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Inspiration from Artists Wk 109 : Still Life and Abstract Paintings
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Message
Posted
Welcome to this weeks thread , one that has been planned for some time and I have to admit is well out of my knowledge and comfort zone .
The first part of the week I’d dedicate to Still Life paintings by any artist , ima coward and chose well known artists . From Wednesday it will be Abstract Paintings once again by any artist famous or unknown as long as you feel it’s inspiring. Please do join in and post some painting I desperately need the help on this one I admire some of the abstracts I have seen but I do t paint then and find some difficult to understand, There is know doubting the stills required for both disciplines .
1 George Baraque 
Jacob Van Es
Giorgio Morandi
Edward Ladell
Jos Kivits
Jacob Van Es
Giorgio Morandi
Edward Ladell
Jos Kivits
Posted
My biggest problem with still life's is that far too many look like they've been set out using random collections of unrelated objects. In short, they don't look natural. This is the main reason I prefer Van Gogh style loose works that are obviously paintings/sketches as the artist sees them opposed to over-detailed photographic results. Just a personal observation.
Edited
by Jim Morris
Posted
Jim it’s the personal obsession and opinions that we hope to hear , I share you frustration at so of the still life’s painting however occasionally a really interesting one come up well one I find interesting . I much prefer your honest opinion that’s no opinion or worse still a very negative one.
Posted
Edward Ladell’s grapes certainly look more realistic than those of Van Es - it’s something that irritates me, I confess, when a high shine is plonked on a piece of fruit which isn’t naturally shiny…no real observation. ( I’m not meaning Vas Es here ) Having got that off my chest, I love Morandi’s work, have been lucky to visit two exhibitions. Peploe painted some lovely S. Lifes, the Dutch Masters are amazing to examine, Van Gogh and Cézanne, Manet….lots more. Jim mentions random objects as a dislike. Sometimes something just catches your eye in the house…random but not set up and it’s worthy of painting. I like to set up S. Lifes but, hopefully, not so ordered that they are clichéd….there has to be something special there, the way the light falls or a little imagined story. I haven’t selected any images yet so I shall return!
Edited
by Marjorie Firth
Posted
I’m not a huge fan of still life paintings, but they have their place. They do provide the artist with a readily available ‘prop’ for honing up your drawing skills… which is an important discipline. We’ve all got interesting objects lying around which would make a drawing…
This is my set up of Grapefruit & Pears which I drew from life for a WIP in The Artist magazine.
Grapefruit and Pears, pastel on A3 toned paper
Alan Bickley
Posted
Oh Alan, Still Life can be so much more than for “ honing up your drawing skills”. There are some wonderful paintings which portray light or colour or form or tell a story. Of course they can be just what you say and I use them for that too.
So many examples too numerous to recall or to access. Here are but a few:-
Edited
by Marjorie Firth
Posted
The last two, above. The flowers on a table is a print I own by Joseph O’Reilly. He is from Huddersfield, paints in acrylic and someone I aspired to years ago when I lived in Holmfirth. The last painting is by Ewan McLure and I bought it from an exhibition last year. Fiona also has one of his Still Lifes.Edited
by Marjorie Firth
Posted
I don’t think you can beat Cezanne for vibrancy and boldness in still life.
For a modern uncontrived style of still life I love Adam Ralston's work such as these from his studio and breakfast table.
What particularly appeals is the fact that these are not staged and he allows the items to wander off the edge of the painting surface.
Shirley Trevena
Terence Clarke
