An artist at work

Just returned from a few days in Galena.  Brought my sketch pad and penciled some quick drawings from the nature trail along the Galena River leading to the "Mighty Mississippi" with notes of the colors effected by shadows in the margins.  Snapped a number of digital photos as well.

Next week, finish a Sunflower Field painting I began early September.  After that, tonal landscapes in various sizes.  After all, it's autumn, and the perfect time to capture the beautiful shades of golden hues this time of year offers us.

http://www.christinenauman.com

Field of Iris - o/c 20.5" x 24.5"

sold

Have been working on the Field of Iris series these past two months.  Completing my most recent painting above by building up multi layers of various blue and green hues in oil.  This series is one of the reasons I'm known for my impressionistic style and compared to Van Gogh and Monet.  I do favor the vivid colors in floral paintings that when applied with oil protrudes from the canvas and gives much depth to her viewed from all directions.

http://www.christinenauman.com

Works in Progress

I haven't meant intentionally to not blog this month.  However, I've been so focused on creating floral arrangements and garden landscapes in my studio these past weeks, time slipped away from me.  I'll showcase the originals on my website when they're complete.

http://www.christinenauman.com

Oriental styled Still Life - o/c 24 1/2" x 28 1/2"

Still Life with White Tulips in Ikebana Vase and

Japanese Silkscreen

24 1/2" x 28 1/2"

sold

My latest still life includes some of my personal treasures I acquired while living in Japan and other travels since as well.  The tulips arranged in an Ikebana Vase is one of many I used while studying at a prominent school in Tokyo.  However, I'm westernized now with my floral arrangements. "More is More" vs "Less is More" (personal) philosophy.

The Japanese silkscreen is secondary to the white tulips.  The silkscreen is 6' x 6' and the two huts and small lake are a small part of it's entire beauty. Setting the vase and flowers on my 19th Century Chinese red table/chest in front of the screen and some artistic license at play throughout the painting, brings forth further interest in the floral arrangement.

http://www.christinenauman.com

Beauty in nature

Today, I've been cleaning up my studio after finishing a still life this week.  And, while also contemplating another painting next week, I can't help but stop and enjoy the beautiful scenes from my studio windows.  The snow has been steadily falling since mid morning.  We're to have around 11" by the time the day ends.  It's so peaceful to look at. 

Tomorrow, I'll put on my winter boots, and walk in one of the local forest preserves. I enjoy listening to the crunching of the crisp snow under my feet and walking where there are no other footprints before me. 

Every season is beautiful!  I truly am in love with nature.

http://www.christinenauman.com

Christmas past and present

While trying to finish up a few paintings before the end of this year, some of the evenings I've leafed through photos that I might apply to future compositions. I've come across one the other day that was taken at a Christmas holiday I spent with friends when I lived in Tokyo. 

So now, while spending the 2011 holiday with family and friends, I realize how fortunate I am to find pleasure and gather friendships wherever I live. 

http://www.christinenauman.com

Symbolism of Sunflowers and Lemon in Still Life Painting

Sunflowers in Antique Chinese Tea Canister

25" x 29"
sold

The six sunflowers arranged in my circa 1930's Ringtons Tea Canister was another composition of mine created from a deep, personal dimension.  The color of the solar shaped blooms facing forward as I painted them complimented the sharp contrast of the blue-white pattern on the canister and another contrast in color with the lemon near that.

Recently, a southern collector of mine mentioned that a lemon signifies "bittersweet memories" after I shared with her my own research beginning with the artists of the 1500's placing certain objects in their paintings to give it meaning.  And naturally, adding further interest of their work to their patons.  Afterall, an artist's work is their subsistence.

With my new knowledge, I decided to place a solitary lemon into the arrangement.  First, for overall artistic beauty, and second for memories of my past travels throughout the South of France while the sunflowers were in full bloom.  Then thoughts of Van Gogh surfaced in my mind as his most prolific years painting were when he lived in the South of France.  "Bittersweet" seemed to be the correct meaning and my cutting the lemon in half was a balance of pleasure and pain in his later years.

Every painting should tell a story as it's not only about placing a painting on the wall.  It must move us beyond the visual. Then it starts our own imagination flowing, and our own memories surfacing.  It adds to conversations for patrons that share their personal collections with others.  Everything becomes more interesting.  More dimensional.

So . . . as time goes on, I'll continue to share more regarding paintings I create as I've been doing throughout my career.

http://www.christinenauman.com