Daily Paintings Challenge | Beverly Shipko, Artist

Day 3 of the 30/30 Challenge – Oreo

January 4, 2015 by Beverly

Today I returned to my roots with this half-eaten Oreo Cookie oil painting on panel.

This was my first Oreo on a smooth surface, and the first time I used a pink underpainting (peeking through in the highlights). Graham ate this cookie, so I named the painting after him since it’s essentially his “portrait”.

Day 3. “Graham’s Oreo Cookie” by Beverly Shipko, Oil on panel, 6 x 6 inches.

Graham is the grandson of my friend Faye, who brings her grandsons over every year for an Oreo Cookie Party with The Oreo Cookie Lady (my nickname) when they visit from out-of-town.

It’s has become an annual summer tradition that we all look forward to. The boys like to run around outside, play cards and bite some cookies for me – lots of cookies… Faye makes sure to bring them over after dinner for dessert, otherwise they’ll spoil their appetites. Here is some of their handiwork.

Of course, I have a fresh pack of Oreos ready, plenty of napkins, plates and a gallon of milk. The boys have such a good time pulling the Oreos apart, stacking and grouping them so they stand up, dunking them, and, of course, eating them, creating all sorts of innovative designs for me along the way. I have my camera out and put it to good use taking photos of a wide range of original arrangements that only kids could come up with.

While I have sketched some of their masterpieces before in pencil, Graham’s Oreo Cookie is the first oil sketch. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see another original creation by one of the boys in the next 27 days. Should you be interested in buying today’s painting, please email the artist at info@beverlyshipko.com.

Time to get ready for Day 4. See you tomorrow!

Day 2 of the 30/30 Challenge – Devil’s Food Cupcake

January 3, 2015 by Beverly

I decided to stick with the dessert theme and another Crumbs Bake Shop cupcake, but from a completely different perspective.

While yesterday I painted a more graphic top-down view of a Milkshake cupcake in a square format, today I opted for a classic horizontal side view of the Crumbs Devil’s Food cupcake. This time I chose to crop the bottom off this cupcake – another first for me. Often my compositions are more traditional and include the whole cupcake, but if there is ever a time to experiment, this challenge is it. Here is the “finished” painting.

Day 2. “Crumbs Devil’s Food Cupcake” by Beverly Shipko, Oil on panel, 5 x 7 inches.

I used the word “finished” in quotes, because a part of me still doesn’t believe this is complete. There are a lot of small details in this sketch, so I’m seeing more things that I want to change than yesterday, even though I know deep down that these changes won’t do much to improve the overall painting. I want to maintain the loose quality to the paint application that is appealing. The incremental benefits of working on this longer are small, and the risks of overworking this sketch are great. So it’s time to stop and start thinking about tomorrow. This is such good practice for me!

Here’s the photograph I was working with, and the panel as it looked around noon. Since I discovered yesterday that I liked using a color underpainting, I decided to apply a more intense pink this time, using acrylic paint that dries in minutes unlike oil that takes weeks (especially since I am using an extremely rich but slow drying titanium white).

After the pink dried, I sketched in the details with a pencil, and then started painting the darks in with brown oil paint to establish the structure and 3-D feeling early on.

I spent most of the afternoon working on the top of the cupcake before moving into the wrapper, again starting with the darks. Looking at this photo, I realize I miss some of the pink you see here in the preliminary wrapper. The pink undertones peeking through liven up this almost monochromatic image, something to keep in mind for the future.

It’s good for me to be writing this blog and reflect back on the progress I made in a short period of time. The realization that the very flat pink cupcake above has somehow magically transformed itself into a real, live cupcake in a few hours brings a smile to my face.

All in all, it was another great day. I gained more confidence since this subject was more complex, containing many more details in the dripping chocolate and accordion-pleated wrapper. Yet I was able to complete the painting earlier than on Day 1.

I’ll have some time to mull over my subject for tomorrow while I clean the dozen brushes that are still sitting in my studio. Sometimes I procrastinate since it’s a messy job, but someone has to do it. It would help if I wake up early tomorrow and start painting right away (even though I am a night person and my body rebels against the thought). The days are so short that I need all the natural light I can get, and paintings generally photograph better in natural light.

I am looking forward to Day 3 and whatever it brings. Should you be interested in buying this painting, please contact me directly at info@beverlyshipko.com.

Day 1 of the 30/30 Challenge – Milkshake Cupcake

January 2, 2015 by Beverly

For those of you know my work, it’s not surprising that I chose a dessert today for my first daily painting.

I wanted to directly compare the process of painting a sketch vs. a highly finished work, and to use this experience as a benchmark for the future. Today I decided to work from a photo that I took of this delectable “yin-yang” cupcake from Crumbs Bake Shop, which I kept in a photo book (my version of a sketchbook.) To my surprise, I just checked and found out that it is over 4 years old, which is a long time to be thinking about a potential subject.

Day 1. “Crumbs Milkshake Cupcake” by Beverly Shipko, Oil on panel, 6 x 6 inches.

