Oils

“Art is the demonstration that the ordinary is extraordinary.” – Amédée Ozenfant

| ssemchuk

May 30, 2016

In 2013 I attended Series Summer Art School at Red Deer College and worked under the instruction of Jen Mallinson for a week playing with her plaster technique that combined acrylic paint, plaster and an assortment of other materials to create unique backgrounds. In Jen’s work, she would often complete her pieces with beautiful charcoal figure drawings. I left the week long workshop with a number of panels ready to go. This weekend I finished one of those panels. The results are below.

Series WIP, Aug 1, 2013, Mixed Media on Panel, 20" X 20"
Series WIP, Aug 1, 2013, Mixed Media on Panel, 20″ X 20″

 

Cowering Cups, May 28, 2016, Mixed Media on Panel, 20" X 20"
Cowering Cups, May 28, 2016, Mixed Media on Panel, 20″ X 20″

“In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is a hallucinating idiot…for he sees what no one else does: things that, to everyone else, are not there.” ― Marshall McLuhan

| ssemchuk

April 11, 2016

Circle Composition One, Apr 10, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 6" X 6"
Circle Composition One, Apr 10, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 6″ X 6″

Something new: I’ve decided to play around with a series of 6″ X 6″ canvases that I have been asking to be made useful. This is the first of a series that will consist of circle patterns and a limited palette. Colours used are Cadmium Red Deep, Alizarin Crimson, Permanent Green and Titanium White.

“Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work.” -Chuck Close

| ssemchuk

March 28, 2016

Still Life Red WIP, Mar 27, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 48" X 36"
Still Life Red WIP, Mar 27, 2016, Oil on Canvas, 48″ X 36″

I spent a little time back on my first still life of this year. I need a few more days away from it before I decide if it’s finished.

Patchwork WIP, Mar 27, 2016, Oil on Masonite, 16" X 10"
Patchwork WIP, Mar 27, 2016, Oil on Masonite, 16″ X 10″

This one came about as something to do with the extra paint on my palette at the end of a painting session. I hate just tossing it, but at the same time I have not come up with a good way to save it until next time either. This is my solution.

Today’s quote is courtesy of Who Said That. Check them out!

“Unbeing dead isn’t being alive.” -e.e. cummings

| ssemchuk

March 14, 2016

Seven Apples WIP, Mar 12, 2016, Mixed Media on Canvas, 48" X 36"
Seven Apples WIP, Mar 12, 2016, Mixed Media on Canvas, 48″ X 36″

A bit more time put in on this image this past weekend. I decided I didn’t much care for the posterized version of the apples, so I redid them. Interestingly enough, last week, right before I put away my brushes, I thought I’d add a bit more detail to the drapery on the right hand side of the image. I worked quickly and was not at all impressed with what I accomplished at the time. Now when I look back at it though, it looks entirely different – fortunately in a good way. More evidence that sometimes it’s the time away from a canvas that allows you to view it more accurately. The background still needs work here, but it’s getting close to finished.