Paintings | Maryland | BNW Art: The Leaway Artisans

PORTFOLIO

WORK INSPIRED BY THE BEAUTY OF NATURE AND INNER SELF

Artwork depicting inner emotion, life experience, and self reflection evoked by the beauty of nature and absence of human presence. These works are produced from the heart, and are communicated with energy through the use of vibrant colors, brushstrokes and textures.

MY WORK

LANDSCAPE PAINTINGS

"So This is Paradise" | 24X36 in. | Oil on Canvas

This is a 24x30 in. painting on canvas. I really wanted to capture the movement of the water and waves in this painting. The movement was very important to me, as I wanted it to feel as though the viewer were physically experiencing the solitude of the beach. Light was another element of this piece that I focused on; unifying the painting to create a feeling of romanticism and realism.I first began with several washes of colors for the sky and blended them together. I then began adding a thicker layer of yellow and white to enhance the brightness of the sun.

I added quick wash for the water and mapped out the shapes and directions of the waves. After that, I began adding dark shades of blues and purples for the shadows under the waves. I did the same for mapping out the areas of light with yellows, oranges, and tints of white. I then used a fan brush to help guide me with forming the waves, followed by light blotting technique for the crashing effects against the rocks and shore. For the rocks, I used a palette knife to portray the rough texture using burnt sienna, purple, blue, and black. I finished off the highlights with a shade of dark pink in the direction of the sun.

"Tranquility" | 18X24 in. | Oil on Canvas

This is a 18x24 inch oil landscape on canvas. I painted the water at an angle to create an interesting and compelling composition with placement. I also wanted to create a sense of balance by choosing the placement of elements. I created the sky using vibrant warm colors, while being mindful to capture the brightness of the sun reflecting on the water. I used small brushes and a dappling technique to capture the splashing wave in the foreground. The contrast of neutral and warm colors provides a feeling of tranquility.

"Sight and Sound of Paradise" | 24X30 in. | Oil on Canvas

This painting was originally made for an art show with the theme of "Vision". For this painting I wanted to not literally focus on the perception of vision, but rather paint an interpretation of the word. When I produced this painting, I wanted to capture vision in the way that we see the world or wish the world could be. With that being said, I wanted to capture the sight and sound to create the overall experience of being on a beach and watching the crashing waves. When painting this seascape, I focused on the dramatization of the waves and movement of the water. The birds I figured, would add a nice balanced element to the composition. Energy was also an important factor to bring to the painting, so for the sky I used a variety of abstract colors to create a burst of excitement and warmth.

"Peace and Harmony" | 20X20 in. | Oil on Canvas

This is a 20x20 inch oil on canvas landscape painting. I used a burst of bright vibrant colors such as yellows, reds,and purple's to create abstraction and movement in the sky. For the water, I attempted to capture depth by creating a focal point in the center as the water gradually caves in as it moves further in the background. For the shore, I used small brushes to map out the small details of the puddles and foam while proceeding to blend them into the sand.

"Serenity" | 18X24 in. | Oil on Canvas

This is a 18x24 inch oil landscape on canvas. I wanted to create a surreal representational painting to depict the feeling of Paradise. I aimed to create the abstraction in the sky through the direction of brush strokes and bright colors. I also incorporated the flying birds, creating distinct patterns in the sky. While I did display a feeling of abstraction, depth was also a focus such as the birds getting smaller as they moved towards the sun and the rocks painted smaller in the background.

"The Mountains" | 16x20 in. | Acrylic on Canvas

This is a previous landscape painting that I completed. I wanted to create a calm landscape painting and capture the peaceful movement of the water. I also aimed to create a more realistic effect by mirroring the reflection of the trees and sky in the water. I used a rubbing motion with a wet brush and thin color to create a blurred reflection in the lake.

"Winter Stream" | 16X20 in. | Oil on Canvas

This winter painting was inspired by a photograph. I included a stream towards the center, careful as not to take too much attention away from the rest of the surroundings in the composition. A thin brush was used for the tree trunks and branches. Depth was created by painting less details in the trees and they went farther back, and also painted them smaller in comparison to the ones in the foreground. A small brush was also used to paint the thin blades of grass poking from the snow on the ground.

