Highlands Heaven

Highlands Heaven
16 x 20 oil painting by Pat Fiorello
$1600

Saw many beautiful hydrangeas while teaching a painting workshop up at the Bascom in Highlands, North Carolina last week. That served as the inspiration for painting these hydrangeas in sunlight. Below is some of the preparation I did before getting started, planning out the design and value pattern as well as the initial block in and development of the painting.

I'll be teaching a "Painting Flowers in Oil Alla Prima" workshop in Norcross GA on 9/7-9/9.   You are welcome to participate even if you are new to oil painting. We still have space available if you'd like to join in the fun.  You can learn more  and register on this web page .

Backyard Bliss-final

Backyard Bliss- final
16 x 20 Oil Painting by Pat Fiorello

Came back to the last painting I was working on before I left for the workshop I taught in North Carolina last week. Made a few revisions to the composition and several shapes. I find with oils, it takes almost as much time to make some ( what one would think) minor revisions as to do the whole painting. Every time you adjust one area, it impacts another.

Backyard Bliss

Backyard Bliss
16 x 20 Oil Painting
by Pat Fiorello

It's been a long summer. I counted since May 1, I have been away for about 10 weeks. Some of it was  planned and for fun - like teaching a painting workshop in Spain, my brother's wedding, a family reunion for my husband's family in Chicago and a visit to see our 10 month old grandson and his parents in Dallas.  A few of the other trips were unexpected and no so happy- my mom was hospitalized on 2 different occasions and she ultimately passed away on July 10 and my uncle passed away in June, so spent a few tough weeks in NY/NJ/Conn.

I feel like I've experienced the full gamut of emotions this summer, the highs and lows, between babies, weddings and funerals.   Throughout these ups and downs, I have gotten in some painting when I could, including 4 commissions that were due this month, but I've really felt out of my normal painting rhythm, so glad to be home now for at least a few days to get back into it.

I bought some hydrangeas and decided to paint them outdoors in my backyard in front of another type of hydrangea bush. Yesterday I started out with a smaller canvas (12 x 16) and painted "Hydrangeas in the Sun" (below). I started out small since I wanted to warm up after a considerable painting hiatus and also since it was pretty hot on an Atlanta summer day so I didn't want to be out there too long with a large canvas.  While I was satisfied with this painting, I realized that it really wasn't what I originally intended, which was to get the full scene. So last night I came up with a new composition and pulled out a larger canvas. That was the inspiration for today's painting  "Backyard Bliss", 16 x 20.

I've taken an on-line course with artist Dennis Perrin who stresses the importance of having a clear painting intention and letting that drive your decision making and painting experience. I can see from these past few days how truly important that is.

The oil paints and brushes are put away for a few days now as I leave to teach a watercolor workshop in North Carolina, but I'll be back soon sharing some more painting and lessons along the way.

Hydrangeas in the Sun (final)
12 x 16 oil painting
by Pat Fiorello

Reference photo of the set up

Plan for composition, value sketch

Toned canvas

preliminary drawing

Paint mixtures across different values

Initial block in darkest value

Blocking in adding mid tones

Final painting photographed outside

Hydrangeas in the Sun

Hydrangeas in the Sun
12 x 16 Oil Painting
by Pat Fiorello

I've ben traveling for most of the summer and glad to finally be home for awhile.
Today I bought some hydrangeas and set them up to paint outside in my backyard  (yes, I know it's summer in Atlanta). I was able to spend about an hour and a half outdoors before it got too hot, but had enough down to be able to finish the painting indoors.

Since I was just getting warmed up after a painting hiatus of a few weeks and I was working outdoors,  I painted on a 12 x 16 canvas. In hindsight, I wish I had had a larger canvas to get in more of the scene. I plan to revisit this subject on a larger canvas with a vertical composition so I can get in more of the background of the scene.

Here are some of the photo's from my backyard.