There were a lot of firsts today: This is the first oil painting I have ever done in a day, the first one on a wood panel, my smallest dessert at 6 x 6 inches, and the first time I used a tinted undercoating (a faint hint of pink is showing through the vanilla frosting and blue shadow).

All in all, it was a successful day and I had a good time.

The paint literally glided on the totally smooth surface of the wood panel, which made paint application easy and pleasant. It was still a bit of an adjustment, and in some ways the surface felt less forgiving than canvas or linen (which is flexible) since the paint sits right on the rigid surface. Perhaps I’ll feel differently after I have a few more paintings under my belt. I spent more time contemplating each step along the way since my personal goal was to complete this by the end of the day, and I knew there was no time to let the panel dry and repaint mistakes later.

My impulse was to keep working tonight and add more details (e.g. shadows on each crumb) until the cupcake was “perfect”. While I knew in my gut that this sketch was finished, old habits die hard and I wanted to keep going anyway, even knowing the brushwork would lose its freshness by doing that.

Thanks again, Laura, for gently but firmly reminding me that this cupcake was intended to be a daily painting, and that the true challenge for me is to accept this fact and adjust my style accordingly. Knowing when to stop is mostly an art and not a science (which applies to blogging too…).

If you are interested in purchasing this painting, please contact the artist at info@beverlyshipko.com.

See you tomorrow!

The New Year’s Challenge

January 1, 2015 by Beverly

It’s New Years Day, and today is the day I am taking action instead of giving lip service to my resolutions.

Every year I enthusiastically make of list of resolutions with the best of intentions, only to watch my commitment gradually decline over time. This year is going to be different. It’s time to live up to the spirit of my Bev’s Bites of Life blog and take a bite (at least start with a nibble…). So I signed up for the 30/30 Challenge starting today, when I will return to as I finish writing this post.

The 30/30 Challenge stands for 30 Paintings in 30 Days, which is hosted by Leslie Saeta. I intend to do a small painting a day, and started my first one this morning on Day 1.

A creative top-down view taken by my webmaster, and daughter, Laura Sloofman. January 1, 2015.

After finishing each painting, I’ll post my work along with other participating artists (over 800 registered from all over the world) on Leslie’s blog. It will be interesting to see how many other artists post, and what they are doing. The challenge is very exciting and a bit intimidating at the same time, since I tend to work methodically. In fact, at first didn’t even want to tell anyone I was doing this challenge, but now I’m going public.

I realized the 30/30 Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to explore new paths and to pursue the many things I have been thinking about painting for years, both in the food arena and beyond. Over the years, I took photos of everything from orchids to Sedona red rocks to classic cars, which are accumulating way too quickly on my computer (Oh, did I mention desserts?). Clearly I am a digital photo junkie who needs to buy another external backup drive just for photos, which are coming in handy now as I contemplate what to paint. Suggestions are always welcome, and would be especially timely right now.

The other day I was actually thinking that I should try painting healthy vegetables, perish the thought! While I won’t know what I am going to actually paint each day, I do know that I will be pushing myself out of my comfort zone, which is a good thing to do once in a while.

As I prepared for this painting adventure last week, I spoke with my artist friend Cristine Kossow, the pastel artist who introduced me to the challenge (thanks Cris!), and I realized that I needed different materials. The very nature of the challenge requires that you work small and quickly (unless you’re Picasso…). I decided to use small gesso panels, both 6 x 6″ and 5 x 7″ formats, with a smooth surface instead of using my usual stretched canvases, so I wouldn’t have to fight the “tooth” or texture of the canvas each day. I wanted the paint to glide on the surface effortlessly (like icing on a cake) like it does when I use lead-primed linen canvas, without the expense.

Three problems emerged:

1. I needed 30 small gesso panels.

2. Since I paint standing up, it was important to find a way to mount these small boards, so they would stay still on my large easels.

3. The “lip” of my easel covered 1/4″ on the top and bottom of each panel. I needed easy and unencumbered access to the entire painting surface.

Off I went to AI Friedman in Port Chester, NY to use the gift card that I won as August Artist of the Month, and was lucky that Tony, the art supplies manager and talented artist in his own right, was there. He is a creative thinker who always helps come up with solutions to any painting dilemma. When I got to this panel aisle, I was overwhelmed with all the choices. That’s when Tony came to the rescue.

He helped guide me to these cradled panels, which can be hung as they are, and best met my needs.

Together Tony and I devised a system for mounting the panel, using a velcro and/or adhesive putty, to a larger masonite board which the easels could securely hold securely. Here’s what the solution looks like. Now I am good to go.

I plan on posting my work here so you can follow my progress – and root me to the finish line! As I embark on this new challenge, somehow I feel like a pioneer exploring the new frontier. Cristine assures me I will be a better artist for it. I am confident that this is worth the effort and commitment, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it.

I believe my painting will evolve in some positive way, and I will learn something about myself along the way. If nothing else, I will feel what it’s like to be more free in my approach, which is a wonderful thing. I am open to whatever comes – which is what taking that first bite out of life is all about. And what better time to start than January 1st.

Wish me luck!