Last chance to see JMW Turner show in D.C.

Over the holidays I finally seized the opportunity to head up to the National Gallery in Washington D.C. for the Turner show.  This traveling exhibition is a rare opportunity to see some 140 works by a true master of landscape painting (and, I might add, great-grandfather of abstraction). The show was wonderfully comprehensive, and featured so many of his larger scaled oil paintings as well as his intimate watercolors. It's probably an understatement to say that Turner seemed an interesting guy. His work showed a passionate interest in depicting disasters (caused both by nature and by man) in powerful compositions of dramatic color and light.  In painting after painting, one sees snow storms, shipwrecks, thunder, and fire swirling with emotion. The man must have been exhausted! I am not overly fond of the strong narrative element in many of his paintings, but even so, there is much to see and appreciate in these works. Turner was an artist concerned with social and political injustices both past and present and used narrative elements (both visually and in some of his ridiculously long painting titles) to make his points. He had some statements to make, that's for sure.

Turner started out as an architectural draftsman, and mastered drawing at an early age. This was quite evident in his beautiful paintings of Rome and Venice (pictured above). And while paintings of pure landscape were minimal, there were more sublime pieces as well, where the narrative was limited and light was the subject. Some of my favorites of the larger oils were labeled as "studies" or "unfinished". I loved the way these were so fresh and stripped down to their simplified essence of light and color. He was a precursor to the Impressionists and truly ahead of his time. As explained in NGA exhibition supporting materials, these "incomplete" works were just that, and probably not meant for exhibition, but as preparations for "finished" paintings to present to collectors and the Academy. But we can appreciate them with our modern sensibility as works of art in their own right, as well as for their wonderful documentation of this artist's processes.

While the oils were undeniably impressive and painted with skill and bravura, I personally found greatest delight in his watercolors. These just blew me away. Works ranged from highly finished watercolors with a lot of detail  and drawing, to quick expressive sketches (near abstractions) from his sketchbooks.

If you're anywhere near D.C., you can catch this extraordinary show at the National Gallery's West building through January 6th, 2008 . Check out this cool online exhibition preview at the NGA's website! Next stops for the exhibition are Dallas and New York.

Merry Christmas!

Just a brief note to say Merry Christmas to all. Thank you to my collectors and blog-readers for your support of my art and for tuning into my website and blog. It really means a lot! I will be taking a much needed break from studio work between Christmas and New Years day. I'll still be around, checking email and phone messages from time to time, but I doubt there will be much blogging during this time. I'll be back blogging in full force in  early '08. Enjoy the rest of your holiday season, and have a bright and beautiful 2008!

"Summer Vineyard", Provence watercolor vignette

Last minute Christmas shoppers have kept me incredibly busy (and thankful) this week at the gallery, so I am finding little time to blog and do much needed computer work. But I do have a new little Provence watercolor painting to share.

"Summer Vineyard" Watercolor/Pen & Ink on Paper

It might not be quite "season appropriate," but if you're like me, there's never a bad time to dream of summertime in Provence.

Lake Como, Italy painting 6x6" mini

When we were last visiting Lake Como Italy, we splurged on a private boat tour around the lake. It definitely was a splurge for us, but worthwhile because we took different routes than you'd normally take on the larger lake transports (vaporetti). This little painting was done from reference shots taken as we were approaching a precipice near the charming village of Varenna:

"Varenna Vista" Oil on Canvas, 6x6"

The private boat also stopped in intervals so that we could take pictures without worry of camera blur. If only I could find a way to hire a boat to use for an extended period at the lake as a floating studio, the way Claude Monet did  with his studio boat on the Seine. A girl can dream.

"Wash Day" mini Provence painting

 Some of my favorite painting subjects are the windows and doors of Provence:

"Wash Day" Oil on Canvas, 7"x5"

For me, the charm of Provence is in every day life. I love the Provencal colors-- the gorgeous combination of the buildings' earthy hues contrasted by bright  and cheerfully painted shutters and doors.  And most of all I enjoyed the people. By American standards they might seem a little reserved, but they are but warm and lovely. They possess an aesthetic that really appeals to me; taking care to fill their homes (and doors and windows!) with touches of simple beauty, rich with color, texture and quality.

Bellevue Bungalows

The autumn leaves are about finished now, but I thought I'd share this little plein air painting I did in my Richmond neighborhood of Bellevue just a couple of weeks ago. One thing I love about Bellevue is the architecture. And while the bungalows are usually modest looking structures, they hold so much charm for me.

"Bellevue Bungalows" Oil on Canvas 6x8"

Their low profiles are dwarfed by the Virginia trees, and there is something immediately happy, unassuming, sunny, laid back, and fabulously unpretentious about them. In the end, when we were looking in the area for a home,  we ended up buying not a bungalow, but a "cottage" (perhaps the bungalow's big-boned cousin?) Artist=spacehog.

