Michael Strauss

SEABA Art Hop

Mike — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:08:20 +0000

For those of you reading this blog who live in the Burlington area, I hope you all get to Art Hop this September 10 and 11. I’ll have eight paintings in the main SEABA office gallery at 404 Pine Street.

On the Way to the Islands

Mike — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:34:17 +0000

On highway 89 going north the lake comes close to the road. There is more greenery than in this image, but that spot is the source of this rather abstract impression. Acrylic, 11 x 14″.

River Road to Scrabble Hill

Mike — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:07:03 +0000

When I was a single guy between two shared lives I lived in a log cabin up near the trail head to Camel’s Hump on the Monroe farm side. It was a 52 mile round trip from Burlington, much of it on dirt roads. I lasted about 4 months. In early winter, before the leaves were all off the trees, the road is etched into my mind as in this scene (acrylic, 11 x 14″). Were the leaves really that color? Nahhh. But that’s the impression they left in my mind. And these paintings that come every two days are impressionist efforts. This one took only today. The composition (road, hill, trees, fence, tire tracks) was done last night in blue pencil on canvas. The paint was put on quickly most of this morning. Sometimes the paintings done most quickly seem most satisfying. Colors used were cobalt blue, vermilion, yellow ochre, quinacridone purple and titanium white. The whole canvas was toned prior to painting with cadmium orange. A touch of burnt sienna and burnt umber were used in spots on the road and the tree trunks.

Finished This A.M.

Mike — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:01:05 +0000

In the final layer of paint, I tried to create a very cold, overcast morning. Sun could just be coming up under the clouds. Totally illogical Tad would say. So be it for this one. It’s finished. The camera picks up the white much more than it shows in the actual painting. I like the real painting much more than the photo.

Never Knowing When to Stop – Maybe Done, Maybe Not

Mike — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:39:11 +0000

I think this needs to come down in value. Particularly the road. I want it to appear backlit, and right now the road is too bright. I’ll return to it again in the morning. This layer was put down all today. It needs fresh eyes. I darkened the road with photoshop just to see. It looks like the correct direction, though it needs to be darkened with color.

Lassen Park, Northern California, Summer

Mike — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:43:56 +0000

The previous painting was in winter, with a different vantage point. This one is in summer. Some slender white bark trees will be put in the upper quadrant later, to contrast with the dark evergreens. I love this place and want to return some day. Acrylic on canvas, 14 x 11″

Up Early – Painted this all night in my head. Almost there.

Mike — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:09:00 +0000

Painting a Previous Composition – Never the Same

Mike — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 01:51:36 +0000

The bottom painting with the orange sky is the first layer on a new painting with a composition similar to the one above that just sold. I changed a few shapes, and the sky is much warmer in the new painting (in fact the whole painting is warmer) but it is only the first layer. More is yet to come. It is almost 10 p.m. and I’m leaving this until the morning. Part of the difference between these two is that the image of the new painting was taken with artificial light (it is 10 p.m.). The earlier painting was taken in daylight. The whites are brighter and crisper. Also, the ink lines in the new painting have been obliterated, and I have not yet added the wires and the trees in the background. I’ll think more about the light and the color, and will add the wires the the trees with fresh eyes. I’ve looked at this too much today.

A Bit Too Saturated, But More Layers to Come!

Mike — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:09:13 +0000

Quick Study – Boat and House Near Shore

Mike — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 20:21:22 +0000

The camera really couldn’t get these colors right. The image looks much to saturated. It isn’t as bad as it looks. I like the composition, but this is only one layer. It needs some adjustment of the color.