Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Small Oil Landscape, "Florida Wetlands I" 6x8" SOLD

How did it get to be September already?  Obviously, this year is going to buzz by as fast as the others all seem to do.

I have been painting commissions for the last month, but I try to slip a few daily paintings into the mix every week.

SOLD



I have been enjoying my little floral still life paintings, but had the desire to try a landscape this week.  Florida has the most beautiful wetlands, teaming with wildlife.  Of course, some of that wildlife is on the dangerous and creepy side, so I was very careful where I stepped.


This is Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in Brevard County, Florida.  It sits between the ocean and the Indian River on a thin strip of land.  Next time you visit Florida, try to get off the beaten path of beaches and Disney and enjoy the less well known beauty.


Sunday, January 27, 2013

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Small Floral Still Life | Flower Painting | Daily Painting | Rose Bush and Reflection by Carol Schiff | SOLD

I am continuing on with my series of small floral still life paintings in oil.  They are just too much fun to stop!  This is one of my all time favorite daily paintings.

SOLD


Of course, this painting has all my favorite colors....the rose, purple, turquoise, green and yellow seem to sing.


This little blossom makes the composition special.

When I first started painting, I worked in pastel for eight years, before moving on to oil.  One of my favorite pastels was a painting I did from the same photograph.


This painting is 20x25"....much larger and still one of my all time favorites.  I must say though, that I prefer the new version over this.

Which do you prefer?


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Sunday, January 20, 2013

Pelican Painting, "Big Bird", 6x8 oil SOLD

Not the Big Bird you were expecting?

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Living in Florida, I am expected to have a selection of pelican paintings at all times. This guy is not actually a Florida pelican, but lives in California.  He looks just like our guys though.  One of my Etsy buddies, Retagene, sent me her image and gave me permission to use it.


How do I know it's a guy?  It's that yellow on his head that gives him away.  When you see a pelican with a yellow head, you know he is looking for a girl friend.   Hmmmm, it would be nice if humans had such an obvious sign too.....might have helped me out back in the day!

Have a great week and thank you for viewing Carol Schiff Studio.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Small Floral Still Life, "Cindy's Geranium's" 6x8" Oil Painting SOLD

The weather has been rather dark and gloomy lately, so today I am posting a bright and cheery painting.  I hope it brightens your day!

SOLD



I was able to enjoy these geraniums last summer while visiting my friend, Cindy, at her mountain retreat.  The scenery was stunning from her balcony and every morning the sun would strike these flowers and make them glow.  The perfect place to sit and have that morning coffee.


I almost always show my paintings in a simple black frame.  I think it really allows the colors to pop and doesn't distract from the painting.  Since I also tone my canvases in black, it adds another dimension to the painting too.  What type of frames to do use on your work?

Carol Schiff

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Pear Still Life, "Pears with Back Lighting" 6x8" Oil, SOLD

It has been cloudy and kind of dreary here for the past week or two.  I prefer to work from images and I count on this time of the year to give me the natural light I use.

SOLD



This is not the bright light I usually have streaming in this window.  These pears look a little on the moody side.


I have another version of these pears coming up soon.

I find one of most biggest difficulties in painting small is constantly trying to find new and interesting compositions.  Changing from bright to soft light has helped.  How do you daily painters handle this issue?


Sunday, January 13, 2013

Flower Painting | Floral Still Life | Small Oil Painting | Rhododendron by Carol Schiff 6x8 Oil

Still painting flowers!  Hope you have not tired of them yet.  I will try to break up the flower posts with other subject matter, just to keep you awake.

$95 + 6.50


This petite bouquet of rhododendron blossoms grew next to my house in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  I snipped a few and placed them in a jelly jar on my kitchen window sill.  I love the effect of the darkened flowers with the bright light flowing in behind them.



My goal with these little works is to keep strong basic shapes and let the viewer's eye fill in missing pieces.  As you can see from this photo, the paint is thick and the strokes are few.

Happy Morning to you!
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Thursday, January 10, 2013

Abstract Seascape, "Sunset" by Carol Schiff, 11x14 Acrylic SOLD

Living next to the sea, I try to visit the beach at daybreak as often as possible.  Of course, this means starting my day a little earlier than usual.


SOLD


To make my life a little easier, I decided to do  a sunset, a memory of my visits on the west coast of Florida.

detail
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I added some texture to the canvas and attacked with my acrylics.  Acrylics are always risky for me.  I don't use them often enough to feel in control.  I think, my goal for 2013 will be to use them on a more regular basis and see where they may take me.  I enjoy abstract and mixed media and acrylics are the media of choice for these works.

I would love to hear any advise you wish to share on acrylics.


www.CarolSchiffStudio.blogspot.com

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Small Oil Still Life, Floral, "Sunflower and Hydrangea" 6x8"

I am writing this post on New Year's Eve, trying to get a little ahead on my postings.  I have a busy few weeks ahead of me and I want to have new postings for you.

95 + 6.50




I hope you are not tired and bored of my still life florals.  I have posted several in the past few weeks and I still have more lined up to paint.

Most of my time has been taken up painting commissions in the last few weeks, so these florals are like a little decompression chamber for me.


As much as I enjoy the holidays, it is good to get back in the studio on a regular basis again.  I have lots of new techniques and subject matter that I plan to try in the upcoming months.  My head seems to be full of new ideas which makes me want to jump around from one subject to another.

I thank all of you for being my readers and following my work on my blog as well as Facebook, Daily Painters Gallery and Daily Paintworks.  I have also opened a new site on CFAI and have two sites on Etsy so I keep very busy.  Many days, it seems I spend more time on the computer than in the studio!

Sunday, January 6, 2013

11x14 Oil Portrait for Stefani

My children and grandchildren try to join me for a little family reunion in the Blue Ridge Mountains each summer.  This year my daughter-in-law took a favorite photo of her son sitting on the rocks of a mountain stream and asked me to paint it for her.




Portraits are not my usual subject matter of choice.  They can be tedious with all the measuring and detail work necessary to get a good likeness.


It is a nice change from my landscape and still life work, but not something I would want to do on a daily basis.  This one is a nice warm-up for a couple of commissions I will be working on in the next few weeks.

I am enjoying being back in the studio on a regular basis instead of trying to squeeze in a little time here or there.  Have you recovered from the holidays?



Thursday, January 3, 2013

Abstract Seascape, Daily Painting, "Seascape Sunrise" SOLD

Now that the festivities are over, it is time to get back to work.  I love a vacation, but it is a good feeling to get back to my routines and spend time in the studio again.

SOLD




I am still working on commission portraits, so it feels good to go to the other side and do a light-hearted abstract piece.



Living close to the ocean, the sea turns up in many of my abstracts.

Have a great day!

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Abstract Mixed Media, 10x10 Original,SOLD, Acid Green and Aqua

Are you up for another abstract mixed media?

SOLD






Does this make you crazy?  It's like therapy for me.  I can only paint so many commissions, before I either start ripping out my hair.............or paint an abstract.  This one has quite a bit of under painting showing through.  Can you find it?

Hope you had a great holiday season.