Color of the Year 2015

It's that time again: Pantone has announced its Color of the Year for 2015. And the winner is..."Marsala". Yes, the color of Marsala wine. Said to be rich and full-bodied, "naturally robust and earthy".

I have written before about Pantone's annual announcement, so if you have been reading, you know that I have mixed feelings about being told what color is "in".  I have read

New Fashion Show

"Dressy Top"

12 x 12

Time for a new "fashion show"--the latest of my Garments Series hits the runway!

I have really enjoyed working on these still lifes from my closet, which I've been calling my "Garments Series".  It is a great exercise in learning to see a particular color, and how that color appears in light and shadow. Since I work with a limited palette, it forces me to really focus on mixing the right colors and color relationships. This series has taught me a lot about how to push color.

"Darling Dress"

8 x 6

This second painting shows a little girl's dress. I saw it at a vintage clothing stall, and it was just so adorable I had to paint it. 

I have now painted many of my favorite wardrobe pieces...looks like time to go shopping!

More in the Garments Series

"Summer Dress"

16 x 8

SOLD

When I wrote earlier about my "Garment Series", I promised to post additional images from the series. The painting above, "Summer Dress", was the latest in the series. In the cold of a February day, I pulled this favorite summer frock out of my closet, and took it to the studio for inspiration. I could almost feel the warm summer breezes while I worked on it. I used a studio lamp to illuminate the dress and highlight the folds. It makes the colors warmer and really "ups" the contrasts. The painting below was painted in natural light, without any studio lighting.

"My Apron"

14 x 7

NFS

I have shown the image of my apron before, in my post about Reds. It is such a fun and personal image, that I wanted to include it when writing about the garment series. This is my painting apron, which is the first thing I reach for when I enter my studio, and the last thing I return to its place before I leave. Why red? I inherited several of these from my late aunt and uncle. They had the red aprons specially made to wear when serving Christmas meals at their company's holiday party. It seems that everything has a story...

Garments

Left: "In From the Cold", 14 x 7

Right: "Denim Jacket, 12 x 10

If you have been reading my blog, you know that I love to paint in series. I find myself intrigued initially by a particular subject, and then after the first effort, I want to explore the subject more fully. This winter I took that approach in painting a series of garments. Not fancy clothes, just well-worn and well-loved favorites from my own closet.  More info on the trench coat and denim jacket paintings can be found here. 

Through the years, the idea of a series has captured the imagination of many an artist. One of my favorite still life series is is the Sunflower series by Van Gogh. It is amazing how even so-called "repetitions" of the same subject can be so different from each other, and how the painter can grow in his understanding of the subject with each iteration. Makes me want to take this garment series to the next level!