Red Ribbon Winner

My Representational Art League group is having a show at Moonstone Crossing Winery in Trinidad. For this 3 month show we each painted 4 wine paintings...ranging from still life to landscape and botanicals. The show continues to Dec. 26. This one is 14" x 11" oil on canvas Raymar panel.

Ashley

We had the sweetest model last week. Her skin seemed to glow whichever way we put light on her. Practicing with my Asaro head helped me get as much information as possible during the 3 hour model session. This one is 14" x 11" oil on canvas Raymar panel.

Asaro Head Girlfriend

Ok...I thought my Asaro head looked weird with acrylic paint on him....I plopped a wig on it and here's what I got...his girlfriend!!!!!! hahahhaha. I'm going to paint this head every day for a week or more...don't worry...i won't post all...it's just a really good exercise...at some point I'll fill him out so he doesn't look like a New Guinea shrunken head!!

Planes of the Head Study

How many of you artists hate this head? I have heard that so often from artists...either they've painted it so much they're sick of it...or it is just so freaky looking. An artist John Asaro invented it for teaching students to see the planes of the head. You can put it under different lighting conditions it highlights different planes. It comes in gray. But I painted mine with acrylic paint so it would have flesh tones. It became even freakier. Painting a head in space is always difficult...I've decided to keep painting this head to help me with my live model sessions.

On Her Dresser

Little dolls are a challenge to paint for me because I need to make an effort to keep them looking like a doll versus a real person. They're very individual if you really look at them. This one is going in the Mini's in November show at The Wine Spot. 5" x 7" oil on canvas Raymar panel. Thanks for looking !

Make A Wish

I love this little pot. It reminds me of a genie lamp that maybe, if I polish it the genie will come out in a swirl and grant me 3 wishes! This one will be in the miniature show at The Wine Spot in November. It is 5" x 7" oil on canvas Raymar panel. Thanks for looking!

Plums & Roses

Lately I love pink! I painted this little miniature painting today and it will be on display at the miniature show in November at The Wine Spot in Eureka. This one is 4" x 4" oil on board.

Thanks for looking!

Little Pinkie

This is another little teacup I found in a treasure hunt one afternoon. Who knows how many sips of tea it has provided or how many conversations it has been privy to...

Reaching for the Light

I love this type of lighting on a still life, like a soft beam bathing my flowers in light. I am realizing I would like to name my paintings based more on what they mean versus what they are....another shift in my artist journey...so many lately. This one is 10" x 8" oil on board.

Blue Vase

After attending Weekend with the Masters I have so many ideas storming around...and sooo much homework to help me improve. So here I am back into a still life a day...soon to add a model a week (or two or three if I can). So many of the masters stressed the importance of painting from life...that the camera lies and tries to bring everything into focus also erradicating the beautiful range of temperatures in a live set-up. This one is a little 5" x 7" oil on Raymar canvas panel.

Mestizo Beauty

This beautiful girl works in the wine shop/art gallery where I manage the art. She dances and sings beautifully. I asked what her ethnic origin is and she mentioned 'mestizo' which is a blend of Latin and European. At any rate...she has an intensity about her that I wanted to capture. This painting is 20" x 16" oil on canvas Raymar panel.

Peaches and Tea

Lately I love to paint teapots....it seems to make them come alive with a fat little belly (or a ruffled skirt), feet..a crooked arm..and the other arm pointing to who knows what! Some are plain..some are very dressed up...some strong, some delicate. I've painted this one several times...I think I like this version the best so far! This one is little...5" x 7" oil on canvas Raymar panel.

Ceramic on Indian Blanket

Ok, I'm back to a painting a day...but I left my camera at the studio on Monday...so here is my Monday painting...I'm noticing I am getting a little wild with color...but I love it! This one is 14" x 11" oil on canvas.

