Working in Series

 "Tea with Teddy"  

14 x 11  

Oil on Linen  

I enjoy working in series, where I paint the same or similar subjects a number of times.  It is a wonderful way to become familiar with a subject, and it helps teach my eye to see truly in different settings.  Painting in series is a time-honored tradition in the art world.  Think about Monet's famous series of the Rouen Cathedral, or his haystacks.  (Not that I would dare compare myself to Monet!).  

Recently I have worked on a series of paintings featuring a teddy bear.  I have used my ancient, threadbare bear in different still life setups.  I love the blues in the painting above, and the juxtaposition of different sorts of objects, hard and soft.  For a different theme with teddy, see below.  There's still plenty of room for exploration and development here.  Sometimes I fear that the subject is too "nursery" themed.  But everybody seems drawn to the teddy, so I hope that he will find a more universal audience.

I think the painting below is one of my more interesting efforts lately in terms of brushwork and paint application.  I made a real effort to "lay it and leave it" with the paint.  And I chose to let the toned canvas show through in selected mid-value areas.  I was pleased with the overall effect.

"Teddy & Co."  

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