Still life with eggs and teapot

16x20 Oil on Gallery Stretched Canvas

Beverly Gurganus

I'm still thinking of a title for this piece.  Painting white is a challenge for me because my mind tries to talk to me the entire time making me question my use of color.  I find myself having to step away from the easel then come back with a fresh eye.  I never get a satisfied feeling about it until I have all the surrounding objects and background painted...then the color makes sense to me. 

 I was ready to do another still life using transparent glass, but I wasn't ready to depart from my egg/chicken theme.  I took 2 freshly laid eggs and placed it in the still life.  I'm really glad I did because I love the little pop of color these eggs lend to the painting.

Time to start another piece...  🎨

Update:  The title for this piece is..."Table For Two".

Chicken paintings

I have embarked on a new adventure of raising backyard hens.  I love collecting and eating fresh eggs from my own backyard as well as just sitting and watching the hens as they forge.  They each have their own personality, and they are much smarter than one would think.

I have been able to spend more time in the studio and that makes me Happy Happy Happy.  I decided to take this new adventure and use it as the subject matter for some of my paintings.  Below are three of my recent works that I have been working on.

Morning Gatherings

8x10 Oil on Canvas

Beverly Gurganus

  Buff Orpington

11x14 Oil on Canvas

Beverly Gurganus

Two By Two

16x20 Oil on Canvas

Beverly Gurganus

Longing

Longing

11x14 Oil on Canvas

Beverly Gurganus

Here is another painting inspired by another one of my daughters.  I took photos of my middle daughter last year before her formal, and this pose was my favorite.  The likeness is not on point, but that wasn't my ultimate goal...I wanted to capture the feel of the photo rather than the person of the photo.

Ready

Ready

11x14 oil on canvas

Beverly Gurganus

I took photos of my daughter over 5 years ago before she left for her first formal.  There was one that I fell in love with and knew one day I would paint it.   That day has come!

The original photo was taken outside with lots of landscaping in the background, but I chose to eliminate the background in order to create a quietness in the painting.

Child Portrait Study

I am always creating...sometimes it is a project for my home, and sometimes it is on paper/canvas/wood.  Moving into a new home and trying to put my personal touch in every room has made it hard for me to find that balance of working on my growth in visual arts and learning and doing new projects for the home.  

I have been going through a graphite stage recently where I just want to draw...focusing on the mix of Zentangles and portraiture, but I decided to pull out those neglected tubes of oils.  Oh how the love of oils was rekindled in my heart...the smell, the way the brush felt in my hand, and the way the paint moved on the canvas.  

It had been a while since I attempted a portrait so I pulled an old photo of my daughter and proceeded to do a study of her.  Flesh tones remain a challenge for me...I still haven't established a good "formula" for them.  My flesh tones are never the same from one portrait to another.  I guess in time I will find my own method of mixing that works for me.   Happy Painting all!!!

                                                  

Christina Rose

Beverly Gurganus

11x14. Oil on Canvas

Another Zentangle Portrait

                                              

                                                                   Untitled

                                                          Graphite on paper

                                               Beverly Gurganus

I have been fascinated with the blend of Old Hollywood and zentangle styles.  In the previous peice, I incorporated zentangle within the portrait itself via the hair and hat, but I wanted something a little more subtle in this one so I only did the background.

Zentangled Portrait

9x12" graphite on paper

By: Beverly Gurganus

I discovered zentangle a few years ago and love it.   I like the random design from a single thread (similar to a scribble) and then letting the art take its own form, but lately I've been wanting to take it in another direction.  I have seen Zentangles incorporated with various subjects, and the zentangle/portrait draws my attention the most...I decided to give it a go.

Above is my first attempt.  I used a photo of Angelina Jolie as a reference and the piece developed from there.  Most of my Zentangles are done in fine tip sharpe, and I debated on using sharpe here.  I finally decided to keep the entire piece graphite so there will be an even flow throughout the piece and not letting the zentangle over power the portrait.