But I still enjoy these little structures on my evening walks. I enjoy looking at them and their gardens- plain to fancy; sometimes wild, sometimes very manicured. These little houses give me the same feeling as do the cottages of Cape Cod, the shotguns in New Orleans, or especially the Conch Houses of Key West... Breezy, laid back, traditional and yet wonderfully free of tradition. Plain, simple, and calling out, "Home."

A few gallery snaps from the "Small Stuff" show

Don't let anyone tell you that hanging a show for a bunch of small works is an easy task. But after it was all in place, we were very happy with the results, and I'm glad to report that my husband and I are still married. ;-) Here are a few shots from the show, on view now through Jan. 30th: When we were looking at this space for the gallery, one of the first things I noticed was this cute built-in. It's a perfect display for my minis and my new line of watercolor/pen and inks. Here I've decorated it with some lights and mistle toe:

A close-up that shows some of the ornaments--I like the little silver and gold Christmas balls along the bottom shelf:

On the opposite wall are the landscape paintings of Venice and Lake Como:

Close-up shot of the mantlepiece decorated with paintings. To the left of the large Venetian landscape are a series of little square 6x6" Lake Como paintings. Anyone who has read my blog for a while, or my squidoo lens on hanging art must know I'm a fan of grouping big and small paintings together like this. I'd love to do something similar over my fireplace mantle at home.

A small grouping from the next room of some of my more local autumn scenes:

I  guess that's really all I had time for, photography-wise. I may share a few more snaps and I will definitely share more info on some of the individual pieces in the show very soon.

Miniature landscape painting of the Tuscany sunset

This painting sold last night at my gallery exhibition preview, but it's still on view tonight for the First Fridays downtown art walk. It is a companion to another Tuscany painting I blogged about a couple of days ago:

"Lingering Light, Tuscany II" Oil on linen, about 3.5" x 7.75"

If you're doing the downtown art walk tonight in Richmond, come by Jennifer Young Studio & Gallery and see all of the "Small Stuff" -- miniature paintings and prints --on display for the holiday season. The gallery is located at 16 East Main Street between 1st and Foushee.

If you're not in Richmond, I am continually uploading new paintings to my web gallery, or you can see them offered first here, on the blog. I'm also offering free shipping (with some restrictions) until the end of the year, for holiday shopping convenience.

Useful links:

Ideas for hanging "small stuff" How I pack paintings for shipping My purchasing FAQ's My gallery information (and virtual tour)

Grand Venice painted as a small vignette

Though the subject matter is vast and expansive, this painting is tiny. I enjoy the looseness of it. With a painting this size you can't help but be loose! The little gondolier and other people were a challenge, so I resorted to a size 0 brush in some places:

"Grand Venice" Oil on Canvas, 4x5"

The image is about true to size. Painted on a mini gallery wrapped canvas with edges painted a near black (the gondola color). This is offered on its own or with an accompanying mini easel. Additional pictures and info will be added to the website later, but you saw it here first. Please contact me for all the details.  Available to ship this weekend, after my openings Thursday and Friday. Update: just sold! To see the other small works I still have available for sale, please click here and here.

"Lingering Light, Tuscany" miniature oil painting

More "small stuff" today as I continue preparations for Thursday night's gallery anniversary party and the First Fridays Art Walk that follows. This little painting shows the setting Tuscan sun over a sloping grove of olive trees .  There is a companion to this little painting that I'll try to post soon. 

 

 "Lingering Light, Tuscany" Oil on Linen mounted on birchboard Approx. 3.5" x 7.75"

It's an odd size, I know, but I do have a frame for it. It would also look great unframed, just perched on a mini easel.

I am enjoying the long horizontal format I've used in these pieces and in my previous painting of Venice. That's the great thing about making small works--you can experiment with formats and compositions (mediums too) with less sweat, tears, and expense than is sometimes required of a large canvas. And if they don't work out, they fit into the trashbin  a whole lot easier! I think this one's a keeper though. ;-) 

Mini still life oil painting; colorful apples vignette

Here's one of many small pieces that will featured in my "Small Stuff" show that opens next week at Jennifer Young Studio & Gallery. It's a colorful still life painting of apples in a translucent red bowl:

"Three's a Crowd" 4x5", oil on canvas

Set on a gold mini easel, this little piece is great on a shelf or mantle with other objects d'art. In the gallery I have it grouped with a couple of my gallery wrapped mini florals:

More mini paintings and vignettes will be featured as my next show draws ever closer. Stay tuned! **UPDATE: This piece has sold. See some of the other small works I have available for sale here and here. For more information about any of these pieces, please visit my website or just contact me.

Venice oil painting, "La Città D'Oro"

 

This little painting is of a golden evening along the Grand Canal. It is one of the small works I will feature in my upcoming show, "Small Stuff".

I'm celebrating my first year the gallery, so I'm offering a preview of this exhibition at my anniversary party on Thursday evening, December 6th. Invited guests will enjoy a chance to win a free painting during the event! Contact me if you're in the area and would like to attend the preview. The show officially opens at the gallery on December 7th from 6 to 8:30 PM for the First Fridays Richmond art walk.

