Matisse

Our GJWP challenge this month is 

to paint in the style of Matisse.
(Check us out on the first of the month!)

These challenges are my favorite because I enjoy researching. 

I always discover some amazing things! 

I never knew that after 1948, Matisse was bed ridden,

 yet he produced a number of works known as gouaches decoupees. 

They were made by cutting or tearing shapes from paper painted with gouache. 

The Snail 

1953

Henri Matisse 

These works were quite large and 

were done by assistants under his strict direction.

This one is 10 feet by 10 feet! 

Read more about this on the 

Tate website. 

Color Wheel 

8 x 8

by Nancy Colella 

papiers decoupes'

I painted assorted types of paper (watercolor, bristol, cardboard, tissue) 

with oil paint using my basic pallet. 

Then cut out shapes and glued them on a board, 

loosely thinking about the color wheel. 

Matisse said; 

"The technique allows me to draw in the color. 

It is simplification for me. 

Instead of drawing the outline and putting the color inside it- 

the one modifying the other- 

I draw straight into the  color"

Quoted in Amis de L'art October 1951. 

Hey.
 I'm all about simplification!

"Back to Basics" Class almost filled!

I just heard that my 

Back to Basics (#320) class

at the South Shore Art Center

(Tuesdays 1/22 - 3/5  9:30 - 12:30) 

Cohasset, MA  

is almost full! 

Three spots left. 

This is just a nudge. 

If you were thinking about doing this,

NOW would be good.  

I have a some fun new props!  

My goal is to present basic tools everyone needs 

to build a strong foundation for good painting. 

Suitable for beginners but geared for experienced painters 

who may just need to re-charge their batteries.  

Beach Wreaths

My friend Margaret, a retired respiratory therapist, 

came over yesterday to "play" in the studio. 

I had collected all kinds of stuff on the beach 

so we got out some cardboard and glue guns 

and went to town! 

Mine 

Margaret's! 

Happy Holidays!  

"Fixing" Paintings

Just what  I needed. 

A long rainy day in the studio.

I listened to Christmas music and fixed up paintings that 

have been sitting around the studio
 bugging me.

"Sunday Ride" 

12 x 24 

I took the trees out of the background 

and softened the horizon line on this one.  

"Off to Paint! "

8 x 10 

I rarely paint from images of people posing,

 (looking in to the camera)

I love this though because it's of my friend Sally 

who is always prepared and will paint any where, any time! 

"Danny Caught a Fish! "

11 x 14 

Whenever someone catches a fish on the beach, 

there is always a flurry of interest. 

This was going to be wiped the day I did it. 

Now I'm glad I saved it!  

"Bocci Boys"

11 x 14 

My son and his pals play a lot of Bocci on the beach.

I'd used cad red to do the "map"for this and had left a lot of it showing. 

I covered them up, changed the color of the sand, and worked on the water. 

I feel like I spent the afternoon at the beach.

A nice break from all the incredible heartbreak 

we are all feeling.  

The Visit

 The Visit 

11 x 14 

While working with the Alzheimer patients,

I am constantly reminded how devastating

 this disease is for their loved ones.  

My heart breaks when I watch the visits. 

Let's all think about those who are 

struggling with this, especially during the holiday season! 

"Colors" in fox hunting

I researched Fox Hunting on line and found this 

 link to some of the terms used. 

Apparently "colors" refers to the distinctive color of coat and buttons

 each hunt club adopts as their livery. 

Usually hunt staff and male members only wear the scarlet coats.  

Scarlet Coat 

8 x 10 

 I added the blue sky here, 

thinking it would make that red jacket stand out even more.

FYI. 

They NEVER use the term "dogs" when hunting. 

They are referred to as "hounds" only!  

More fun with Fox Hunting

The Fox Hunt 

8 x 10 

Even though the subjects in this are all in direct sunlight,
(no strong dark and light shadow pattern)
the image attracted me because of all the black and white shapes 

surrounding the one big red one. 

I used a board that I had toned with high gloss exterior paint 

so the surface was really slippery.

It helped keep things loose,

but I found it hard to control the brushstrokes.
Oh well. It's fun to be out of control once in a while! 

On another note: 

I recently ran across the work of 

Chicago based artist Darren Thompson.

I love this guy's work.

Talk about loose and juicy! 

His paintings are so expressionistic and full of energy.  

A real inspiration! 

Sunday Hunt

I recently reconnected with a friend of mine from Chicago 

who does a lot of horseback riding. 

I found some great images of her on one of her hunts on her Facebook page 

and thought they would be great subjects for some larger paintings.

Sunday Hunt #1

12 x 24 

The figures and the horses were working well in this,

but once I added the background, it felt overworked and fussy.

(And the heads feel a little too big.)  

Sunday Hunt #2

12 x 24 

So I did another one and made it ALL ABOUT the 

figures and the horses. 

What do you think? 

Last week, I bought lots of new odd sized larger canvas's 

to play with and I'm psyched! 

Repeating a Good Time

I rarely offer to re-do a painting that has sold.

Somehow it feels like trying to repeat a good time, 

which we all know, doesn't always work out. 

Busy Beach Day 

8 x 10 

A woman in NYC saw this on the Cove Gallery website. 

It had sold so she asked if I had anything like it. 

I did not, but I thought it would be a good challenge to try it again. 

Busy Beach Day II

I think it has the same feel and happily, 

she is delighted and is purchasing it to give to her daughter! 

The added bonus: 

The flood gates are open and 

I am painting again! 

Yahoo!