Favorite Coffee Cup

It's tough to finish a painting a day..so far I'm one behind...an installation and board meeting took time away from the easel...but I definately like doing this! My coffee tasted soooo good this morning I thought I would paint something about that...here is my favorite cup..it is white with red inside..and the surface has a raised pattern. Again...this is on a really rough linen panel. 8" x 10" oil.

Dessert

This is still life no. 2 from my "still-life-a-day' week. Wine and apples...a nice dessert. This linen is rougher than I usually paint on...but I liked it...sort of forced me to lay on the paint thicker...requires more bravado in my color mixing tho. Fun. 8" x 10" oil on linen panel.

Gold Handled Teapot

I am painting a still life-a-day this week because I have been painting from photos for a while and need to get back into painting from life. This little teapot is really old. It belonged to my husbands' great grandmother. I love the gold handle and spout...and the irregular scalloped edges. This one is 9" x 12" oil on canvas Raymar panel.

A Glass of Perfection

My Representational Art League artists group is getting ready to show 3 months of wine paintings at Moonstone Winery's tasting room out in Trinidad (Oct - Dec). Here is one of mine...I love to paint red :) 16" x 20" oil on canvas Raymar panel

Cards and a Cold One

Another painting going into my "Celebrate The West" show at The Wine Spot. This one was fun to paint! I used as big a brush as possible. 11" x 14" oil on canvas.

Rodeo Action

I had no idea how fun it is to paint horses...a giant figurative in motion! I might be hooked. My photo reference and inspiration for Rodeo Action was provided by photographer Jose Quezada...thank you Jose! You can see this painting in the "Celebrate The West" show at The Wine Spot in Eureka during the month of August. Myself and 10 other artists will be showing western U.S. inspired paintings! This one is 11" x 14" oil on canvas Raymar panel.

Portrait of Aly

This little gal has the most challenging, but beautiful, face to paint. I kept trying to paint what my left brain said to paint....finally moved on from that and painted what I was looking at. I find I need to coax my brain into the right side at times. 11" x 14" oil on canvas Raymar panel

Contemplative by Frances Kuta

This painting of Cassidy is another of my Victorian oil paintings I've recently done. The striped dress costume reminded me of one of Norman Rockwell's illustrations of Jo in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women...the one where she was standing outside the publisher's office with her manuscript in hand. Either her skirt or her jacket were striped...I can't remember which it was...but the stripes showing the fullness and pleats in the clothing intrigued me.

11" x 14" oil on canvas Raymar panel

Sketch of Molly by Frances Kuta

Often when I am preparing to do a larger painting I first put together a little sketch to see where I would like to go with color. I like the way this one turned out. I'm looking forward to the larger, full figure version. 5" x 7" oil on canvas Raymar panel. Please CLICK HERE if you would like to bid on this painting.

The Blue Kimono by Frances Kuta

I painted this beautiful model a while ago but the composition was a 3/4 view from the back. Here she is again but from the front. She was refreshing to paint after my dark Victorian paintings.
Oil on canvas 14" x 11".

Beautiful Virtue by Frances Kuta

This is another of my paintings for my "Mostly Victorian" show in Weaverville, June 4 - June 26. My model is wearing a beautiful hat made by Dale Pifer out of Fortuna. Dale was nice enough to let me go through her hat collection and choose a few to borrow. This one is 12" x 9 oil on canvas Raymar panel. I put her in this beautiful old world European style carved frame.

Afternoon Rest by Frances Kuta

I've been working on a collection of Victorian paintings over the last 7 months....my show opens June 4th at Highland Art Center in Weaverville, Ca. I posed models in my studio in costume...it's been a challenge...and fun! This is the first time I've concentrated on a body of work with a theme in mind. It is interesting what develops along the way. This is one of my favorites. 12" x 16" oil on linen.

Two Roses by Frances Kuta

Flowers are always a challenge to paint well....keeping it simple helps...this one is 8" x 10" oil on linen panel.

