Friday, September 16, 2011

Strawberries, Buffalo ware bowl, Still Life with Strawberries

" Summer Berries II "


Oil


6"x6"


Copyright 2011 J.Bellinger




$425 framed




I love painting patterns in fabrics. This blue and white check dish towel is a favorite. The red white and blue color palette adds to the summer feel of berries in a vintage Buffalo Ware bowl.


As always, I determine my palette and premix my paints. If the mixed colors look good on the palette they will look good in the painting....a plan of action!


Still life with pears

" Still Life with Pears "
Oil
6"x6"
                                                           copyright 2011 J. Bellinger
                                                                               Sold

Summer is over around here, fall is in the air which means beautiful pears are in the market. I love painting pears..so human-like in their variation of shapes, personality of stems...nuts? Maybe. Here they sit on one of my favorite fabrics from my stash..a Peruvian woven stripe. I have used it many times and love the colors..a bit of everything, pink, blue, red, gold, white, green, black.




Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Cows, Oil painting


" Curious "
Oil
8x10
Sold
I love photographing cows. First there were these two, then little by little the whole herd makes it way over to see what's up. They were starting to climb up on each other to see me..I left quickly before they could push the fence over!
Red/green composition and I added the Black Angus in the background for contrast and interest.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Desert Botanical Garden, Agave

"Desert Botanical"
Oil
12x24
Copyright 2011 J.Bellinger
Available

I love how this painting came out...lots of contrast, light/dark, warm/cool, soft/hard. The light and shadow here in the desert is so different than light where I live in Idaho.
I am enjoying the vertical composition possibilities, too.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Saguaro Cactus, Desert Botanical Gardens, Arizona

" Saguaro...Desert Sentinel "
Oil
18x36
Copyright 2011 J. Bellinger
Available

A portrait of this amazing giant cactus. I so enjoyed depicting this wonder of nature. Seeing so many in Arizona is a great example of results from protecting very slow growing plants! A Saguaro that is just a pup, say, 10" high is already 10 years old..they don't get an "arm" until they are 75 years old.
We are down to our last 4 days of the show. It has been an amazing experience having 10 weeks devoted to my art. I have made some wonderful friends, shared my painting process with hundreds if not thousands of art lovers, other artists and collectors. Watching how my fellow artists approach their own artwork has been enlightening. My head is spinning with art on all levels. I am looking forward to some quiet time when I get home to reflect on it all!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Agave...Hot!, cactus, succulents

" Agave...Hot! "
Oil
18x24
copyright J.Bellinger 2011
Available

The second in my new series painted here at Celebration of Fine Art in Scottsdale. We are going into our last week of the show. I love painting these desert plants. This painting is stronger and hotter in color..I love the contrasts the agave naturally have..and if course I love to push the color.
Stay tuned for my first Saguaro...love these giant cactus!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Ah...Agave! , cactus, Desert Botanical Garden


" Ah....Agave! "
Oil
20x24
Copyright 2011 J. Bellinger
SOLD
I hope the warmth of the morning sun comes through in this painting...that was my goal.
There was the texture of sand, small stones, etc. and I had to bite my brush not to start in with those kind of details and just keep it simple...practice what I preach! The painting told me when to stop....really this does happen. Would love to hear your own experience and conversations with your own paintings. If I'm the only one....I'll be thinking I need to get out of the studio more!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

In the Desert Botanical Garden, cactus


" In the Desert Botanical Garden "
Oil
32"x36"
Copyright 2011 J.Bellinger
SOLD
The second in my desert garden still life series while here in my studio at Celebration of Fine Art.
I was somewhat intimidated to begin such a complex painting but once I laid in the Century plant the rest fell into place. I had fun with the spines on the Hedgehog cactus and Santa Rosa prickly pear cactus. I used fine brush, palette knife, putting painting paint on, lifting paint off..whatever it took to get the effect of light on skinny shapes.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Blue Window, Prickly Pear Cactus


" Blue Window "
Oil
30x30
Copyright 2011 J. Bellinger

New painting right off the easel! I took this photo at the Desert Botanical Garden a few weeks ago. As usual, I am drawn to yellow-green and blue violet. The cactus were quite challenging and interesting to render. I really like this painting and feel I captured the glow of early morning light coming through the cactus.
I am here exhibiting at Celebration of Fine Art in Scottsdale, Az. In the lobby is a display area for the Scottsdale Arts Schools and paintings by students who have taken workshops. I was drawn to one lovely little painting of yellow tulips and was very pleasantly surprised to see it was Kelly MacDonald's! Like seeing a friend even though we've never met in person. Lovely painting, Kelly!


Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Other Fish to Fry, Celebration of Fine Art


" Other Fish to Fry "
Oil
8x10
Copyright 2011 J. Bellinger
Sold
I took the photo for this painting over two years ago and just now got around to painting it. I loved doing all the little highlights that make the fish shine and the Pyrex dish was fun to render.
I am getting lots of work done here in the big white tent..Celebration of Fine Art 2011. It's so much fun interacting with all the other artists!

Friday, January 28, 2011

Green apple in glass bowl, lemons, Celebration of Fine ARt

" Three to One "
Oil
11x14
Copyright 2011 J.Bellinger

Next in the red striped cloth series..I found this vintage green cup at our local thrift shop..love the color, very retro. I usually shy away from apples that are red and green but wanted both colors and only one apple. Doing over 100 hundred daily paintings help me speed and make decisions quickly..this painting took me most of one day and then some glazing and scumbling the next day. I love that feeling of accomplishment small paintings give you.

Just Peachy, Peaches, still life with fruit

"That's Just Peachy"
Oil
30x30
Copyright 2011 J. Bellinger

I forgot to post this painting earlier in January. The blue tablecloth I have had for 25 years and has finally made it into my still life stash of fabrics. I went shopping for new fabrics to inspire more in the white plate/fruit series. Stay tuned.
Art tip # 25:
People are so intrigued by the fuzziness of the peaches but we painters know it is just a matter of mixing that really grayed color..same for plums. Mix what you see and it will read correctly..isolate the color with a small 2x3 cardboard with a hole punched in the middle. Hold it over the area you want to identify the color..give that color you see a name. More than likely you will be hesitant to name it because it is so neutral. Ask yourself "is it yellowish or blueish?" I find that is more helpful than "warmer or cooler" (I got that tip from watching Daniel Greene's dvd on color mixing..excellent dvd by the way.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

"Still Life with Green Apple"
Oil
30x30
Copyright 2011

A new painting finished yesterday. I am painting faster here in my studio at Celebration of Fine Art..no distractions, focus, focus, focus.
I enjoyed depicting the vintage glass bowl and of course I love painting lemons!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Love Those Lemons, Still Life Lemons, Celebration of Fine Art 2011


" Love Those Lemons"
Oil on Canvas
40"x40"
Copyright 2011
Sold
I am one of the new artists at Celebration of Fine Art 2011....a 10 week show here in Scottsdale, AZ. One hundred fine artists set up a studio and exhibit for 10 weeks. The show is amazing, diverse and in its 21 year...nothing quite like it that I know of. I am loving the interaction between patrons, artists, and show staff. Can't believe how much work I have been getting done! "Love Those Lemons" is the newest of my large canvas'. I hope to get time to shop for some new fabrics while I'm here and also take photos at the botanical gardens..the cactus are amazing and I can't wait to create some paintings of them.