 Maxfield Parrish (1870–1966) was an American painter and illustrator known for his distinctive use of saturated colors and luminous landscapes. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and later at the Art Students League of New York. Parrish gained prominence through magazine illustrations, advertising, and commercial work, including covers for Collier’s and Scribner’s. His technique involved layering glazes over detailed underpaintings to achieve depth and vibrancy, often combined with photographic references and careful perspective. He frequently depicted idealized figures and fantastical settings. Parrish’s work influenced American illustration and remains widely reproduced in prints and posters. 
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 Painting in monochrome helps artists focus on the fundamental aspects of visual structure without the distraction of color. It strengthens understanding of value relationships, contrast, and light distribution. This approach improves control over tonal transitions and spatial depth. It also enhances accuracy in rendering form, volume, and perspective. By simplifying the visual information, monochrome painting allows for clearer analysis of composition and balance. It is an effective method for studying texture, edges, and brushwork. Additionally, it serves as a strong foundation for later color work, ensuring that the underlying value structure remains stable and consistent in more complex paintings. I highly recommend doing a monochrome painting sometime. Noticed the below images do not have bright highlights or super dark shadow.        These painting hacks for artists working in oil paint will help you simplify your workflow, improve your results, and help keep you organized. These artist painting tips and time-saving painting techniques will make the process smoother so you can focus on what really matters—exploring your curiosity in oil painting.
1. Prevent Galkyd Lite from hardening in the bottle Whenever you use Galkyd Lite, always add a small amount of gambol to the bottle before closing it. This will keep it liquid over a longer period of time and prevent it from oxidizing and hardening inside the bottle. 2. Color-code your paint tube caps For those of us who leave the caps off our paint tubes while painting, paint a dab of that color on the top of the cap so you can quickly identify which cap belongs to which tube of paint. 3. Prevent oil from oozing out of your tub of paint This effect, which is normal, is related to the storage, temperature, and humidity conditions during paint manufacture. The oil sometimes rises to the top of the tube. A simple solution is to hang or store your tubes of oil paint upside down, with the cap at the bottom. The oil will migrate slowly upward. Later, when you turn the tube over and squeeze out the paint, it will not be overly oily. 4. Use acetate to test your brush marks You know that you're painting needs something, but you're not sure what. And you do not want to mess up your painting by taking a wild guess. A great solution is to lay a sheet of clear acetate over your painting and paint over the acetate, allowing you to see your brush mark effects without committing to them on the actual painting. Then, if you like the effect, remove the acetate and paint the marks on your painting. Some acetates will accept oil. Check the manufacturer's guidelines. 5. Stay on the level I often see painters paint a copy of a photo they have taken, and not realize they had not held their camera level, and subsequently, the horizon in the painting is also crooked. It's normal to take a photo that is not perfectly level. But always check the level in your painting. Even when it's off slightly, it shouts! 6. Another oily paint trick If your paint is excessively oily when you squeeze it out of the tube, squeeze the paint onto a piece of cardboard. Spread the paint around, and the cardboard will absorb the excess oil. After a few minutes, scrape the paint off the cardboard, and you will have a nice, thick, pasty color. 7. A hard copy is better than digital If you are painting from any kind of reference image, it is far better to have a good, high-quality color printout than to try to paint off of your phone. The downside of painting off your phone is that the image is small, and the colors are backlit, which is an effect that is difficult to reproduce in paint. A better approach is to paint using a high-quality printout, as a printout is on a reflective surface, and your canvas is also reflective. That way, they are both in the same visual environment. 8. Work out the wrinkles If your painting is wrinkled, spray Tight-N-Up on the back of the canvas. It will work even after you have painted your picture, but it is best to tighten your canvas before you begin. 9. Lavender oil Some artists use lavender oil in their painting, and it smells delightful, but it's also toxic. Don't use it in your painting. 