Plum, Ranunculas & Silver by Frances Kuta

I think ranunculas are my favorite flower. I set this little arrangement up and of course my husbands' great grandmothers' teapot found a way into the composition. I love to paint that curvy, silver, tarnished old pot. This one is 5" x 7" oil on board.

Tea For One

My blue teapot and red box are 2 favorites I like to paint so I decided to pair them up! This one is 9" x 12" oil on linen. If interested in bidding please click here.

Portrait of Kristen by Frances Kuta

When I see people that I immediatly think "I've got to paint them"....I ask them....they often say yes. Kristen posed for me and my Representational Art League over 2 sessions. We have about 12 portraits of Kristen and they can be seen this Art's Alive in Eureka at Studio S. They are all very different and it is fun to see each artist's view of Kristen. 14" x 11" oil on Raymar canvas panel

Little Doll by Frances Kuta

I've painted this little doll a couple times....this time I posed her so she would be "looking" right at me. Even though she is just a doll I felt as if she were coming to life as I sat there and painted her....it was a strange experience...but fun! 12" x 9" oil on canvas Raymar panel CLICK HERE if you would like to bid on this painting.

At A Glance by Frances Kuta

I originally painted this model in 2006 as a beginner studying with Vanessa Lemon at Studio 2nd St. in Encinitas, Ca. They always had the best models and lighting. I didn't do a very good job back then...so I decided to try again using the photo of this extraordinary model. I am much happier with this result and will enter this painting in the upcoming RAA Spring show....hope i get juried in :) 14" x 11" oil on Raymar canvas panel

Mom's Bean Pot by Frances Kuta

I did this painting from a live set up at a Qiang Huang workshop I attended. I love this pot as my mom had one just like it. I like the looseness of it. I used the biggest brush I could control and painted quickly...but slowed down in areas that needed precise shapes. 8" x 10" oil on canvas panel. If you would like to bid on this painting please CLICK HERE.

Local Treasures

I titled this painting "Local Treasures"...wine and cheese of Humboldt County! Did you know Humboldt County has about 23 wineries??? The cheese is the wonderful Cypress Grove "Humboldt Fog"...a semi-soft aged goat cheese of the cleanest, purest goats milk in the area...yielding goat cheese from heaven in my opinion! I'm ramping up to paint a handful of paintings that are all about wine. It'll be fun. 8" x 10" oil on linen panel.

Blue Vase and Carnations by Frances Kuta

I like to set up these little still lifes very close to me and really study the light and color. I stare at the color then look at my color charts on my wall if I need help. I have these color charts I created on the advice of Richard Schmid's book "Alla Prima - Everything I Know About Painting". The charts were created with only 9 tubes of paint....but the colors created are 200 +....this has helped me to re-create colors I mix and avoid mixing piles of paint i can't use....something that really frustrated me early on. Thanks for looking & reading :)
8" x 10" oil on linen panel. Minimum bid $200. Click here to bid.

Little Model by Frances Kuta

I needed a model to paint and set up my little doll that sits on my shelves with all the other objects I use for still life paintings (vases, teapots, cups, etc). I think dolls are tough to paint. This is 8" x 10" oil on linen.

Hydrangeas and Red

Well...I was thinking of painting red with the coming of Valentines Day and I love the contrast between bright blue and reddish-orange so I set up this still life and painted it. 8" x 8" oil on canvas. Minimum bid $200. Click here if you would like to bid.

Just Apples

Lately I've been exploring the art of Quang Ho where he discusses "local tone" vs. "light and shadow"....i love the light and shadow...but I know what he means when he says many artists confuse the two...and a painting ends up being neither 'light and shadow' nor local tone...resulting in a lost painting. Today I made the effort to paint local tone. It was really difficult...but I think I did it. I set up these apples in a beautiful hand thrown ceramic bowl...and let just the natural light hit them...no additional light source. It's a real challenge to paint like that...every value and temperature has to be correct. I realized how really dark my studio is..if I don't provide additional lighting.