Barbara Lipkin's Paintings

Seasons

2010-02-03T14:13:00.003-06:00

Well, it's certainly been a while since I've posted, but I've been painting away like mad. My latest series is called Seasons, which is an exploration of the colors and moods of the seasons of the year. So far, I've completed "Summer Garden" and made great progress on "Autumn Blaze." I've just updated my website so you can see them there, but here's an example:

This is Autumn Blaze I, oil, 16 x 20, available framed for $410.00. Do please contact me to purchase. Free delivery on all orders.

Color Garden Series

2009-08-15T15:06:00.003-05:00

I've just finished a series of pastel paintings which is absolutely gorgeous, if I say so myself. I'm calling it Color Gardens, because it's an exploration of super-saturated colors in rich pastels. They're each 9 x 12 inches, and I'm selling them for $225. each. They'll be framed in 3 inch wide gold frames, very simple and elegant. I'm just waiting for the frames to arrive - they're on back-order. How annoying!

You can see the rest of them on my website: www.LipkinGallery.com.

Pastel Demo at Plainfield Art League

2009-07-13T14:40:00.002-05:00

At the Plainfield Art League, I laid out a variety of pastels, including Nupastel, Rembrandts, Sennelier, and Unisons. Explaining as I worked, I roughed in the painting, working top to bottom and back to front. Then I went back into it and added detail. The whole painting took about an hour. This was a nice group of people, and they asked a lot of questions, which is always fun. There is nothing worse than a roomful of silence, but I love it when there is plenty going on as I work. I finished the painting at home, increasing contrasts, adding details, refining the design. Here it is.

Pastel Demo at Plainfield Art League

2009-07-13T14:31:00.004-05:00

In May, I was invited to do a demonstration of pastel technique at the Plainfield Art League. I prepared for it by doing a drawing first, and then an underpainting using oils on Wallis sanded paper. Here are some pix -

You can see that I did a thumbnail sketch, followed by a pencil drawing on the paper. Then I painted in, very loosely, an oil underpainting, using opposite (complementary) colors.

Top Artist

2009-07-13T14:19:00.005-05:00

I attended the Art Expo in Lisle, IL this week-end, and got quite a few bargains. I also participated in the Top Artist Contest, and won 2nd Prize! There were 5 contestants. The organizers set up easels for us, with a sheet of sanded pastel paper, and gave each of us 3 Holbein pastel sticks: black, light gray, and pink. They set a white bowl with red apples on a table, and told us to do a still life painting in 8 minutes, using only the 3 colors. There were 3 judges from the sponsors of the Expo, and they took their time. But they eliminated 2 of the contestants after this round. I was really nervous, and didn't want to hear my name called, and when I heard 2 other names, I took a deep breath. Here's my round 1 painting.

For the second challenge, they recruited a model from the audience, and gave the remaining 3 contestants each a yellow and a blue pastel, to add to the gray, black, and pink ones we already had. The assignment was to create a portrait of the model in 5 minutes, using only the 5 colors. At the end of the 5 minutes, the judges studied each picture, taking their time, while we contestants held our collective breath. Each of the 3 portraits was well-done, and each very different, of course. But finally, the judges made their decision. I won 2nd Place. Here's my effort.

For having a really good time, I got all sorts of good loot. Can't wait to go to Dick Blick and spend my gift certificates and coupons.

Top Artist

2009-07-01T12:00:00.002-05:00

I'll be at the Art Expo at the Hickory Ridge Marriott in Woodridge, IL on Saturday, July 11, at 4 to 5 pm, competing in the Top Artist Pastel Painting contest. It should be a lot of fun. The challenge is for 5 artists to each do their best work in the time alloted, using materials supplied by the various vendors. There will be a prize awarded by a panel of judges for the best work. Wish me luck!

Updating the Blog

2009-05-18T11:06:00.003-05:00

I have been so busy these past 2 months that I haven't been conscientious about my blog. I have participated in a figure painting exhibit, have organized a group show, and have been working on another group show. I still have my solo show up at Edward Heart Hospital in Naperville, on the 3rd floor. I attend a figure drawing/painting workshop most Tuesday evenings, and am keeping up with my painting, as well.

I've been doing quite a bit of experimentation lately. I have been using Masonite panels, coating them heavily with acrylic gesso, and then "painting" with modeling paste. This creates an interestingly textured surface, on to which I pour, brush, scrape, and fingerpaint in acrylic. I'm getting some really interesting results, which I will be photographing and posting in the near future.