10: Take your eyeballs for a walk Studies have shown that when artists look at their painting for a long time, they lose objectivity, enter tunnel vision, and lose perspective in what they're doing in the context of the whole. It is essential to constantly refresh your eyes and shake out the stiffness in your hands and back. Set the timer on your phone to every half hour, to remind you to get up and loosen up. Take five minutes to check in with other painters or take a walk down the hall. You'll come back refreshed and see your painting with new inspiration. 11 Make a name for yourself Sign your painting at least 1/2 inch from any edge to avoid a picture frame from covering it. And practice your signature over and over until it looks like a work of art itself. You don't want to go to all the work of making a beautiful painting and then have a child-like signature. 12 Experiment with a limited palette Limit yourself to three primaries + white (ultramarine blue, cadmium red medium, cadmium yellow medium, and titanium-zinc white). A reduced palette makes color mixing easier and creates natural harmony in your painting. 12 Keep a palette scrap canvas Don’t waste leftover paint—scrape it onto a spare canvas or panel. Over time, this becomes an interesting textured ground for a future painting. 13 Work on a toned ground Instead of white Before beginning a painting, cover your canvas first with a thin layer of burnt umber, raw sienna, or gray. A touch of Gamsol may be needed. Scrub in the paint, then wipe it off with a dry rag, and the canvas will remain stained. This reduces the stark white, helps judge values better, and often speeds up the painting process. 14. Use the Mirror of Truth There is something wrong with your painting, but you don’t know what it is. Place your painting in front of a mirror. Seeing it reversed tricks your brain into noticing proportion errors, awkward edges, or compositional imbalances. Or take a photo of you painting, then flip the image in your phone's image editing feature, and you will see the painting in reverse, making errors stand out. 15 Brush soaps Artist brush soaps can be expensive, and I have experimented with them all. Try this alternative method: After cleaning your brushes with Gamsol, clean them more thoroughly with inexpensive Dawn dishwashing liquid. It is formulated to break down grease and oil. Put a dab of Dawn soap into the bristles of your brush, massage it in well, then rinse in water. Lay your brushes flat to dry. Keep following your curiosity!  I was asked if students can bring objects from home to paint in class. Yes! Here are some things to consider: • Make sure that the objects you bring to class aren't busy with lots of complex details and patterns. Keep it simple. • Plan to have your painting done in 2 hours, the length of the class. That way, you will be painting under the lighting conditions in the classroom that day; there's no saying the same light conditions will be there next week. • Bring items to paint and we'll make it happen! To paint a still life from observation, begin by arranging objects under consistent lighting. Use a viewfinder or mark your canvas edges to establish composition. Sketch the basic shapes lightly with pencil, brush, or charcoal, focusing on proportion and placement. Identify the light source and block in shadow masses first to establish value structure. Mix and apply middle tones next, keeping paint thin in the early stages. Observe color temperature shifts and refine edges—keep some sharp, others soft to suggest depth. Use a limited palette to control harmony and mix colors accurately, based on observed color, not assumptions. Work across the whole painting, not object by object, to unify the composition. Avoid overworking; maintain brushstroke intention. Finally, step back often to assess relationships and make corrections. Let it dry between sessions if using oils. Clean tools thoroughly when finished.  Above is a setup I made at home. It would make a fun painting.  I have a big @ symbol. It would also be fun to paint.  Above is a more complex arrangement. Notice the lighting was carefully adjusted.  Here, the painter has kept the strokes loose.
Give it a try.  Plein air painting is the practice of painting outdoors, where artists directly observe the landscape. Artists bring their materials to the site and work on location to capture natural light, color, and atmosphere. This method requires quick decision-making due to the changing weather and lighting conditions. It challenges artists to simplify forms and focus on essentials. Plein air painting improves observation skills and deepens understanding of color relationships and spatial depth. Artists often complete studies on-site and may refine or expand them later in the studio. It’s a practical exercise that builds technical skill, visual memory, and confidence in working efficiently under natural conditions. Here are three of my recent plein air paintings: "Rose Garden in July." I was mesmerized by the flowers' soft colors.  "Rose Garden 2". Toward the far side of the Rose Garden, there is a small wooded area. I set up there to avoid the crowds.  "Woodland Park". Every direction you turn—trees! This one took about an hour.  Watch for more plein air paintings in future posts!
