Previews of works in progress

These are all 16" x 20" oils, the largest pieces of the new work, as they stand today. The exhibit is a week from this Friday, and I still have these to finish, plus 9 more new ones and 6 older ones that are being updated and reworked.

Paintings in progress

04/09/09

6" x 12" Zell Scene - Oils 04/09/09
10" x 10" Concrete Pots - Oils

04/09/09

6" x 12" Street Scene - Oils

16" x 20" Street Scene - Oils

12" x 16" Reagan - Oils

16" x 20" Hotel - Oils

6" x 12" Citizen's Electric - Oils

04/09/09

10" x 10" Whitecliff - Oils
04/09/09

16" x 20" Ste Genevieve - Oils
04/09/09

16" x 20" Ironton 1864 - Oils

This week I began to pull together the photo ideas that I have been saving for future paintings. Then, I picked out the canvases on which I wanted to make those paintings, made some preliminary outline sketches on the canvas and threw some paint on. Below are some of the works in progress. Next Sunday, or sooner, I plan to update with these as they have progressed.

LaPorte House

This is a painting I have had in the Studio for a long time. The first time I showed the piece was at the Ste Genevieve Christmas Art Show in 2007. This is a 24" x 20" oil painting. The top picture shows the piece unfinished just before the 2007 show in the palette I had originally used. I have gotten a lot of positive comments on the finished painting over the months, however, I have never been quite happy with it, nor has it sold. In the first place, the painting was started as a plein air painting with the summer sun directly overhead. I have never liked that kind of lighting for a painting, and most painters agree. So, I snapped some pictures of the same house in the late afternoon sun. As I rework the painting, I am considering that lighting.

"Remnant Church"

A member of Ste Genevieve's Remnant Church commissioned this painting, and the frontal view of it, after seeing several street scene photographs I had taken (one of which I am working on now) of the church. So, I went out and photographed the church again, from across the street, when the lighting was indistinct. As I was finishing the picture one morning, the sun came out strong and I snapped a new photograph with strong light and shadows, which helped me paint in strong shadows and strong light. Oils, 11" x 14" on canvas board, framed $200 SOLD.

Jack Donze's Horse and Cart

This is 11" x 14" oil painting on canvas board of a local resident, Jack Donze and his horse and buggy. I took the picture late this summer as he was turning around in front of my Studio de Michel (which you can see the umbrella at the far left of the image). The building in the background is the old Menard Home. SOLD.

Inn Ste Gemme Beauvais

This is a commissioned piece which was started en plein air in October. I had sketched the composition in oil one afternoon and had it standing very unfinished in my Studio de Michel. A buyer came in and saw it and asked, "Is this finished?" I told her it was not. She commissioned me to finish it. It is a 16" x 20" oil painting of the Inn Ste Gemme Beauvais, now being restored after a fire in February. This Ste Genevieve landmark sits across the street from my Studio de Michel. SOLD.

The Old Academy

It has been a few weeks since I have published any posts. The reason for this is that I have been working on several paintings. Hopefully you will enjoy these. This is a 10" x 14" plein air oil painting started in a workshop with Michael Anderson in October. A buyer saw it unfinished and commissioned me to finish it. SOLD.

"Morning Levee Light"

Painted from a photo taken about a month ago from the Mississippi River levee north of downtown, the golden morning light makes this scene glow happily. Done in softer tones and brushwork, this painting is in oils on canvas board, 16" x 20". This piece will be on exhibit at the Garden Gallery in Cape Girardeau for the month of November, 2008, as a part of the Ste Genevieve Art Guild exhibition. SOLD

"Ste Genevieve Scene"

From a photo I took a month or two ago, I painted this 16" x 20" street scene of Ste Genevieve. This is a classic shot. Done in oils on canvas board. This will be in an exhibit of the Ste Genevieve Art Guild at the Garden Gallery in Cape Girardeau in November, 2008. The exhibit of some 60 pieces will open on Friday, November 7 during the First friday Gallery Hop in Cape. See you there. SOLD.

Five Paintings Sold Today!

"The Main Street Inn" 11" x 14" oils, SOLD.

A woman came in and bought 2 finished paintings, "The Hotel Entrance" and "The Main Street Inn". Then she asked me to finish 2 that were in process, "The Inn Ste Gemme Beauvais" and the "Old Academy". Then she commissioned me to paint the Southern Hotel. Thank you for your support (pictures of the new work will be posted soon).

"Menard Porch" Best of Show

"Menard Porch" This painting, along with "Inn St. Gemme" (below), were entered into the 2008 Ste Genevieve Plein Air Event competition and won 2nd Place in the category "oils and acrylics", and Best of Show! Thank you, to the judges, for the recognition. This is a view from under my table umbrella, outside my Studio in Ste Genevieve, looking north on Main Street. The sun hits the porch beautifully in the later morning. The challenge is catching it in paint. Desc: 16" x 20", plein air painted outdoors, in the late morning, over a 3 day period, oils on canvas board, $225 unframed. SOLD on 10/15/08

"Inn St Gemme Beauvais"

"Inn St. Gemme Beauvais" This painting was done over a three day period during the annual Ste Genevieve Plein Air event, October 3-10, 2008. After I got started, I noticed how much foreground I had! I decided, instead of changing the composition too much, to try and make the foreground more interesting. That was my challenge on this one. This is the view from the front of the Studio de Michel, looking across the street. Click to enlarge. Desc: Plein air painted over a 3 day period, in the late afternoon sun, 16" x 20", oils on canvas board. $225 unframed. SOLD on 10/15/08

"Hotel Entrance"

The Hotel Sainte Genevieve is a familiar landmark in the Historic District. One morning, earlier this year, I snapped this picture. I knew I wanted to try and paint it because of the great play of the light and shadows of the foreground tree on the white painted brick. The only hesitation was in deciding how to handle the ornate wrought iron in the entrance.

This is a 24" x 30" oil painting on stretched canvas. SOLD 10/18/08

"Awaiting Interpretation"

Alex Ward and his newest painting, "Awaiting Interpretation", is displayed at Studio de Michel until September 23, 2008. The Last Friday Opening reception on September 29, was well attended by artists, community, friends and family. The featured artist for October will be Michael Anderson from Belleville IL.

"Studio de Michel" painting

My latest painting is a 16" x 20" rendition in oil of the front of Studio de Michel from a photo taken when the sun was completely overhead, just before it passes behind the building. I like painting light contrasting with shadows. This is priced at $275 unframed.

"Donna's Sunflowers"

"Donna's Sunflowers" is a 16" x 20" oil painting of a vase of sunflowers prepared by Lulu for Donna Charron's funeral dinner. She left them at my studio and I took a few photos. I used some vibrant colors, as I experiment around. The colors in the photo are not true to the original in that the background is a deeper hue and the vase is violet and the table is a deep violet brown. If I get a better photo later, I will publish it. Unframed, this painting is priced at $275.