In the meantime, I am adding to my teaching schedule, so if you are interested in a class in oil painting, pastel painting, or drawing, contact me for info on how and where to sign up.

The Southwest

2009-03-09T20:29:00.004-05:00

I haven't posted in quite a while, because I've been away, touring the Southwest. The desert, with it's red rock mountains, spectacular cactus, and wide open spaces, is amazing. I'm back in my studio now, and can't wait to start producing a new series.

Here's just one photo I took of the Botanical Gardens in Scottsdale. I have tons more, and will be using them for reference for my new paintings. Any special requests for desert scenes in either oils or pastels will be welcome.

Landscape Paintings

2008-12-23T12:12:00.004-06:00

Left: Michigan Avenue, pastel, 18 x 24, $495.00

Right: Michigan Ave. study, pastel, 9 x 12, $110.00.

Lots of times, I work out a painting idea in several versions, in pastels, watercolors, or oils, and in different sizes. This is a good way to get my idea down more clearly in my own mind, deal with any problems, figure out the color palette, and so forth. Last summer, I went to downtown Chicago, and took some pictures. I've been fooling around with some ideas, sketching, etc., ever since. Here are 2 versions of Michigan Avenue, looking south from the Water Tower. They're both in pastel, both finished as is. They may also serve as studies for a future oil. We'll see.

Greeting cards

2008-12-04T21:37:00.002-06:00

This is the image that's been optioned by Hallmark. It has 2 names: Passover 1953 and Passover on 19th Street. It's totally from my imagination, but I like it because it's based on fond memories of childhood Seders at my Grandparents' apartment on Chicago's West Side. The goat on the left is a reference to the traditional song, "One kid, one kid (Chad Gadya)". The vignette on the lower right is a reference to the neighborhood, with its ranks of apartment buildings. Though it's one of my favorite paintings, it's definitely for sale to an interested buyer.
Passover on 19th Street, oil on canvas, 30 x 40, $1800.00.
Just click here to let me know.

Greeting cards

2008-12-04T21:33:00.004-06:00

I was recently asked to create an invitation. I have done a painting for that, which I'm posting here. Then I got a proposal from Hallmark cards, who have taken an option on one of my paintings. So maybe I'm going into a new line of business. We'll see how that works out.

Anyway, here's the image I'm using for the invitation. It's only a first draft. I'll be redoing it in goache, adding lettering, etc. But I'm kind of pleased with it so far.

Color Fields - Swamp

2008-11-21T14:23:00.003-06:00

Here is the other painting I've been working on and finally finished. Color Fields - Swamp, oil, 24 x 24.

I've also been doing some pastels, some drawings, attending workshops, getting ready for my next show at Edward Hospital. And guess what? Hallmark Cards has taken an option on one of my narrative series. It might go on a card someday. Really exciting.

I'd love to get some feedback.

Bend in the River

2008-11-21T14:21:00.002-06:00

I haven't posted in a while, but I've been working. Here is "A Bend in the River," oil, 24 x 24.

Changes

2008-11-03T19:22:00.002-06:00

This past month has been one of changes. I have a new, redesigned website, and I've added some more paintings for sale to Etsy.com. I've sold my tent, since I've made the decision to concentrate on solo and group shows instead of doing art fairs. So - autumn always feels like the start of the year to me, and now is the time to go off in a new direction.

I've always been fascinated with color, and the more I paint, the more my paintings are just about color. They'll probably always be representational to some degree, but I'm much less interested now in portraying a particular place or object. Instead, I want to see how far I can push the colors to see what they're capable of. In other words, brighter, softer, subtler, bolder - what can color do?

Conversely, at the other end of the spectrum, I am still very interested in portrait painting. So between the two objectives, I should have enough to keep me occupied for a while! Keep checking this blog for updates on how this is all coming along.

New Slideshows

2008-10-23T22:50:00.004-05:00

Please scroll all the way down to see 2 new slideshows, showing a selection of my landscape paintings in oils and in pastels. They are all for sale, so please click here if you'd like more information.

Open Studio

2008-10-08T14:47:00.002-05:00

I've been busy getting ready for my Outdoor Open Studio on Oct. 18th & 19th, so haven't posted lately. But I'm still here, so please check out www.LipkinGallery.com for examples of my work. I'm really looking forward to the open studio. In addition to selling my work, I plan to have a couple of demonstrations over the 2 days. So if you're interested in how a work of art is created, be sure to come over and see.

