Friday, January 8, 2010

"Assorted Provisions"

This is another painting that is currently in the "Creative Convergence" show at the Addison Art Gallery in Orleans, MA.
This woman had all kinds of stuff loaded on her burro and was kind enough to let me snap a few pics as she passed by.
There are some flowers pulled from her cornfield, a few leaves from the cornstalks and some mesquite branches for doing her cooking on.


"Assorted Provisions", 18x24" oil, Frank Gardner © 2009
$2,500. Framed. Available at Addison Art Gallery


This painting is full of opposing diagonal lines. All of them help to give the feel of action and movement to the painting. Some were ready made for me and others I added or adjusted to suit my needs. The long shadows oppose the direction of the road, the woman's rope, and the base of the cornfield in the background. Her stick repeats the line of one of the burro's legs and even the tilt of his head and oppose the other leg, leaves of corn on the bundle, and even the right side of the mesquite tree behind the woman. There are more, but you get the idea.
If I was going for a quieter feel I would try and include lots of horizontal lines in my design and not so many strongly opposing diagonals.
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21 comments:

  1. Billy GuffeyJanuary 8, 2010 at 8:39 PM

    This is wonderful, Frank. I like everything about it. Good luck on the show. Wish I could see all you guys work together in person.

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  2. Marian FortunatiJanuary 8, 2010 at 9:36 PM

    I would so love to see the show!! What a joy to see so many wonderful artists' work all together.

    This one is terrific!! Frank... what do you have to keep in mind when you work from photographs????

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  3. Art with LizJanuary 9, 2010 at 2:41 AM

    Gosh Frank, another lesson learned and a great painting. Thank you!

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  4. AnonymousJanuary 9, 2010 at 3:18 AM

    beautiful! thanks for the thoughts on composition too:) r.

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  5. AnonymousJanuary 9, 2010 at 6:09 AM

    Wish too wish I could see this show in person. This one looked tricky to do ( to my eyes ) just by the closeness of values between the burro and the background and yet in your hands, it all works so well.

    As Marian asked, I try to understand how to translate from photo to believable finished painting.

    You've sure done it Frank.
    Like reading your thought process too.

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  6. Pam HolnbackJanuary 9, 2010 at 9:35 AM

    Another great piece. While the colors are so cool, the painting has a warm feeling. Good luck w/ the show.

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  7. Colin PageJanuary 10, 2010 at 6:04 PM

    Hey Frank,

    You're knocking these paintings out of the park! I don't think my own paintings will be able to measure up to yours in the show. Why you gotta make me look bad!?

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  8. Frank GardnerJanuary 11, 2010 at 11:10 AM

    Thanks Bill. I wish you could make it over for the show too.
    You too Marian! I'll try and answer the photo question in a future blog post.
    Thanks Liz.
    Thanks Rahina.
    They are ALL tricky Bonnie.
    Thanks Pam, It's hard to get that warm afternoon sun to look right with all that blue and green. I mixed a lot of red in to balance all of that out and show that warm light.
    Thanks Colin. I'm sure you will hold your own on the walls. Too bad you won't be there for the openings.

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  9. Perry BrownJanuary 11, 2010 at 4:52 PM

    Another great painting Frank. I love the personality and character of the locals your depict in your work.

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  10. Mary Sheehan WinnJanuary 12, 2010 at 3:05 PM

    the way you've handled all this green foliage is beautiful, particularly the load the burro is carrying. Slammin' work, Frank.

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  11. Bruce ShermanJanuary 13, 2010 at 7:06 AM

    Another great subject Frank... sensitively treated.... very "real" in every sense of the word! A great piece!

    I love your use uf contrasting diagonals and the treatment of your shadows behind the burro... soft and transparent... as they should be!

    Love that you share your process and thinking as well! A great post!

    Good Painting!
    Bruce

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  12. http://www.onpainting.wordpress.comJanuary 14, 2010 at 8:18 AM

    Great handling of the grasses on the donkey's back.

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  13. DavidJanuary 17, 2010 at 3:19 PM

    Love the cool shadows in the foreground. So difficult to get them right but you've got them spot on!

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  14. Gary KeimigJanuary 18, 2010 at 11:47 AM

    Great painting. I love the purple in the shadows.
    Great blog and work.

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  15. dragonwithinJanuary 22, 2010 at 1:09 PM

    Your use of so many opposing lines did not only provide movement to your painting, but it also gave it a unique texture reminiscent of the impressionists. I love your lighting and the play of shadows beneath your subjects. Beautiful.

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  16. SolvayJanuary 26, 2010 at 10:36 AM

    yup.

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  17. Frank GardnerFebruary 1, 2010 at 10:44 AM

    Thanks Perry.

    Thank you Mary.

    Hi Bruce, thanks.

    Thanks Bill.

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  18. Frank GardnerFebruary 1, 2010 at 10:46 AM

    Thank you David.

    Hi Gary, thanks.

    Thanks Dragonwithin, I appreciate your insight on that.

    : ) Solveg.

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  19. Leslie HawesFebruary 2, 2010 at 4:01 PM

    The light, and the color of the shadows! Perfect!

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  20. ershadsocalMarch 22, 2010 at 3:52 PM

    Very creative

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  21. ershadsocalMarch 22, 2010 at 3:53 PM

    I like the way you created the tree. My artistic

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