A New, Old Medium

Last year, I gave myself another nudge into 'venturing out' and trying a new medium. New to me: Oil.

Those of you who know me might know that I have made several half-hearted attempts in the past to ‘try out’ oil painting. They never went anywhere. Instead, I always found myself being magnetically drawn back to my beloved acrylics and watercolors! Ah, these water based mediums! How I love them!

Well, well, years ago, in a wave of enthusiasm, I had asked my friend Shirley Ericksson, a wonderful master of oil, to teach me. Half-heartedly, making yet another attempt. Last year then, 2010, she decided my time had come to learn about oil... Oh, oh!... I gave myself a push and bought the supplies from her list. 'Well, I do it for her!', I thought to overcome the growing resistance within me. Isn't that interesting? I observed myself and truly did not understand these contradictory energies that were pulling and pushing me.

"Roses for Shakira", 2010

Under Shirley's watchful eyes, in August of 2010, I started my first painting in oil, "Roses for Shakira". Shakira was my white, six-toe shaman cat that was run over by a car just while I painted this painting. The colors of the peonies were his colors... white and tan, and the sky picks up the very bright blue of his eyes...

"Shirley's Pitcher with Pink Lady", 2010

"Shirley's Pitcher with Pink Lady" followed. I had never painted a still life and enjoyed the unfolding of the shapes, shades and colors.

Shirley took me out into the field, and I painted the old "Apple Tree". What a magical place in nature that was! The tree was overgrown by a vine and showed clear signs of decline, yet still had a few apples. What an old, precious tree, slowly leaning over to the side, following the path of life of receiving and giving and letting go. While sitting there in the high grass, with my paints, brushes and canvas, and my teacher behind me, I was in silent communication with the wind, the clouds and the sun, the elementals and all the creatures that showed themselves to me.

"Apple Tree", 2010

I was so inspired! I love oils! It is effortless! I took off and painted flowers, in my studio and outdoors, and some are still in the making, interrupted by winter with its indoor confinement. Here are some of the finalized paintings:

"Autumn Flowers", 2010

"Zinnia", 2010

"Gladiola", 2011

There is nothing that could possibly replace the breathing of an outdoor space for painting! Being out there with the trees, with the flowers, in their own silently moving surrender, when the shades on the trees paint ever changing shapes and when, at the end of a day of painting, the sun comes out again before setting and throws a veil of glowing powder across an already magical landscape. I am deeply humbled.

I feel that I discovered a new World in my Universe of Painting! I love to share these pictures with you. Enjoy!