Landscape Paintings

2008-09-24T12:35:00.002-05:00

Here's the almost finished painting. It's finished for now, but I think it still needs some work. I think I'll subdue the background more, and brighten up the focal point, for greater contrast. I love working like this, taking my time, going back and forth in the painting. Stay tuned for the final version. It will probably take me another week or so.

Landscape Paintings

2008-09-24T12:33:00.002-05:00

This is an intermediate step. I've got all the colors blocked in, but the painting isn't really unified yet.

Landscape Paintings

2008-09-24T12:28:00.002-05:00

Here is the other landscape painting I've been working on. It's called, "Color Fields (Swamp)", and was inspired by a South Carolina swamp, which was absolutely gorgeous, and full of life. I'm showing here some of the stages in its creation. It is very subtle, and all about getting the values right. I may decide to brighten it up at some point, but I wanted to see if I could manage a very subtle palette. This first shot is the photo that inspired the painting.

Demonstrations

2008-09-20T12:10:00.002-05:00

I had a very good week. I did two demos, and here is the finished version I began at the Lemont Artists Guild on Wednesday. It's a painting that has its inspiration in the plein air study I did about 2 weeks ago at the Chicago Botanical Gardens in Highland Park. It's a view of the Japanese Garden from "Across the Pond," oil, 11 x 14.

Landscape paintings

2008-09-14T14:47:00.006-05:00

I've been working on 2 landscapes recently. They're a bit different from my earlier work, in that I have been experimenting more with layering the paint. This is creating an interesting shimmering effect. So actually, these paintings are more about the paint than about the subject matter. But they're still representational paintings. Here are the next 2 stages of my River Bend painting, oil, 24 x 24. I think it's finished now, but I may change my mind after it sits a while. The one on your right is the finished version.

Landscape Paintings

2008-09-03T15:11:00.003-05:00

Here are 2 shots of the painting I'm doing, based on the "river bend" photo. The first is a shot of the canvas on my easel, and the second is a close-up of the same. You can see it's not finished at all. Just the preliminary layers, defining the basic composition and the color scheme. I'll be posting more pictures as I develop the painting to its conclusion.

Landscape Paintings

2008-09-03T14:59:00.004-05:00

I'm continuing to do landscape paintings, but my style has been evolving recently. My paintings are moving away from realism/impressionism and towards more abstraction. I'm experimenting with just moving the paint around, creating layers upon layers, veiling the atmosphere. I'm trying to distill the essence of the scene, rather than portraying its details. I should have taken some pictures of the very first stages, but since I didn't, I'll show you where I am at the moment.

This photo is one I took some years ago in northern Arizona. I was attracted by the curve of the river, and the hazy mountains in the distance. I recently looked at it, and decided it would a perfect basis for my next painting. As you can see, it's not a very good photo, kind of hazy, with a tree in the middle. But that's OK. I don't like to use really good photos for my references, because it would be too tempting to just copy them, instead of interpreting them in paint.

Etsy

2008-08-30T13:30:00.001-05:00

Well, I fixed the etsy link, so now you can see the paintings properly. Hope you enjoy them. Just click on any one to access my Etsy store. Thank you.

Now Selling on Etsy

2008-08-30T13:21:00.005-05:00

I just signed up to sell my work on Etsy. I've listed only 5 paintings so far. I apparently didn't select the right way to display them on this blog, so please bear with me while I try to fix it. But if you click on one of the paintings, you will get right to that painting, and the rest of my on-line store.

As you know, I did have my work listed on ebay, but, though I sold a bit, I wasn't satisfied with their processes and policies. It works fine for many things, but not fine art. Items stay listed on Etsy much longer, are not subject to auction, and you can have an actual store where viewers can have a wider selection all in one place. So we'll see how this goes.

Still getting ready for my Open Studio Sale on October 17 and 18. This will give my clients an opportunity to see a wider variety of work than is usually on display at one time, and will also be a lot of fun. Hope the weather holds out!

Open Studio

2008-08-25T19:36:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted in a while because I've been really busy getting ready for my Open Studio Exhibit and Sale, to be held Oct. 17 & 18, from my home. This is a really exciting opportunity for people to see and acquire some of my pieces that haven't been seen in a while. I'm looking forward to hosting this event, which will be my first Open Studio. More information coming soon.