Click here or on the image above for more information about this painting.

New Vignette- Tuscany watercolor landscape painting

New for today is another original watercolor vignette. This one is of Tuscan sunflowers so abundant in the summertime in the countryside south of Siena. This painting is matted in an 8x10" mat with all acid free materials, and comes in a clear protective sleeve.

"Summer In Tuscany" Watercolor/Pen & Ink

Update: just sold! To see the other small works I still have available for sale, please click here and here.

Fun new mini prints and free shipping!

If you subscribe to my email newsletter, you may already know about the charming new mini prints I'm offering. But if you're exclusively a blog reader, you may or may not have noticed that they're also newly linked here on the blog (scroll down to the end of my sidebar on the right side of the screen.)

These new prints are made on acid free fine art paper with archival inks, and sizes range from very mini 2.5" x 3.5" (such as the one pictured, matted to 5x7") on up to 8" x 10". All are signed and make great holiday gifts. I'm offering these prints via my new Etsy shop for online shopping convenience.

As an added bonus, right now shipping is free one-way in the Continental U.S. for all purchases of $30 USD and over. Customers outside of the continental U.S.A.: You will receive a shipping credit (based on my listed shipping charges) towards your actual shipping costs! (Contact me for a custom shipping quote prior to placing your order.)

By the way, I'm offering the same shipping promotion for any paintings and limited edition prints purchased via my website as well. Click here or just contact me for more information.

Video- Tour of Jennifer Young Studio & Gallery

Taking some time over the Thanksgiving holidays to spend with family , so for now I leave you with a little tour of my studio/gallery featuring my last and perhaps one of my favorite shows to date, "Luminosity". The groovy music, by the way is by David Webb.

If you don't see the video player above, clicking this link will take you to the video in a new window.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"The Terraced Grove, Tuscany"- Watercolor Vignette

Busy day today getting ready for the Thanksgiving holiday, but at 5 PM I've finally managed to find time to post!  Today it's a new Tuscany watercolor. I think I might be getting the hang of this watercolor thing :-).  The vignettes are a great way to work out compositions on a small scale. I may just have to reinterpret this one into a larger oil :

"Terraced Grove, Tuscany" Watercolor/Pen & Ink, 4x6" Contact me for more info!

We're getting ready to take a little Thanksgiving hiatus for a few, so if I don't have a chance to post again before I leave, happy Turkey Day! (Or if you are a veggie like me, happy carb day!)

"The Golden Pair", plein air painting

It was so windy on Friday that painting outside was a real hazard. So I painted in my car, instead! This little vignette is of a scene along Foushee Street, right near my downtown studio in Richmond, VA. 

 

"The Golden Pair" Oil on canvas mounted on hardboard, 5x7"

Painting in the car has its own hazards, I must say. I'm used to stepping back to see my painting from a distance, and there was none of that. It was pretty confining too, so I had to be careful where I was pointing those brushes! But, any way, I guess it beats having my painting and all my gear slamming against the pavement.

This painting is in the "Vignettes" section of my website and may be purchased online. For more info about this piece, please click on the image or contact me!

"Autumn in Bellevue" plein air landscape painting

Today is gray and rainy, but yesterday started out as a spectacular sunny morning. So I took the opportunity to paint this little street scene in my neighborhood:

"Autumn in Bellevue" Oil on Canvas, 7x5"

 I have always admired this cute little yellow bungalo on our evening walks, and it fit right in with the blazing fall colors that lined the intersecting street.  This has to be one of the prettiest falls I've seen in a while in the city of Richmond. Over the next days I hope to paint as many plein air paintings as I can before the wind carries the foliage away.

Please click the image or contact me for more info.

Landscape painting of Lake Como, Italy

 

"Morning Quiet in Pescallo" Oil on Canvas, 20" x 24"

Fresh off the easel is the painting I blogged about a bit earlier. It shows a view from Bellagio looking down on the tiny fishing village of Pescallo.  This was our morning view from our hotel room balcony. What a way to wake up!

For more information, please click on the image or contact me.

New painting details uploaded to the website

It took me a while but I finally got around to uploading some of the plein air paintings I've blogged about in recent months:

   

Details and purchasing info for these smaller paintings  of the Eastern Shore of Maryland are in my gallery of Mini Paintings, as is the recent little autumn scene. In another section of my website, I've uploaded these two Eastern Shore plein air paintings in my gallery of water-related scenes: 

 

 And finally, I mentioned yesterday that I was considering doing a touch more to the little lavender watercolor. Well, I didn't do much but I couldn't resist a tweak, and you can see the final image in the Vignettes section of my website. As with my other Vignettes, this one  may be purchased online  via Paypal. Update: This painting has sold!

Now that I'm getting caught up, I have some new work to upload...stay tuned!