 Some paintings attract us more than others due to psychological, emotional, cultural, and aesthetic factors. While taste is subjective, certain elements engage our attention and emotion on a deeper level. These include composition, color harmony, emotional resonance, symbolic content, and the viewer’s personal experiences or cultural background. In the below paintings, observe what each painting evokes in you: Visual composition plays a foundational role in our response to paintings. We are naturally drawn to visual balance, rhythm, and clarity. A well-composed painting guides the viewer’s eye through the image in a way that feels satisfying or intriguing. The placement of elements within the frame can create tension, harmony, or curiosity. This subconscious visual organization can make a painting feel “right” even before we understand its content.
Color is another powerful attractor. Warm tones such as reds, oranges, and yellows create excitement or warmth, while cool tones like blues and greens evoke calm or introspection. Artists often use color to evoke emotion, and we are often unconsciously drawn to hues that resonate with our internal states or emotional needs. Beyond formal elements, emotional resonance is a major reason why some paintings attract us. A painting may reflect a mood we’re experiencing or longing for—joy, melancholy, nostalgia, wonder. We are drawn to art that mirrors our emotional world or gives voice to feelings we cannot easily express. This is especially true of figurative or symbolic art, where facial expressions, gestures, and settings invite empathy or contemplation. Cultural and personal background strongly influence what we find attractive. A painting that references a viewer’s heritage, beliefs, or lived experiences will often strike a deeper chord. Likewise, personal experiences—such as a memory of a place, a relationship, or a trauma—can create a magnetic pull toward certain subjects or styles. This makes the viewing experience unique for every individual. Lastly, the mystery or originality of a painting can be a powerful attractor. We are naturally curious beings, and when a painting challenges our expectations, invites interpretation, or contains ambiguity, it compels us to look closer. Innovative techniques, unusual perspectives, or imaginative concepts stimulate both the intellect and the imagination.  In the New York Times article below, commercial illustrator Christof Niemann discusses the challenges artists face when confronted with AI-generated images. He makes many excellent points, and his illustrations that accompany his ideas are delightfully original. I can see why he is a successful illustrator. Please read the article here: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/06/23/magazine/ai-art-artists-illustrator.html Then see my own comments on the topic below  My Take
My primary concern is the use of AI-generated images with respect to fine art, specifically painting. First of all, I respect the choices of every artist who chooses to use AI in their creative process. And I will tell you why I personally will never use AI in any part of my artistic creative process. The first and foremost reason is that its use diminishes and atrophies an artist's creativity and imagination, while paradoxically making the art appear superior. It's much easier to tell a machine to come up with amazing images and ideas than for artists to have to go through the difficult work of doing it themselves. Someone could argue, but why do it the old, hard way "by hand”? My argument is not whether it's old or new, but about what using AI may do to my cognitive skills and imagination. Some have equated AI-generated images to the advent of photography and its impact on the artistic creative process over the past 150 years. Using a camera makes a person smarter because you have to activate your cognitive skills to select scenes to photograph. In contrast, AI-generated images are just handed to you, and then you curate them. "I'll take this one but not that one.” The AI artist has become a curator of images, not an originator. Related to this, recent studies have examined writers who use ChatGPT extensively for writing, revealing that their cognitive skills have declined significantly due to their reliance on the tool. One may assume that something similar would happen to a visual artist using images generated by AI. (Ask ChatGPT about the 2025 MIT study about the use of AI-generated content and the decline of cognitive function.) It's a larger discussion than I can get into here, but these are some of my initial thoughts.  Exposing yourself to new art offers a wide range of concrete benefits, many of which are supported by research in psychology, education, and even business. When you engage with art outside your usual tastes or comfort zone, you develop cognitive flexibility, improve your ability to empathize, and enhance your problem-solving skills. Encountering unfamiliar art challenges your perception. Whether it’s a type of visual art, performance, or music you don’t normally enjoy or understand, your brain is pushed to interpret new symbols, patterns, and forms. This process activates areas in the brain related to critical thinking. You may not immediately understand what you're looking at, but the act of trying to make sense of it is intellectually valuable. This kind of mental engagement builds tolerance for ambiguity, a trait associated with higher creativity and adaptability. (Read more below). A Deeper Dive
