerless gloves are a must-- as is my easel.  I can't wait to go again!

To bid on this painting, click on Ann Feldman Aspens in the Snow.

Wednesday Afternoon (Sold)

I challenged myself with this setup to paint white things without using much white at all.  I held back until the last little highlights at the end to indicate that the surfaces were indeed white.  After all, you can't paint a light highlight if everything behind it is already white!

If you would like to bid on this painting, please click on Ann Feldman Wednesday Afternoon.

Tishomingo Blues, 8x10" (Sold)

Last weekend, John and I went back to New Orleans, my home town.  One morning, we went to The Court of Two Sisters for brunch on the patio.  A live jazz trio was playing in the background as we feasted on Shrimp Creole, french bread, and Bananas Foster.  I bought the trio's CD (Charlie Fardella and his Sensation Jazz Band) and have been playing it all week as I paint.

This morning, I turned the music up and painted this scene as I listened.  One of my favorite tunes is Tishomingo Blues, so I named the painting after this one.  I learned that it's hard to keep serious and "in the lines" when you're listening to New Orleans jazz!

The Old Mill, 8x10" (Sold)

This is my entry for this week's Daily Paintworks challenge.  After a false start or two, I reverted to my trusty palette knife to cover up the mess I had created and was able to come up with something I could be happy with.

The Open Door, 8x10" (Sold)

Every now and then, our plein air group goes to Volkening Heritage Farm to paint.  I was so lucky to stumble upon this scene of a young girl pausing in the doorway of a century-old barn in the middle of her very busy day. Naturally, she didn't linger there long.  Modern technology came to the rescue and I snapped a quick photo of her before she slipped away.

Nesting Time, 8x10" (Sold)

$60, Oil on Gessoboard

I painted this one for the Daily Paintworks challenge this week, which was to balance a stack of something and paint it.  I used tons of thick paint and a palette knife, which meant that I ended up with more paint on myself than on my canvas by the time it was all through.  I thought of the title "Nesting Time" as we prepare to send our youngest off to camp tomorrow.  Now it's nesting time for the empty nesters!

The Weeping Willow, 10x8" (Sold)

$125, oil on Raymar canvas panel.  

This is the second scene that I painted at Crabtree Forest Preserve on that hot and mosquito-y day.  

Morning on the Water, 8x10"

Email me for purchase information

Yesterday I joined my plein air friends in Crabtree Forest Preserve to paint next to the lagoon.  The temperature and the mosquito count climbed quickly.  We painted intently to make the most of our short time available.  Nothing could be heard but the calls of hundreds of birds.  What a great morning!

The Window Pain, 8x10" (Sold)

Here is my cat Marmalade, on the other side of my window waiting for me to let him in.  He couldn't care less that there is a gorgeous day going on behind him.  He just wants to be let in.  Now.  

He's a window pain.

The Student, 8"x10"

Theodora is a student with Greek heritage, which made her a joy to paint.  I mainly used a loaded palette knife for this piece, only using a brush to touch up the features where needed.  I tried to show restraint on this one, letting the piece have an impressionistic quality.  Proceeds from the sale of this painting will be donated to the American Red Cross for earthquake relief.

Take the Plunge 8"x10" SOLD

I've been completely bowled over by the positive response to the small paintings that I donated for earthquake relief.  So much so, I've decided to take the plunge and begin to offer some of my smaller "daily paintings" up for bid on eBay.  I will continue to donate the proceeds from online sales to the American Red Cross.

I hope that together, we will be able to give help to others through art!

Der Strabe (The Road), 8"x10" SOLD

For this German landscape, I used a palette knife to lay very thick paint over a bright pink background.  I think this technique gives the painting a nice color vibration.  Proceeds from the sale of this painting will go to the American Red Cross for earthquake relief.