Keep it simple

about 5" x 7" acrylic on canvas paper
$80 to purchase, email jjwoodee@gmail.com
Paypal accepted







When I first started painting still lifes, my tendency was to grab as many unusual objects and cram them into a composition(the canvas). Take this example:






Each object in a still life is an actor in a play. Now that I look at this piece,the objects are competing. They could be supporting each other in more pleasing aesthetic way. One artist's feedback at acritique mentioned how the piece as being a bit busy. He was right.

Our culture says if you have a space, fill it with as stuff much as possible. Billboards, plates of food, sodas, and items your house are a few examples . Fill, fill, fill. I raise my hand in guilt. But is more better?

My latest painting features a more simplistic approach featuring 3 main elements. A dark background a daisy flower and bottle. Also, dont forget the highlight. The bottle cap is a supporting actor or faithful sidekick.

It's a struggle to think simplisticly in an ever busier world. I hope this work offers a bit of tranquility or reminder to slow down and think - it's good for you.

Random sketches

Since I'm crunched with time taking care of Clara, I have been faithfully sticking to keeping a sketchbook. This is something every artist should do. An hour a day to simply clear the mind, record ideas or just draw things around you. Of course drawing is fundamental basic block of painting. With good drawing, usually comes good painting.

Bowl with yellow rose

about 7" x 5" acrylic on canvas paper
$80 to purchase, email jjwoodee@gmail.com





Here's another painting. Of course, there are few things I'd like to change about the piece now that I see it on the monitor but I'd rather not go back and tweak it. Sometimes in a piece or in life for that matter, you just have to move on.

I like to paint flowers in the state of wilting, hence the separate rose petals. The shape of the wilted rose was hard to capture and I'm not quite sure I pulled it off to my satisfaction. I'm hardly statisfied, however with any work I do.