Welcome to 'Lisa Paints', the small format paintings of Lisa Greenstein.

Monday, December 24, 2012

5th & E

5th & E

I was drawn to this scene because of the interesting shapes and layers.. or maybe it was the red/green thing this time of year!  Sage words from my teachers came to me. "Look for the larger shapes." "Draw with the paint." It has the grey day light effect.. which tends to be warmer overall, especially in the shadows. Painting on location.. it began to drizzle and I had to run and put up my painting sun-brella to keep the painting dry and finish it.  ¡Felicas Fiestas!

Oil on panel
8" X 10"
contact: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Thursday, November 15, 2012

TOMALES BAY MORNING

I attended the California Art Club's retreat at the Marconi Center on Tomales Bay this past Oct. This was the view right outside my room with some nice tree shade to paint under. We lucked out with temps in the 70's and minimal fog. This is my attempt at working faster and looser with a palette knife. I will be showing this at the reception for my show at the El Cerrito City Hall Gallery Space. 10890 San Pablo Ave, 2nd Floor  Nov. 6- Dec.18. 

Reception this Sunday, Nov.18 2-5. I'll be there!

6" X 6"
Oil on panel

for more info: contact: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Thursday, October 11, 2012

SOLANO TRAILS

This is a larger painting, created from plein aire studies and panoramic photos of King Hill on the Solano Land Trust. It will be included in the Heritage Feast art auction, this Saturday, Oct. 13.  This is a great food and art event on the historic Rush Ranch near Fairfield CA. The event raises funds to acquire land, protect the natural habitat and for public enjoyment of these beautiful open spaces. There may still be tickets left. Wear your cowboy boots!
http://www.solanolandtrust.org/HeritageFeast.aspx

32" X 54"
Oil on canvas

Thursday, August 02, 2012

FOG OVER LYNCH CANYON

The rolling in of coastal fog makes dramatic light events on the hills of Lynch Canyon, California. This painting is included in Solano Land Trust 3- currently showing at the Vacaville Museum.

Oil on board / framed

11 X 14 (framed size)

SOLD

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

LYNCH CANYON GRAZERS

Spending time in Lynch Canyon is like time-traveling back to California before the modern era. Drifting fog creates dramatic moving light shifts on the bucolic rolling hills and grazing cattle. This is the reason that plein air painting in places like this is so magical. This painting is part of Solano Land Trust 3 - now showing at the Vacaville Museum. http://www.vacavillemuseum.org/current

Oil on linen on board
9" X 12"          
for more info contact: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

HEAD STUDY

I took a figure workshop with Camille Przewodek last month. This was very challenging for me. This lovely model was posed outdoors by the river and we worked fast- in two twenty minute sessions. The idea was to paint the light and color which in this case was very warm. She is backlit, creating a mud-head effect. Henri Hensche took his students to the beach and had them paint what he called mudheads. No features, just the basic head and shoulders - the light and shadow. Its surprising, but you can even get a likeness this way. This helps to solidify the form, and the light, no temptation to paint eyelashes!

Oil on board

8" X 10"

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

OLD DOCK AND ALBANY HILL

The Bay Trail view of Albany Hill in the afternoon light.

Oil on hardboard

9" X 12"

more info contact: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

FIGURE 69


Figure model reclining on colorful pillows. She's a serpentine dancer in repose.

I may have gotten carried away with all the color, but I had fun with this. I'm learning about structure, form and color applied to the figure from Camille Przewodek- but I want to loosen up a bit as I apply what I'm learning.


Oil on panel

11" X 14"

for more info: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Saturday, June 09, 2012

FIGURE 68

Nude figure model seated on orange textile covered stool.

This was painted in two evening sessions with a group of artists I have kept company with for a number of years. I was seeing the contrasts of this model in the composition as reflections of inner contrasts. Soft against edgy...  Sweet against hard.... Warm against cool.

Oil on board

11" X 14"

for more info contact: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

RECEDING TIDE

Petaluma River overlook with industrial structures and distant highway. Working at creating  space and light.

Oil on hardboard

9" X 12"

contact: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Monday, April 16, 2012

BAY TRAIL AFTERNOON

The late afternoon light looking across the wetlands of Meeker Slough towards Richmond on the Bay Trail.

Oil on canvas board

9" X 12"

info: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Friday, April 13, 2012

FIGURE 67

Long limbed male nude model on a turquoise chair.

Oil on canvas board

11 X 14

contact: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

STILL LIFE/ COLOR STUDY

This is a color study done in the colorist tradition taught by Henri Hensche. In the first lay down (somewhat like an underpainting), one tries to translate the qualities of illumination by painting each shape mass a color note that indicates the color of the light or shadow.

9 X 12

Oil on canvas board

for more info: contact lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ELLIS REEDS

This is a place where we often paint during Camille's Monday class. I asked myself to choose something specific in the vast field to focus myself on. I was thinking about the design of the wetlands meeting the land, and creating the sense of space with color. This was done with a palette knife.

Oil on panel

8" X 10"

for more info contact: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Friday, March 23, 2012

WASHINGTON STREET BRIDGE

View of a bridge over the Petaluma River into the dowtown area. This was a study of the color and atmosphere on a sunny morning when there was still a lot of moisture in the air.

9" X 12"

Oil on board

more info? contact: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Monday, March 12, 2012

GIRL WITH A PARASOL

I was interested in getting the sense of bright  illumination and the carefree attitude of the model. I had fun with all of the stripes- great costume.

Oil on panel

8" X 10"

contact: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Friday, March 09, 2012

MEEKER SLOUGH

View of San Francisco and the Bay from the East Bay Trail along the slough. This was in the afternoon when the Western sky starts to go golden.

9" X 12"

Oil on board

SOLD

Sunday, March 04, 2012

SHERATON MARINA

I painted this from the dock in back of the Petaluma Sheraton. I was trying to simplify the scene and just try to get the sense of atmosphere and space.

9" X 12"

Oil on canvas board

contact: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Monday, February 13, 2012

ELLIS TREES

A color study of the trees around a road and park with the Sonoma hills in the distance.

Oil on board

9" X 12"

for more information: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

FIGURE 66

A lovely pregnant reclining nude. This was a nice pre- Christmas eve subject for drawing.

Pencil on paper

11" X 14"

contact: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Saturday, February 04, 2012

FIGURE 65

A reclining nude with a colorist approach.

Oil on board

9" X 12"

for more information: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Thursday, February 02, 2012

FIGURE 64

This was a color study of the same model and pose as the previous painting (Figure 63).  I was curious to see how I would handle the same pose either as a value or color study. They look so different to me.

Oil on Canvas Board

11" X 14"

for more info contact: lisagreenstein@gmail.com


Monday, January 23, 2012

FIGURE 63

A nude study in values done in one session.

Oil on hardboard

9" X 12"

for more information contact:lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Friday, January 20, 2012

FIGURE 62

This is a young model that we have drawn and painted many times. I decided to make this a value study since we only had one session instead of the usual two.  We talked of haircuts, haircut memories and the local politics.  These life model sessions can be reminiscent of the salons of the last century.

Oil on board
9" X 12"

for purchase information: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

GREEN STRING FARM

Whenever I'm in Petaluma  I like to make a stop at the farm store on Frates Road for my produce. They use sustainable practices and volcanic rock dust in the soil. The greens are as much medicine as food. http://www.greenstringfarm.com
In this painting I was trying to differentiate the saturation of the color in the close up lettuce against the grape vine covered hills in the distant fog.

8" X 10"
Oil on canvas board

Sold