Christmas in a Jar

Christmas in a Jar    20x16"

Christmas on a Silver Platter      11x14"

Last week I had two classes, one intermediate and the other a beginning oil painting class at the School of Light and Color. The students wanted to paint something for Christmas this week and it turned out to be a fun exercise.

The first painting, a study in red, was the most challenging. I started with a red and violet wash, which was a mistake I think, because it made it all that much more difficult to get this all red setup to have something else to say. The red wasn't standing out enough, but in the end as I added more darks, the reflections in the warm and blueish tones, and the highlights on the glass, it started to come together.

The Poinsettia piece was a lot of fun. I tried to stay out of the lights as long as possible, and after the block in I began to add some light. I like this way of "sneaking up" on the lights in a painting. I find that I am much more successful at knowing when to stop.

Thank you all who have been a part of my classes this year. You have been a huge blessing to me. Merry Christmas...