Original Landscape Desert Painting

Traveling the Arizona Highway

I know as an artist I should have a camera and sketchbook at
the ready but sometimes I do the best I can with the tools I have…. While rolling down the highway toward Wickenburg, Arizona I saw this set of shapes in the landscape. We stopped for a brief time and I jotted this scene on a paper napkin. (What can I say but I love "In and Out Burgers” and I save the napkins.) After a trip I usually have a couple of “napkin sketches.”

So although I applaud plein aire painters, that day I was not ready to absorb the desert heat. A brief sketch with a strong idea can be better for my art work than a reference photo with too many details. In a way reference photos can be a hindrance if I become absorbed in the details of the scene and forget about the spirit of the painting I wished to capture….

Etsy Updates and A Snippet of Favorite Treasuries in the month of June:

Original Art Treasuries curated by the artists of Etsy:
Summer art for everyone by Ruthsartwork
Fine Art Every Which Way No Matter How You Slice It! by CJsArtShop
"If you see her, say Hello by Bob Dylan" by ArtbyTrudi

Vibrant and fun summer treasuries:
Textured Bliss Studio by jcstrong

Awesome summer arts and crafts for anyone by Ruthsartwork

A Thankful Artist

Happy Thanksgiving! My plan is to be with friends and family today and reflect on all the good vibes that have come my way this year. Best wishes to my online friends and thank you for your support. I hope you are having a peaceful and fun filled day.

Original Acrylic Still Life by JC Strong

"Brent Gave Her Roses"

I hope everyone had a good weekend. Initially, the painting began with a lighter middle valued background but it just didn't seem to do the roses justice.

The roses were a fun and fabulous gift and they had lots of oomph. So I tried making the background luminous with darker values and color. It seemed to bring out the roses and give them more spirit and punched up the golden tones in the roses.

I'd been reading a book about the artist Robert Motherwell
an American abstract painter. His images have big blocks of color, texture and they are huge. I think his strong color sense kind of slipped into this painting.

Original Impressionistic Seascape by JC Strong

With the help of imagination and reference material, this latest work is my idea of the many colors and moods of the ocean.

Everytime I paint a landscape or seascape I'm aware that nature is the ultimate artist:

"Nature" is what we see -- The Hill -- the Afternoon -- Squirrel -- Eclipse -- the Bumble bee -- Nay -- Nature is Heaven -- Nature is what we hear -- The Bobolink -- the Sea -- Thunder -- the Cricket -- Nay -- Nature is Harmony -- Nature is what we know -- Yet have no art to say -- So impotent Our Wisdom is To her Simplicity." by Emily Dickinson

You can find more information regarding this painting by visiting my Etsy Shop. With so many options on the web, thank you for stopping by and viewing my work...

Original Painting Acrylic Still Life by JC Strong

Its been raining off and on in San Clemente, so I worked on this 8" X 10" still life painting. On this cool day these warm colored oranges just popped out at me.

Original Impressionistic Painting by JC Strong

A new "alla prima" impressionistic painting. I love doing landscapes and trees but today I wanted to switch gears. The rain is coming and the light is subdued so I thought of a more neutral palette.

Original Acrylic Landscape Painting

JC Strong Gallery

It's Sunday afternoon and I hope everyone is having a peaceful day. I thought I'd start the week by sharing my latest acrylic painting.

California Seascape by JC Strong

Southern California has been experiencing heavy rains. The past week I was reminded nature is in full control at the San Clemente Beaches.

This day I felt I had a glimpse of an expressive and assertive ocean. The sun came out for a brief time but underneath the sea is full throttle activity . . .
You can see the churning in the ocean. I could see waves sand and dirt rolling around.

Landscapes and seascapes for me are a matter of taking cues from nature and editing down the scene. I usually paint in a small format but this scene needed a larger canvas (16" X 20"). See more photos and details.

Original Painting Impressionistic Landscape Lagoon River by JC Strong

This painting is my creative memory of Xel-Ha near Cancun, Mexico. A few years ago I went to this area and Xel-Ha is a "natural aquarium." It's a beautiful place where a river meets the ocean. It's one of the first places I learned how to snorkel. It was a fun time and place.... I'm no pro. I just had a big mask fins and splashed around and enjoyed the wonderful scenery.

Etsy Highlights:
I found a wonderful shop Talbertart. This artist is a "contemporary realist" and has some beautiful cityscape's and figure work in his shop. You'll see a lush painterly quality in his work.

Treasuries:A Burst of Life II and A Burst of Life I celebrate fashion and creativity. It adds excitement to your life and surroundings.

Finishing an Impressionist Painting

The painting process for this work continued today.

The shadows in the street became a little more subtle, and I strengthened the color of the orange walls. Now, I think I'll stop and consider this work finished.