Landscape Paintings

2008-08-17T18:01:00.002-05:00

Well, the Wetcanvas.com group had some criticisms of Pale Bridge. I think they mostly missed the point, though. I know the reflections arent' accurate. They're not supposed to be. This is an Impressionistic painting, not Realism. But it's always good to get other people's opinions. Jump in anytime.

2008-08-17T17:57:00.003-05:00

Landscape Paintings

2008-08-10T16:46:00.002-05:00

This is a painting I did of a swamp on a plantation near Charleston, SC. I loved the way the swamp reflected its surroundings. I intensified the colors to suit myself (artistic license, you know), but to me, this evokes the mystery of the place. I submitted it for a critique on WetCanvas.com. Personally, I think it's one of my best. I'd like to know if my colleagues agree.

Pale Bridge, 30 x 30, oil on canvas (gallery-wrapped)

$900.00.

Portraits

2008-08-09T22:43:00.002-05:00

The portrait is done. I added some color, texture, and movement to the hair, and finished up the details. The process of creating this portrait took about 2 hours for the initial sitting, plus 3 days of studio work. Pretty much par for the course.

Portraits

2008-08-09T22:42:00.001-05:00

Here we are -nearly finished. I just need to smooth out some of the color, work on the background, and add a bit more detail.

Portraits

2008-08-09T22:39:00.001-05:00

Here's the first stage of my oil painting. Notice that all the elements are in place, but it's rough and unfinished. I need to let it dry a bit before continuing. If I keep on working it, I'll just get mud.

Portraits

2008-08-09T22:36:00.002-05:00

Here's a pastel drawing of Elizabeth, done from life. At this stage, in addition to trying to capture a likeness, I concentrated on getting the lights and darks, and basic skin tones. The drawing is rough, but contains all I need to continue working on my own.

Portrait of Alexis

2008-08-07T15:23:00.001-05:00

Here's the finished portrait of Alexis, oil, 16 x 12.

Portrait of Alexis

2008-08-07T15:21:00.002-05:00

This is a 2nd pastel painting, done from a different viewpoint, head only. I'm concentrating more on getting the colors just right here.

Portrait of Alexis

2008-08-07T15:18:00.003-05:00

Here are a few photos of the stages of creating a portrait of Alexis. I built up her lovely skin tones layer by layer, using transparent oil glazes. It takes a while to do this, but the result is very worthwhile. This image is the first pastel painting I did of her.

Small Format

2008-07-27T23:17:00.005-05:00

Here's a study and a larger painting I did for the same subject. They're in Arles, France, where Van Gogh rented a room, and then later, a yellow house. The paintings show the steps and street outside Van Gogh's room. The small one (bottom) is 12 x 9, and the larger painting (top) is 30 x 24. Both are oils.

Portraits

2008-07-22T14:13:00.000-05:00

Emma, oil, 16 x 12

Portraits

2008-07-22T14:11:00.002-05:00

This is Emma, first charcoal and white Conte drawing.

Portraits

2008-07-22T14:07:00.002-05:00

I've been taking a portrait painting workshop, and have done some oils based on my initial in-class pastel drawings. You can see the process of using a couple of different poses in order to get a sense of the model's personality and create a finished portrait. This is Emma.

Portraits

2008-07-19T17:23:00.003-05:00

I've been studying portrait painting this summer, and am nearly ready to post my first efforts. I've done portraits before, of course, but it's always a good idea to hone your skills. And I've very much enjoyed having models to work from. I've been participating in a figure-drawing workshop, which is great, but it's nice to specifically have faces to focus on in this portrait class. I should be able to finish the 2 paintings I'm working on now in a day or two, and then I'll post them, along with their preliminary sketches.

Another small format painting

2008-07-15T15:10:00.008-05:00

This painting, entitled "Alsace" is an original oil, on linen, 9 x 12. I was fascinated by the reflections in the water, and this is what I wanted to capture in my painting.

SOLD.

Small Format Work

2008-07-05T12:55:00.005-05:00

I've done a number of small paintings, oil on linen, in order to capture a lot of ideas and experiences from my travels quickly. My intention was to use these as studies for larger works. Here's one from my trip to France.

It's called "Measuring the Petanque." While in a small town in Provence, we came across a group of men playing Petanque, which is a sort of bowling game, something like bocci ball.

Measuring the Petanque, oil, 9 x 12. It's for sale, and bidding starts at $25 on eBay. Art, Orig, O/C . Click on the link to get started.