Exposing yourself to new art increases your capacity for empathy. Art often reflects the experiences, beliefs, and values of people from different backgrounds. When you see a painting from another culture or watch a film that portrays life in a different socioeconomic context, you’re given a window into someone else’s world. This exposure doesn’t just increase knowledge; it also helps you understand emotional perspectives that are different from your own. Studies have shown that regularly engaging with the arts can make people more empathetic and socially aware. There are also measurable benefits for communication. People who engage with diverse forms of art often become better at expressing themselves. That’s not just because they’re picking up artistic skills, but because they’re exposed to many different modes of expression. For example, a sculpture might convey a complex idea without using any words at all. Observing how artists communicate helps you refine your own ability to convey ideas in more precise or nuanced ways. This can be useful not only in creative fields, but also in business, education, and personal relationships. From a practical standpoint, seeing new art can help break routine patterns of thought. This is especially useful in problem-solving. When your brain gets used to the same kinds of inputs, your ideas tend to become repetitive. New art interrupts that cycle. It introduces unexpected elements that can stimulate different ways of thinking. This kind of mental disruption is a key ingredient in innovation. Finally, exposing yourself to new art can reduce stress and improve overall mental health. While art doesn’t replace therapy or medical treatment, studies have shown that people who engage with art regularly often report feeling more satisfied with their lives. Even passive exposure—like walking through a museum or listening to an unfamiliar piece of music—can lead to lower cortisol levels and improved mood. In short, regularly seeking out new and unfamiliar art isn't just a hobby—it’s a way to expand your mental toolkit, improve social and emotional understanding, and stay mentally flexible in a fast-changing world. The benefits are practical, measurable, and applicable to many areas of life. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, a foundational event in Christian faith, symbolizing victory over sin and death. Observed on the Sunday following Good Friday, which commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion, Easter marks the culmination of Holy Week and the end of Lent, a season of fasting and reflection. For Christians, Easter affirms the promise of eternal life and the transformative power of God’s love and grace. It is both a solemn remembrance and a joyful celebration, often accompanied by church services, music, and gatherings that honor Christ’s sacrifice and triumph, offering hope and renewal to believers. Below, the crucifixion of Christ, his death, and resurrection are portrayed by three artists.  Crucifixion. I intentionally included the Grünenwald altarpiece above because art historians know it is one of the few depictions of the Crucifixion that expresses the true pain and brutality of torture. It is not romanticized. The Grünewald Altarpiece, also known as the Isenheim Altarpiece, is a monumental polyptych painted by Matthias Grünewald between 1512 and 1516 for the Monastery of St. Anthony in Isenheim. Renowned for its intense emotional power and vivid imagery, it was designed to comfort patients suffering from skin diseases like ergotism. The Crucifixion scene, with Christ’s contorted body, graphically conveys pain and redemption, while inner panels reveal scenes of the Resurrection and healing saints. Combining Gothic spirituality with early Renaissance detail, the altarpiece stands as one of the most hauntingly beautiful religious artworks of the Northern Renaissance.  The death of Christ. Michelangelo’s La Pietà, sculpted in 1498–1499, is a Renaissance masterpiece housed in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City. I would have to admit it moved me in a very deep way when I saw it live. Carved from a single block of Carrara marble, it depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the lifeless body of Jesus after the Crucifixion. Remarkable for its emotional depth, the sculpture captures both sorrow and serenity. Mary’s youthful face and the flowing drapery contrast with Christ’s lifeless form, creating a powerful expression of grief and divine grace. La Pietà was Michelangelo’s first major commission and remains the only work he ever signed, showcasing his extraordinary skill and spiritual sensitivity.  The Resurrection, Easter. Affirming the promise of eternal life and the transformative power of God’s love and grace. It is both a solemn remembrance and a joyful celebration, often accompanied by church services, music, and gatherings that honor Christ’s sacrifice and triumph, offering hope and renewal to believers.
