"The Wedding Band", 14x11"

Strike up the band-- I'm happy to tell you that "The Wedding Band" is hanging in the Hildt Gallery in Chicago.  Many people know this gallery from its location in the Drake Hotel.  I couldn't be happier to have this new gallery relationship.

I painted this scene after a recent trip to my beloved hometown New Orleans.  On any given weekend in the French Quarter, you can see bands such as this parading through the streets, followed by a dancing bride and groom and all of their wedding guests.  It's impossible not to smile and do a little jig as they pass by.

For purchase information, call the Hildt Gallery at (312) 255-0005

"After the Rain, Paris", 20x24"

There was a rare moment of stillness in this plaza near Notre Dame just after it rained.

"Montmartre Impression", 9x12" and a Letter to the Atlantic Monthly

 I created this painting of Montmartre very loosely, using a palette knife for most of it.  I loved the juxtaposition of the serene domes of Sacre Couer overlooking the hustle and bustle of the merchants and tourists below.  For purchase information, please click on Ann Feldman Montmartre.

I was shocked to learn recently that a letter I sent to the editor of the Atlantic Monthly had been published.  I wrote it hastily and emotionally, then clicked "send" and thought nothing more of it.  My doctor told me that he was pleased to read my letter in the latest issue, and you could have knocked me over with a feather.  It dealt with the topic of Art in the Marketplace, so you may find it interesting.  Here it is:

"A Paris Cafe", 12x9"

The warm days were numbered as fall took hold in Paris.  Cafe goers took their time enjoying the last rays of sunshine in this restaurant next to the Siene River.  I love painting my memories of France.  Moments like this one become vivid, and I feel as if I'm experiencing them all over again.

For purchase information, please click on Ann Feldman Paris Cafe.

"Old Town", 8x10"

"Old Town", 8x10", oil on gesso board 

With the frigid weather tapping at our windows here in Chicago, I felt the need to paint a memory from balmy, tropical Puerto Rico.  Did you know that the bricks that pave the streets in San Juan are blue ceramic?  I also learned that it is an unspoken rule in this colonial area that no two buildings or houses should be painted the same color.  Everywhere you look is a cacophony of riotous color: canary yellow, cantaloupe orange, aqua blue, parrot green.

As is the Feldman way, we packed into rental cars, left San Juan and traveled to the tiny town of Rincon on the other side of the island.  I dared myself to learn to body surf in the crashing waves, and succeeded with my pride and bathing suit intact.  I also bit into the best Cuban sandwich ever made at a roadside diner while my nephew learned the fine art of lunchtime gambling.  

The blaring music, the open smiles, and the rapid staccato Spanish of the Puerto Rican people stay with me even now.  And these memories sustain me as I pull on my boots to face the unrelenting  ice and snow outside my door.

For purchase information, please click on Ann Feldman Old Town.

"Early Autumn, Paris", 20x16" And Thoughts on Light With Claude Monet

"Early Autumn, Paris"

The light in the city was much cooler than the light in Provence

"Sunday Morning, Aix en Provence"

I tried to capture the warmth of the sun in southern France

The Impressionists are famous for their attention to the light in their paintings.  A viewer can often tell the season, time of day, and sometimes even the geography of a scene when they look at an Impressionistic painting.  When I was in France, I could see for myself how the light changed when we moved further south.  I tried to convey the difference in the light in the two paintings above.  I even went so far as to put a bit of a blue "halo" around the light on the Parisian sidewalk to make it appear cooler.  In Provence, yellow became a dominant color for the light.

Monet spent close to a year in Rouen, panting the front of the cathedral there at different times of day and seasons.  He set up camp in a women's clothing store across the street, much to the dismay of many of the store's patrons!  He didn't see why a male painter in a women's shop should cause any disturbance for a few months.

Here are three versions of the cathedral, as painted by Monet.  Each one is lovely in its own right, but they convey very different feelings through the colors he chose.  

As a painter, I could take a page from Monet's book and paint the same scene over and over again in different seasons and times of day.  What better lesson could there be in conveying feelings about a scene through color?  

The facade of the cathedral today.  

"Sunday Morning, Aix en Provence" 20x16"

Aix en Provence was full of surprises.  We were walking along a narrow cobblestone street when all at once, our path opened up into a town square filled to the brim with flower stalls.  The light, the color, and the fragrance caught us off guard.  A few steps further and we were back on the quiet cobblestones again.

"Red Bicycle, Paris", 11x14"

I think I could paint for a year using all the references I got in France over the last two weeks!  I was there with my mom and my niece to study the works and workspaces of the Impressionists.  One piece of information that stuck with me is that the Impressionists were quite scientific about their use of color. Complementary colors were used especially effectively by all of them.

In this piece, I used the complements purple/yellow to mix my grays, and I used red/green for the more vibrant colors.  I hope these lessons stay with me!

Bridges Over the Neva, 10x8"

Even though I've been teaching like crazy these last few weeks, I haven't been able to get St Petersburg out of my mind, and I return to my easel to paint my memories of this unforgettable place whenever I get a moment.

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

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!

Morning, Neva River, 10x8"

The dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral is visible almost everywhere in St. Petersburg.  Luckily, our hotel was just across the street from this landmark, so we knew which way to point ourselves at the end of the day.  My favorite time to photograph the city was in the morning when the light hit the sides of the yellow and white buildings along the river.

To bid on this painting, please click on Ann Feldman Neva River.

Early Morning, St. Petersburg, Russia, 10x8"

We are back from our unforgettable trip to Russia.  A week in St Petersburg was barely enough to scratch the surface of all the city had to offer.  Naturally, the highlight of the trip for me was a day spent in the Hermitage--I made a bee line for the Impressionist wing, then I wandered about aimlessly for the rest of the day, getting lost and surprised at every turn.  I'm told that if a person took one minute to look at each object in the Hermitage, it would take seven years to see it all.

This painting represents my impression of early morning on the Neva River which runs throughout the city.  Wandering around the city is an adventure in itself, considering that all signs are unintelligible to American eyes, and the language-- forget about it!  I felt like I was truly in another world.

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

"Harbor Town", 9x13"

Last time I was in Saugatuck, I couldn't resist snapping a few photos for possible painting references.  This one was a natural-- it just says "Harbor Town".

Park the Car in Harvard Yard, 11x14"

The Boston area is just so photogenic.  I always find lots of material to paint from when I go there to visit daughter Emily.  This one was painted mostly with a palette knife and will be donated to raise funds for the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra next week (Emily is a violist).

Twilight, 8x8"

My favorite time of the day is the moment the lights come up while there is still a glow in the sky. 

Twilight.

If you are interested in purchasing this painting, please click on Ann Feldman Twilight.  Thank you.

Buzzing By, 6x6"

How many times have you lined up the perfect camera shot, only to have someone zoom into it at the last possible second?  That's what happened here-- but I was happier with the stealth cyclist in the shot!  I painted this one with a palette knife to keep it spontaneous and lively.  Just enough information to tell the story and then get out fast!

For purchase information, please click here.