Still-life with Daisies and Oranges by Vonnie Kohn, Tx artist, oil painting

Daisies with Oranges, Grapes

11x14"

Oil/ Canvas

$350

My latest still-life is a study in impressionism using  minimal brushwork. Reflections and transparency in the bottles add interest. Email me if interested:

www.vonniekohn.com 

http://vonniekohn-artist.blogspot.com 

Thank you for looking!

"Rachel"-Finished Portrait! by Tx. artist Vonnie Kohn

"Rachel"

20x24"

Oil on Canvas

I have finally finished this portrait of my granddaughter, Rachel. She chose this particular jacket with buttons to wear to the photo shoot. I was intrigued by the way it defined her personality differently than I had previously viewed her. This portrait has garnered much interest and has even prompted a commission or two! Rachel has just completed her MBA in accounting, married, and now moving on to a promising career. May her future be filled with joy.

Rachel-Progressions of Portrait by Texas Contemporary Artist Vonnie Kohn

Well, I'm back at the easel again with Rachel. When considering a portrait, the skin tones usually dictate the background color. Rachel's skin tones have a delicate pale blue in the shadows with very fair skin. She has hazel eyes with naturally blond hair. A pale lose background in greens seem to enhance all of her features. I loosely painted the background in an impressionistic manner.

The jacket was painted in undertones of alizarin crimson & ultramarine blue to give a little warmth to the dark jacket. If I had painted the jacket straight black, it would have looked like a "black hole" instead of being rich with deep tones.

Notice that her eyes were not painted "white" at this point. When observing a person's eyes, the eyeball is not always pure white. They are also luminous with reflected color!

The "Eyes" have it! Rachel now has eyes. I am still modifying by overlaying layers of shadows and deepening values in the skin tones. The jacket has undergone more layers with additional glazes. Next week...the finished project!

"Rachel"-Progression of Portrait by Texas Contemporary Artist Vonnie Kohn

It's been a long while since I've blogged about art. I took a sabbatical for awhile in order to concentrate on family and medical issues. It's good to be back at the easel again and share in the Celebration of Life on canvas. I have decided to change the format of my blog somewhat. I will be posting the progression of some of my paintings from time to time at the requests of other fellow artists. To the right is a photo of one of my granddaughters-Rachel. The light was not too flattering and she had just stopped by my studio after a long tiring day at work.  Isn't she beautiful? Her jacket was interesting and typified her personality perfectly.

I hung this on a display wall at the gallery where I exhibit my work and conduct lessons. I was teaching a portrait class at the time and gave a preliminary oil sketch demo to my students. The canvas size is 20x24" portrait canvas by W and N. Ordinarily I work on canvases with a neutral background, but Rachel's skin tones were so pale that I wanted to allow the white of the canvas to lighten her facial values. My palette colors were: Raw umber, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre pale and titanium white by Winsor and Newton. I ordinarily do not sketch beforehand with a pencil or charcoal but draw with a brush technique which is more spontaneous. Because of limited time in the classroom, this is where I stopped for the session. To demonstrate the layout of composition,  the canvas was divided into thirds, both vertically and horizontally. In placing her just off center and facing the viewer directly, Rachel's energetic personality is both straightforward and direct.

The basic proportions and underpainting are now in place. Next blog, I will bring her to life...see you then!

"Cactus Heat" and "Pumpkin Patch", sold at Arte de los Brazos, art exhibition in Texas

Good news! I was privileged to be accepted into the Arte de los Brazos Art Exhibition in Possum Kingdom, Texas and sold 2 of my 3 entries. The third entry garnered 1 of 12 merit awards. The painting shown is "Cactus Heat," 12 x 16 oil on canvas. This painting has gained much interest, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it had a new owner. The other was "Pumpkin Patch," a 16 x 20" watercolor of a vintage Dodge pickup sitting amidst a field of pumpkins. I was out-of-state and unable to attend this show at the time. Thank you to my new collectors! I hope you have many hours of enjoyment from my work.In addition, my 3rd entry, "Bridal Veil Falls," an oil landscape of the Falls in the Yosemite National Park, won one of 12 merit awards in this prestigious show...there were at least 150 entries. I'm grateful to the judges for the recognition.

I have been participating in several plein air events and have been missing from my usual blog posts lately. I am back now & will be posting new works very soon. What an experience to be able to enjoy my daily work...painting the great outdoors!

"Expressions from the Soul" artwork by Vonnie Kohn, Texas artist, oil paintings, Phillips 66 station, Cowboy

"Fill 'Er Up"

"Portrait of a Cowboy"

"Fill 'Er Up" is a 1920's Phillip's 66 station that we discovered in Atoka, Oklahoma. At present, it is the home of the local Chamber of Commerce. The gas pump was known as a gravity feed pump...oil on canvas..18x24"

"Portrait of a Cowboy"..oil on canvas..20x20" is of a local cowboy living near Weatherford, Tx. He is the real deal! I'm told he always wears a bandana..seems this is his trademark.


I am honored to announce that I have had 4 artworks selected for the "Expressions from the Soul" juried art exhibition at the Doss Heritage & Culture Center in Weatherford, Texas. "Fill 'Er Up" is a 1920's Phillip's 66 station that we discovered in Atoka, Oklahoma. At present, it is the home of the local Chamber of Commerce. The gas pump was known as a gravity feed pump.

The "Expressions from the Soul" exhibit, in its 4th year, brings together more than 50 top regional artists dedicated to representing the varied styles of artwork found in Texas. The show will be held October 24, 2012-February 3rd, 2013. Weatherford is about 20 minutes west of Ft. Worth, Texas. If you are in the area or need more information, please call 817-599-6168 or www.dosscenter.org. The Doss Heritage is a beautiful museum dedicated to preserving the historical significance of the West.

If you are interested in these works, please contact me at:  www.vonniekohn.com or dosscenter.org.

Thank you for looking!

God's Handiwork, landscape, oil painting by Vonnie Kohn

 "God' Handiwork"

oil on canvas

18 x 24"

It's been awhile since I have posted on my blog. I've been fortunate to do some plein air painting through the summer, although we've had record high temperatures here in Texas. When traveling, it is not wise to advertise, so I find it more advisable to post after returning home.  Our state is known for its beautiful sunsets. Luckily this image was very local for me...in my back yard. Even with drought conditions, we have had clouds rolling in from time to time.Noticing the beautiful light touching the clouds, I quickly set up my portable easel in the back yard. Painting "en plein air" requires fast observation as the light changes about every 15 seconds. My emphasis in the painting was concerned with placement of color and correct values in the horizon of the trees. The camera cannot capture the darker shadows accurately..it translates as black in the image. Plein air is the most effective manner of painting to record true color. Evidently the painting was a success...it received an award in the Weatherford Peach Festival Fine Art Show, 2012!

If interested in this painting, please contact me at:

www.vonniekohn.com

http://vonniekohn-artist.blogspot.com