If you're painting from photos, why not take photos with a fisheye filter or wide-angle filter? Or imagine your subject in a swirled state rather than predicably static, and paint directly from your imagination. I enjoy Rob Pointon's paintings above, and it made me think of how artists throughout history have distorted images to create new and exciting effects. Movements like Cubism, led by Picasso and Braque, fractured perspective to reveal multiple viewpoints at once, while Expressionists, such as Edvard Munch, exaggerated form and color to convey psychological intensity. Surrealists like Salvador Dalí twisted reality to explore the subconscious, merging dream logic with the real world. Abstract artists, including Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, abandoned literal representation entirely, using shape, color, and gesture to evoke mood and meaning. These distortions often reflected broader societal shifts—industrialization, war, existential uncertainty—offering new ways to see and feel the world. Rather than mere imitation, modern art became a language of transformation, allowing artists to reinterpret reality, confront truth, and provoke thought. In distorting the familiar, they opened doors to deeper understanding and imaginative freedom.
 Cats have long been symbols of mystery, playfulness, and the uncanny, making them perfect subjects for art. Their fluid movements, piercing eyes, and mischievous expressions lend themselves to endless artistic interpretations. From ancient Egyptian depictions of divine felines to the surreal cats of contemporary paintings, these creatures captivate with their enigmatic presence. From vibrant, swirling patterns to exaggerated, elongated forms, artistic depictions of cats highlight their wonderfully weird nature. They embody contradictions—graceful yet chaotic, affectionate yet aloof—making them ideal muses for surreal and whimsical compositions. Whether they appear stretched beyond proportion, rendered in swirling colors, or sitting with an all-knowing stare, cats in art reflect both the strange and the sublime. Study the styles and moods of each painting. Try to imagine painting in a similar style. For more information about each painting, grab the image and drop it into Google Lens.  In class last week we were talking about Artist, Richard Diebenkorn (1922–1993). He was an American painter known for his contributions to both Abstract Expressionism and the Bay Area Figurative Movement. His early works reflected the gestural, expressive qualities of abstraction, but he later shifted to figurative painting, blending abstraction with recognizable forms. Diebenkorn’s most celebrated series, Ocean Park, features luminous, geometric compositions inspired by the California coast, marked by layered colors, subtle textures, and a masterful sense of space. His work balances structure and spontaneity, evoking both landscape and emotion. Diebenkorn remains an influential figure in modern art, bridging abstraction and representation with a distinctive, contemplative style.  Study these paintings by Carlos San Millan. They portray a dark room with a door or window providing a source of light. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to take reference photos of room interiors that could be used for painting. See my examples at the bottom of the page. Here are samples of interior photos with a door or window as the source of light. They could be used as reference photos for paintings. If you wish to share your photos with others in my program, post them on our Artist's Network FB page. Here are some photos I took for the challenge: Below is an example of an interior reference photo, and then my abstract-ish interpretation of it as a painting.  Here are some beautiful and interesting paintings that I found recently. Please check them out and ask yourself how they were painted. Perhaps even download an image and printed out to use as a reference photo for yourself. Enjoy!   John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian-era luxury. He created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings.
