CHERYL'S SHABBAT

This is the completed version of the painting.
I simplified the composition and light source.  I hope this brings peace and healing to those who live with it.

oil on canvas
48 X 54

commission- sold

STUDY FOR CHERYL'S SHABBAT

I made this study from a still life set-up of ceremonial Shabbat objects with a window sunset. This was to try to work out the painting problems before creating a large commisioned piece. I had compositional problems, focal point problems and problems with four light sources to work out. I looked at a lot of Bonnard paintings to try to understand how he approached painting the interior and exterior view. I will show you the painting in my next post.

Oil on Panel
12" X 18"

available

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

BLOCKS, SHELL & LEMON IN OVERCAST LIGHT

This was the second study of these objects, painted in overcast light outdoors. The cast shadows are lighter and softer and the shadow side of the objects are warmer than in the full sun variation. I also noticed that objects colors appear more true to their natural hue (local color) than in the bright sun. These were done in three sittings using only a palette knife.

Oil on canvas board
9" X 12"

info: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

BLOCK, SHELL & LEMON IN SUN

Painting colored blocks and some simple objects on a colored cloth outdoors in varied kinds of light was the way Henry Hensche taught his students to discover for themselves how to interpret the light key. You have to struggle to really see the color of light by comparing everything with everything else. I painted this still life in full sun and then again in overcast. El Cerrito is a good place to do this in the summer. It invariably is overcast in the morning and burns off to full sun the afternoon!
I learned so much by doing this comparative study.

Oil on canvas board

9" X 12"

for more info: lisagreenstein@gmail.com

PLASTER CAST COLOR STUDY

This was a class still life study in the Hensche tradition. Every area of color is compared with every other area to re-create the effect of the illumination. After working outdoors with the fast changing light- this indoor exercise with spotlights seems much simpler.

Oil on canvas board

9" X 12"

contact:lisagreenstein@gmail.com

STILL LIFE COLOR STUDY

This is a study of light and color and was done in one sitting at  l'Atelier aux Couleurs- where I have been taking color classes for over a year. The challenge is to paint the color of the light more than the local color of the object and to paint one color note next to another by comparing value, warmth and hue. We use a palette knife, which gets more paint and color on the surface and less detail. Its difficult to do this, but really strengthens the seeing of color.
9 X 12"
Oil on canvas panel

BLOCK STUDY

This seems simple, but was tricky.  I chose to make the bright blue table cloth increase in saturation in the distance, which is not usually done. Usually with distance, chroma goes down, but I had to work with that bright red block on top and so it needed to match the intensity. I guess you had to be there. Block studies are great for clarifying painting issues and anyway I like the struggle.

Oil on hardboard panel

5" X 7"

Sold

'YELLOW PEAR'                                                                                       

The pear and its reflection on the kitchen counter  caught my eye and so I spent the  morning with my paints and tried to re-create the sense of color and light.

5" X 7"

Oil on board

'TOMATOES IN STRIPED BOWL'

Something caught my painter's eye, and so I seized the moment. My thoughts went to a recent e-letter from Robert Genn's list called the painter keys, about 'kissing'. Should objects touch? How much overlap is enough in a composition? I also thought about something I heard Wayne Thiebaud say in an interview on 'Spark' (pbs.org), he spoke about articulating the variations of light in a painting as glint, gleam and glow.

Oil on canvas

5" X 7"

PACKING PAPER ON SILL

This crumpled packing paper caught my eye as it looked like sculpture. I was really challenged to paint it in a cool blue room, with the warm western late afternoon light.

Oil on canvas
14" X 18"

BOX OF HEART CANDY

I bought this at The Pasta Shop on 4th St. in Berkeley- They are a foodies paradise.

Oil on maple

6" X 6"

PERSIMMONS AND POMEGRANATE

This was done more from invention than life. It made me think about painting in a more theoretical way, painting what I think would happen with light and color reflection.

Oil on maple

6" X 6"

sold

'POMEGRANATE'
I've been hearing a lot about the pomegranate's health benefits lately. That's good news to me because I like eating them and painting them. I was looking at the edges and at how even the deep red color is really a red-grey except in some spots where light makes a pure bright note.

6"X6"

Oil on maple

sold

'LEMON BOWL'

These were unusually large Meyer lemons given to us by a friend. They are somewhat sweet and best picked from local trees, and they make wonderful lemon curd. I like the deep yellow color with this blue bowl.

Oil on board

6" X 6"

Sold

'PAIR OF CHERRIES'

I found this little frame a long time ago and finally painted a painting to fit it.

Overall 5" X 7"

Oil on doorskin (Wood)

'RED POPPIES'

These volunteers were growing in the garden, so I put a few in an old Chinese bottle. This is an alla prima painting- done quickly, in one session.

Oil on maple

5" X 7"

Sold

'CAT & KITTEN'

I noticed these little porcelain cats on my shelf and thought it would be nice to paint them in honor of mothers day. Happy Mother's Day!

Oil on maple

5" X 7"

CITRUS BOWL

I liked the quirky way my husband balanced the oranges in this glass bowl and the way the morning light played on the surfaces.

Oil on maple

6" X 8"

BUTTERFLY ON GINKO LEAF

This butterfly was found on a morning walk up Moeser hill. I carried it in my palm and on the way down I picked a fresh green ginko leaf. When I got home I set the butterfly on the leaf and because of the ginko's surface it sat right up as if it had sprung back to life.

Oil on maple

5" X 7"

Sold