Shop Updates and Highlights:
"Girlie pinks for you a girlfriend or daughter..." by ArtdeJoie a nice Etsy collection of jewelry, fashion, and art in pink.

Original Impressionist Painting and Art Ideas by JC Strong

This new painting is my effort to capture a street in Mexico and embrace the pallette of colors used by Rembrandt.

Rembrandt used a five-color pallette of yellow ochre, burnt sienna, burnt umber, black, cadmium red and white. All I can say, bless the old masters . . . They are able to create vibrant masterpieces in chiaroscuro with just a few colors and even ground charcoal into white in order to make a blue grey. Old masters make fine art look effortless . . .
It was a great exercise but to tell the whole truth I added a couple of additional colors and lots of light. It turned out to be an impressionist landscape. I just couldn’t stay out of my “Art Bin.”

The key thing was to remind me a limited pallette is a valuable exercise. It gave me a connection to the past and of course I'll keep trying . . . After studying this painting, I'm going to try to take it a little further. I'll post the outcome in the near future.

Shop Update and Treasury Highlights:

"There's more to paper then planes" by TripleJPendants has curated a treasury. The focus is paper creations of art and accessories.

Original Acrylic California Seascape

Some days, riding along Pacific Coast Highway from Laguna Beach to San Clemente, California, you see beautiful coastlines. I always wonder, what did the coastline look like fifty years ago? (One of my favorite places in Laguna Beach is the Laguna Art Museum... (The museum has a breathtaking exhibit of early 20th Century artists. These early artists documented the coast line of long ago.)


So, today the sky is blue and the waves are aqua green and smooth. I’ve enjoyed a walk to the San Clemente Pier. It was easy to imagine a “Retro Summer."

Shop Talk, New Curated Etsy Treasury, and New Team:
See more details regarding this work and other paintings in my Etsy Shop.

I've stepped out of my comfort zone and made a sale to an international buyer... It was scary new territory. The scary part was international shipping but it went well. Thanks so much!

MysticSilks has curated a colorful Treasury it has a great selection of fine art, ceramics, and fashion, take a look:
The Autumn Leaves Drift By My Window

Scarfooldesigns has curated an homage to the season with fine art in different mediums called:
Black with a Pop of Orange for Halloween Season

I'm a new member of the Etsy Group AWE Team, looking forward to their "first Friday art walk" events...

Original Acrylic Floral Painting

This painting is my method of capturing a moment. Currently it's a work in progress. I should finish by tomorrow.

It's overcast right now and I'm trying to get it right...

Art Resources and Original Acrylic Floral

Although my medium of choice is acrylics or ink I search for art solutions in different areas..

I love the library. I know the web is an extraordinary resource but I like the feel and touch of books, especially art books. I came across “Alla Prima” by Richard Schmid. Mr. Schmid is an oil painter but his down to earth ideas and insights could apply to different types of mediums.

His paintings are grounded in a strong foundation and have a lively spirit. Hmm, I’m not an art critic but I sure enjoyed his book and images...

Today's painting is taken from around the house. I love the wonderful pink of the flower but neutralized the background. Just click shop and find more information regarding this original painting.

Light and Dark Influences in Art

The Sun is out. I’m glad. The “June Gloom” is ended.

Beside the Sun, another favorite influence of mine regarding dark and light is the Italian artist Caravaggio. It seems whether you have studied in an academic setting or is self-taught we’re all influenced by nature and art masters that have come before us . .

I guess it’s a continuation of yesterday’s comments. I love art history. Art masters and their lessons live on in their paintings. Note: This is an Liquitex acrylic painting on a canvas panel.

Impressions of Nature

Pierre Bonnard said “The important thing is to remember what most impressed you and to put it on canvas as fast as possible. Art will never be able to exist without nature”

I was walking around Laguna Beach on Cliff Drive. I turned around and boom there is the ocean. I wish I could say I immediately painted the scene.

The inspiration came quickly but I took notes and some photos then when I’m home I try to recapture the feelings and “what impressed” me that day. Trying to express the intangible qualities of nature is mind-boggling but I’ll press on. It's fun!

Why is Original Art Special?

The idea of creating and sharing ones art with the world is not new. The artist, collector, decorator, and patron of art seem to understand intuitively the journey of the artwork is completed when the handmade art is transported to a new home . . .

Does it matter if the art is purchased because the collector “likes the colors, “design, emotions, or subject matter? I don’t know. I’m clear that original art has a spirit/life of its own and when shared becomes even more special for the creator and new owner.

Original Acrylic Painting

I've said it before most of what I paint I find close to home. The subject matter is in my neighborhood, objects in my home, or glimpse's of nature in town or the backyard. Whether painting in acrylic like this painting or ink, I try to make a strong design and value statement. Exotic places call me but so do the simple pleasures around me.