Sargent’s portrait painting technique was characterized by bold, confident brushwork and a mastery of light and texture. He painted alla prima, applying wet paint onto wet, which allowed for fluid transitions and a luminous quality. His brushstrokes were both precise and expressive, capturing intricate details with seemingly effortless gestures. Sargent often began with loose underpaintings before refining forms with carefully placed highlights and shadows. He emphasized composition and atmosphere, using dynamic poses and rich tonal contrasts. His ability to render fabric, skin, and light with remarkable realism made him one of the most celebrated portraitists of his time.   13 minutes video
"Alla prima" portrait painting, meaning "at first attempt," is a dynamic and spontaneous approach where the artist completes the work in one sitting. This technique requires mastery of brush control, color mixing, and the ability to capture the essence of the subject swiftly. The wet-on-wet method allows colors to blend directly on the canvas, fostering rich textures and natural transitions.  I have been talking with some of my students about surrealism lately. As an artistic style, it ranges from the quirky and peculiar to the outright ghoulish and horrifying. The original idea of surrealism was that it supposedly depicted what dreams look like. René Magritte is one of my favorite original surrealists. He was born in Belgium and was known for his thought-provoking and enigmatic works. He juxtaposed ordinary objects in unexpected ways and challenged perceptions of reality and representation. Iconic works like The Son of Man (depicting a man in a bowler hat with his face obscured by an apple) explore themes of identity, illusion, and meaning. His precise, illustrative style and playful manipulation of context created visual puzzles that engage viewers intellectually and emotionally. If you ever hit a plateau with you current painting style, consider painting a whimsical surrealist painting for a change of pace. 
The sfumato painting technique, famously used by Leonardo da Vinci, involves blending colors and tones seamlessly to create soft transitions without harsh lines or edges. Derived from the Italian word sfumare, meaning "to evaporate" or "to fade," this method gives paintings a smoky, atmospheric quality. Sfumato is particularly effective for rendering realistic skin tones, subtle lighting effects, and a sense of depth. Artists achieve this effect by layering thin glazes of paint, carefully controlling the transitions between light and shadow. One of the most renowned examples is da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, where sfumato contributes to her enigmatic expression and lifelike presence.
Here is a close up of Mona Lisa's eyes. Notice that there are no sharp, hard edges. (The cracking was caused by the use of linseed oil) 
In the painting below, notice there are no hard edges: 
 I invited the painters in my program to ask me any questions they wanted, and I would do my best to answer them. Painter Debbie made us laugh by joking about asking for the meaning of life. Later, on my way home from the art studio, I saw a bumper sticker that read, "The meaning of life is to live it." An hour later, my friend Tom sent me a quote from Instagram: "You're a ghost driving a meat-coated skeleton made from stardust, riding a rock, rolling through space. – Fear nothing." It seemed the universe was sending me this question, so I looked up several quotes about the meaning of life—and art—and added my own at the end.  Pablo Picasso – “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” Picasso suggests that art elevates us beyond the mundane, hinting that the meaning of life may lie in experiencing beauty, wonder, and insight beyond ordinary existence.  Oscar Wilde – “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” Wilde implies that art is a powerful source of meaning and vision, shaping how we perceive life itself. This challenges us to see art not just as a reflection but as a guide to life’s purpose.  Rainer Maria Rilke – “The work of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.” Rilke saw art as a way to engage with life’s mysteries rather than solve them, suggesting that part of life’s meaning might be found in contemplation rather than explanation.  Fyodor Dostoevsky – “Art is as much a need for humanity as eating and drinking. The need for beauty and creativity goes beyond practicality, connecting us to a deeper purpose.” This connects art directly to our essence as humans, implying that our quest for beauty and understanding through art is fundamental to our reason for being.  Jeanette Winterson – “Art is not a luxury, but a necessity...Art becomes a bridge, a passageway, into that which cannot be spoken.” Winterson suggests that art helps us access aspects of life’s meaning that words alone can’t convey, making it a fundamental part of our existence and quest for purpose.  Alan Moore – “To paint a picture of the meaning of life may be the highest purpose of all.” As a graphic novelist and writer, Moore speaks to the powerful role art plays in humanity’s search for meaning, as if to suggest that the journey to create art may itself be the purpose of life.  Albert Camus – “A work of art is a confession.” In the existentialist spirit, Camus believed that art reveals the inner struggles and truths of life, suggesting that art may be one way to face the essential questions and truths of our existence.  Patrick Howe - "The purpose of life is to awaken to the reality of your true being. Bring that into your art."
