First Fruits in the StudioArtwork and Photo: Casey Klahn
In many ways, the products of my new studio are the first fruits of my labor. This still life was inspired by the drawing class that I taught in November. I haven't painted many, and they teach me a great deal about the picture making process. How to create balance in the picture plane. How to keep my value scale under control. The use of brown as a neutral. My own stylistic ideas of drawing an apple.
As often happens in my busy studio, I framed and gave away this picture before I got a proper picture of it. I am working on that process, and the hope is to be more stream-lined so that set-up (tungsten lights, cords, camera, where to put the images, etc.) is less stressful. But, since I gave it to my daughter, who is a budding young artist herself, it was easy to retrieve and get this photo for a record.
The frame shown is 11" x 8" and the pastels shown in the trug on the shelf below are medium sized Unisons - not the standard ones which are smaller. It occurred to me that pastellists might get a mistaken sense of perspective because of this.
Your blog gives off such a wonderful feeling from the colors as soon as it is opened up. As a fellow colorist, I have a strong sensitivity to color. I love your work and your blog. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, Linda. Great to meet you, and your pastels are great to look at, too.
ReplyDeleteGreat, great color. This is a 21st century style, in my opinion.
Lovely painting! And wow, BIG FAT Unisons...mmmm, what a delicious and expensive new bit of information for me...
ReplyDeleteComing from you, it is a compliment, Jala. I look to your still lifes (my spelling for the plural of the art genre) as an example of "how to" do them right.
ReplyDeleteI prefer my DT Terrages and Sennies and my homemade pastels for big pastels, but I do get lots of use from these Unis, too.
Although it is hard to see in this small photo I like this very much. I particularly like the strong colours which helps to lift a familiar subject matter.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Philip.
ReplyDeleteSo many works have gone out the door without record. Always some place to improve.
I'm sure your daughter would love this painting. Is that a preliminary sketch pinned behind it?
ReplyDeleteI am doing a little series of these, so the sketch turns out to be after the painting shown, Nkolika. I think I did this still life from a set up in the very spot where I took this photo, since it is to the left of my easel.
ReplyDeleteNice vibrant color Casey, and a wonderful gift for your daughter. Beautifully framed as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Brian.
ReplyDeleteI should say a word about the framing. It is linen lined, and I put the linen outside of the glass. There is no dust problem when doing this method. The gold frames never suited my contemporary landscapes, but since I have several, they will be put onto gifts, or the occasional realist work that I do.
I also use frame tec spacers to space the pastel work 1/4" or so from the glass (this one might be 3/16ths. - can't remember.
Then, I also use a frame tec product called rabbet space that allows the deep sandwich of backing, paper, spacers and glass to be put in a shallow frame.
Wow, I really love this one! The colors on the apple especially, and the highlights! NICE
ReplyDeleteThanks, Meg. My daughter calls it a polka dot apple.
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