putting it all together

 

8ft x 20 ft
incomplete oil painting

swimming in paint

Here's a shot of the large painting I've been working on for the last couple weeks.  I took it with my cell phone, so sorry about the quality, but I promise progress shots and a high quality image when it is finished.  

Almost done.

Hillside

I'm still working on a large-scale (20ft x 8ft) painting, but don't yet have any new progress shots.

Instead, here's a shot of another painting, I'm working on simultaneously. 

 

This nocturne shows a hillside city next to the sea.  I imagine the Mediterranean.  The image still needs some work on the water to really establish it as a plane going into space and to make it look more reflective. 

A Swelling

I've been in the studio a lot lately, working on some really good stuff.
Here's a shot of the painting of a gas station, which I mentioned a few weeks ago.  There are a few final touches still to be made, but it's pretty much in its final state:

I think this piece is about 16x20, just to give you some scale.

Also, I've started a new project which I've been meaning to get into for a few years now.  I'm so lucky to have access to studio space which will allow me to work on such a large piece:

The piece is 20ft by 8ft and will be of an ocean swell, with choppy, writhing waves.  What you see so far in the photos is just a horizon line with a little work on the sky.  The very beginnings of a mammoth project; I will post more pictures as it progresses. 

Etsy

I've recently discovered Etsy.com and just opened up my new etsy shop over the last couple days.  Check it out at jayvarney.etsy.com

doll painting

hey guys,
so I think I just finished the doll painting I've been working on.  here are some progress shots.  let me know what you think.

 

 

oil on canvas

I'm still working on my painting from the dollhouse toys and rather than show you progress shots now, I'd like to show you the progression and the final shots all in one blog.  So let me instead, talk about my next project.

I'd like to do a nocturne in the style of one of my previous paintings, shown below:

The above piece is titled "24/7" and is about fast food in America.  The new piece, however will show a gas station at night, with the overhead lights and hopefully I can capture the same glow as in the above piece.  The new gas station piece will go along with some of my other recent paintings, which illustrate scenes from the oil industry.  One of these, I will show below and is titled "oil on canvas" and another I have shown in a previous blog post. 

My concern is not to criticize or preach, because I am aware that I consume oil just like the rest of us.  Instead, I am interested in the iconic power of such images.  When someone sees an image about the oil industry, they usually feel something and have a pretty strong reaction to the piece. 

duck farms and dollhouses

hey guys,

I'll try to post at least once a week, but its been two weeks since my last post because I've been so busy lately. 

 Two weeks ago I showed you an imaginative painting of some duck farms and, as promised, I have another photo of its progress. 

I usually paint outside when I can, but I worked on this painting on Friday and I had to bring my easel inside while "Hurricane Earl" passed through. I haven't decided whether or not this painting is finished; I'll have to sleep on it for a while, but it's definitely very close to finished. 

For one of my next projects, I borrowed some of my cousins toys for a still-life.

I haven't started the painting yet.  I'd like to wait till night time so I can put a strong spotlight on the still-life and get some hard shadows.  I did do some very quick preliminary sketches a few days ago though. 

Picasso used to say that, "every child is an artist."  I love a child's creativity, imagination, and playfulness.  Art featuring toys can invoke that childlike imagination that exists within us all. 

Duck Farms

Here's a large image (about 4 feet by 4 feet) I've been working on for a long time now and it's just starting to come together.

The image is a night time scene, loosely based on the old duck farms on Gazzola Drive.  Still to be added are a bunch of streetlights and maybe a few windows on the buildings. 

Can't wait to work on this more and post the final product. 

Here is a new painting I just made.  I plan on entering it in Charmingwall's 6x6 project for the month of October.

Bellport Battling Brushes

Yesterday I participated in the "Bellport Battling Brushes Contest" at the Phoenix Gallery in Bellport Village.  Contestants were given 3 hours to complete a painting on site in bellport village.

I chose a spot on the beach and received 3rd prize for my painting of the Bellport Yacht Club.
Here is the finished painting:

Everyone's work was very impressive and it's encouraging to meet other people who enjoy landscape painting.  

1st prize went to Laurence Johnston, who I met for the first time yesterday.  Larry is a great artist and a really nice guy.