Gail G. Slockett Aspiring Artist

"An Apple A Day"  Oil on Cradled Panel  6"x 6" I finally got back in the studio after a ten day hiatus.  (I needed to keep my foot elevated and I just can't paint that way.) I had absolutely no inspiration and no idea what to paint, but I knew I had to just DO something!  So I grabbed an apple, put it down and started painting.  I was so rusty I ended up wiping it out 8 times.  But I persisted. "Another Sunflower Painting", Oil on Cradled Panel, 6"x 6" I am so excited to be the Spotlight Artist of the week on the DailyPaintWorks site.  Click here to read my interview .  If you have purchased a painting from their website in the last 30 days you are eligible to enter to win this painting. Good Luck!

"The Red Barn"  Oil on Panel  9"x 12" While I am convalescing from my foot surgery, and can not attend my still life class, I am practicing landscape painting from photos.  This was a farm on a creek in the Chesapeake.  The original barn was white but it just didn't look right.  I know red barns are cliche but I just couldn't resist.  I was inspired by a fantastic YouTube video by Roger Dale Brown.  Check it out here .   He explains his process as he goes along and offers up so many tips and bits of knowledge.  It is worth watching a few times.  I am considering recreating his painting while watching the video and painting along with him. Click here for purchase information

"Chesapeake Cove"  Oil on Panel  12"x 16" I originally planned this to be a larger studio painting of a plein air study I did during this past summer, entitled "From the Dock", pictured below.  But I just couldn't get the boats to look right.  It was such a struggle and so frustrating that I just decided to leave them out.  I might put them in another time when I get more experience painting boats. "From the Dock"  Oil on Panel  8"x 10" I attended a workshop with John MacDonald in the fall and learned that he always frames his paintings in order to see if they are finished.  He taught us that a frame can make a huge difference.  I definitely think this is true of this painting.  It looks finished in a frame.  What do you think? Chesapeake Cove framed Both of these are available on my website. Chespeake Cove From the Dock

I did some more work on this last week.  I was inspired by some of the snow paintings by Peter Fiore and John MacDonald.  I love the blue on the snow and the orange light.  I lightened the mountains in the background and added more meadow grass.  My photo reference was taken during a very cloudy day and had no light effects at all.  It was quite a challenge! Click here for purchase information I finally got the cast off my foot and now I have this huge boot.  Still can't put any weight on it for another two weeks, but sitting at my easel is way easier now.

I think it is finished..at least it is signed.  I keep thinking of all the things I could change to make this better though.  I have been studying the paintings of Peter Fiore, a wonderful landscape artist and teacher.  I have taken two workshops with him.  I highly recommend them! I love his colors and shadows and light on snow.  Rather than mess around with this painting I have decided to try this same scene again but with deep blue shadows on the snow in the foreground and brighter highlights going back.  Check out his work at www.peterfiore.com

I managed to get into the studio a couple of times in the last few days but, unfortunately, I can't paint for very long at one sitting. My leg starts to cramp up.  I started this with only a palette knife but during the second session I couldn't resist picking up a brush.  I have been watching knife painting demos on youtube but it is a lot harder than it looks!  I found the palette knife much more useful when putting in the details, (like the birch trees and the twigs in the grasses), than when doing the original block in.  This is a very good subject to try all different brush and knife techniques as I am really a novice at landscapes, trees, and meadows. When I return to the studio I thought I would make the mountain in the back cooler and work on the grass line on the right before adding any more detail to the birch trees on the left and the grasses every where else.  I am waiting till I am satisfied with the snow before putting in all the larger twigs in...

This is a value or tonal sketch I did a couple days ago for a landscape painting I am hoping to work on this week.  I used a gray toned sketch pad and dark gray and black ink pens, and a white chalk pencil.  I would like to try doing this painting primarily with a palette knife. Below is the reference photo for the painting.  I took the photo while in New Hampshire last month.  The colors of the reeds and the snow were much more vibrant.  I hope I can remember them and reproduce them.