"May your life be guided by curiosity, and a passion to see the world with fresh eyes."  When studying paintings by other artists, focus on technique. Was the painting done 'loose and expressive' or 'tight and technical'? Compare the color palette between the paintings below. Ask yourself how the color palette affects the mood of the painting. Imagine if they were different colors. Study the composition and notice how shapes interact with each other to produce a harmonious whole. Ask yourself, or notice, what emotional feeling the painting evokes. Which paintings have a flat-to-the-picture-plane composition and which create a sense of deep space? How do you think the artist accomplished these compositional effects? Can you identify the historic style out of which these paintings have arisen?  Portrait painting is an art form that captures both the physical likeness and the emotional essence of a subject. Beyond merely replicating facial features, a successful portrait conveys personality, mood, and even deeper layers of character through careful attention to expression, pose, and composition. Focus in closely on these images and compare them; look how some are hard edged and bright colored, while others are very carefully rendered with soft edges, which Leonardo da Vinci called sfumato. (See mustached figure by Shellyhannaart below.) Artists use techniques like chiaroscuro (the interplay of light and shadow) to create depth and lifelike presence. Color choices, brushwork, and background elements also contribute to the narrative of the portrait. While rooted in tradition, portraiture continues to evolve, offering a profound way to explore and depict human identity and emotion.  Styles of visual art are available to us today like never before. And it's amazing to see what so many artists are doing from all over the world. Variety of style and technique in our visual art culture is vital as it reflects the diversity of thought, experience, and perspective. Different approaches to form, color, and medium enable artists to express a wide range of ideas and emotions, from traditional beliefs to modern innovations. This richness fosters dialogue between generations and communities, enhancing cultural understanding and evolution. A varied artistic landscape also encourages experimentation, challenging established norms and pushing creative boundaries, which contributes to a culture’s growth, resilience, and ability to inspire others globally. Diversity in art nurtures a dynamic and inclusive cultural identity.  Contemporary art defies traditional movements, and is bound by no singular style or school. Artists today blend diverse influences, techniques, and cultures, creating a vibrant, eclectic global art ecosystem. The internet has amplified this new art world reality, enabling a global exchange of ideas and recognition of artists from every culture, country, and race. Unlike the past’s Western-dominated narratives, today’s art world is more inclusive, celebrating a multitude of perspectives. It used to be that artists like myself could only learn about art through history books, magazines, and film documentaries. But it’s super exciting to see so much extraordinary art now. Here are some painting that recently showed up on my Instagram that I really liked. A few years ago, I had the privilege of showcasing my work in a solo exhibition at Axis Gallery in Seattle. The show featured 50 of my oil paintings, each reflecting my deep affection for flowers and vibrant color palettes. Alongside these, I presented pieces from my Post Personalism series—a body of work that delves into themes beyond self-centricity, exploring concepts of cosmic consciousness and other mystical ideas that captivate my imagination. Have a wonderful day filled with color, textures, and mysteries.
 Quirky and beautiful realistic fine art painting brings a delightful twist to traditional realism. These works capture everyday scenes and objects with meticulous detail, yet infuse them with unexpected elements that surprise and charm the viewer. Whether it’s a whimsical play on scale, an imaginative use of color, or the inclusion of fantastical details within a realistic setting, these paintings balance authenticity with creativity. The result is a captivating blend of the familiar and the extraordinary, where the ordinary becomes enchanting. This fusion of quirky and beautiful invites viewers to see the world with fresh eyes and a sense of wonder. |
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Patrick Howe, Artist, Author and Educator Seattle, WA. Contact: [email protected] |
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