"The Day is Over" | 10X20 in. | Oil on Canvas

This painting was inspired by my imagination. I didn't know exactly what I had in mind when I first started but as I continued, I found that I wanted a burst of bold color and simplification. To depict the sun going down, I included an isolated black tree silhouette and ground followed by a bright yet calm sunset for the background. When you think of the day being over, you imagine a still, peaceful setting with as less chaos and movement as possible. It is a time of self reflection and to wind down your thoughts and body from the busy day. I hoped to achieve that same feeling in this painting.

"Hidden Beauty" | 10X10 in. | Oil on Canvas

This is a painting that I completed previously. This painting was a replica completed from an older sold painting. I experimented with different shapes and sizes of brushes to capture the detail in the foliage and movement of the stream and waterfall in the background. I came up with the particular title simply because the foliage and trees were hiding the mystical and mysterious beauty of the waterfalls in the background. I wanted to portray the idea of the viewer going on an adventure, anticipating what awaits ahead.

"Quiet Sound of Winter" | 24X30 in. | Oil on Canvas

This is a winter painting that I completed previously on a larger canvas size of 24x36. In order to achieve a peaceful mood for this painting, I began with a light blue wash and a yellow tint with white to create a warm soft glow in the sky. To create some depth, the trees in the foreground were painted using a bit more detail and even splotches of white to show snow falling on the leaves. I also added a lighter blue for the tree silhouettes in the background as they went back farther. Small dots were added to depict the snow falling. The stream in the center of the painting also creates balance and draws the eye toward the background. This painting is perfect for Christmas or winter season to warm any home for the holidays.

"Journey in Greece" | 18X24 in. | Oil on Canvas

This painting was inspired by my study abroad trip in Greece. The scenery was magical and surreal, so I decided to capture that in this painting. I decided to used bright pastel colors such as the pink, light purple, white, and yellow to keep a calm soft mood. I also included the lighthouse in the foreground, aiming to capture the modern Greek architecture on the island. To bring out the light source, I also included a yellow tint on the left side of the lighthouse.

"Walk of Self Reflection" | 16X20 in. | Oil on Canvas

This is a painting that I completed previously. This was inspired by a photograph. The placement of the path in the center of the page, growing smaller in the distance made me feel as though I were walking down the path. The inclusion of the trees on the sides, also creates a feeling of confinement but at peace at the same time. When people need time to self reflect, they often take walks in nature to get away from everything, to get away from the craziness for a moment. I feel like this painting reminded me of these times.

"Beauty of the City" | 18x24 in. | Oil on Masonite Board

This painting was inspired by a photograph. I started with a gradient wash of light blue and orange for the background, followed by a bold black for the city silhouette. I used a thin brush for the branches on the side to balance out the composition more. I finished off with a light wash for the water, and used a rubbing technique to mirror the sky and city. To make the water look more believable, I added touches of white lines over the blurred image in the water. The complimentary colors in the composition bring a certain energy to the overall painting.

"Movement of the Stream" | 30X40 in. | Oil on Canvas

This is a large 30x40 inch oil on canvas painting inspired by a photograph I used for reference and altered in Photoshop. For this painting, I wanted to create a focal point in the center of the composition to create an illusion of the viewer actually experiencing it as if they were really there. I used a variety of paint brushes and techniques in order to capture the realistic textures of the objects.

"Stream" | 10X14 in. | Oil on Masonite Board

This is a smaller oil painting on masonite board, inspired by a photograph I took a few years ago. For this painting, I wanted to create looser brushstrokes so I applied the paint on a bit thinner which resembles watercolors. It was also easier to achieve this technique with thinner paint. I used a variety of neutral tones for this composition, as well as dabbing techniques for the dirt and debris.

In order to create a more realistic effect, I mixed a variety of colors together. When an object is seen with the naked eye, it may seem like 1 pure color but in reality when you squint there are actually other colors that make up that composite color. For example, when you look at trees it may seem like the leave are simply green. But if you squint, you will likely see colors such as blues, dark greens, lime greens, and sometimes even purple.

ABSTRACT PAINTINGS

FLUID PAINTINGS

MIXED MEDIA