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Summer, Suspended in Yellow

One of my favorite things about still life painting is how it can hold a whole season in a moment. This new Monthly Miniature, Summer, Suspended in Yellow, pauses summer at its peak, even as time passes differently within the composition. The yellow Japanese plums were ripe weeks before the Asian pears began to turn, yet here they exist together, suspended in a single, golden season. This layering of time is something Dutch masters often did, hinting at the fleeting nature of life while celebrating its abundance.

Inspiration from Cotán and Coorte

This painting is inspired by two artists I return to often: Fray Juan Sánchez Cotán (1560–1627), a Spanish Baroque painter, and Adriaen Coorte, a Dutch still life painter active in the late 1600s.

Cotán is often credited as the father of Spanish still life (bodegón) painting. His carefully arranged compositions are filled with a serene order, often placing fruits and vegetables in spare, stone-like niches. His Still Life with Quince, Cabbage, Melon, and Cucumber is a masterclass in quiet balance and the poetic rhythm of form.

Coorte, on the other hand, is known for his small, intimate paintings of fruit and vegetables, often presented on a simple stone ledge with a dark background. His works feel deeply connected to the natural world, in part because of the insects that frequently make their way into his compositions. At first glance, Cotán and Coorte share a similar sensibility, but Coorte’s paintings seem to breathe a little life, as if the objects have just been gathered from the garden.

Both painters share a quiet restraint that sets them apart from many of their more exuberant contemporaries. Instead of compositions overflowing with flowers and food, they often choose just a handful of objects and place them with precision, creating a sense of space and stillness. In Summer, Suspended in Yellow, I’ve taken inspiration from Cotán’s meditative compositional rhythm while allowing the presence of a tiny wasp to echo Coorte’s gentle connection to nature.

Chasing the Color Yellow

Yellow can be a challenging color in oil paint. It’s often quite transparent and takes many layers to achieve luminosity. Luckily for me, that’s how I usually work. For this painting, I added a lovely glazing color, Indian yellow, to my usual palette: titanium white, cadmium lemon, yellow ochre, cadmium red light, quinacridone rose, ultramarine and phthalo blues, venetian red, burnt umber, and ivory black. My favorite green, which is visible in the banana stems and pear leaves, is a simple mix of cadmium lemon and black.

Old Meets New

Though inspired by centuries-old tradition, the fruit is firmly of the present day. The pear and plums came from my backyard garden, while the bananas are the modern Cavendish variety you’ll find in any grocery store. Old-world compositional ideas meet today’s familiar fruits, all brought to life through careful layering of color.

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My Go-To Bartlett Pear Canning Recipe

A Kitchen Overflowing with Pears

This year our Bartlett and Asian pear trees have been unbelievably generous and we’ve harvested over a thousand pears! While the orchard is beautiful, it also means long hours in the kitchen. I have two kids that love pears so all the extra work is worth it.

After sharing some of my pear paintings recently (you can see them here: A Season of Pears blog post), I thought it would be fun to also share the recipe I use to preserve Bartlett pears. It’s simple, sweet, and keeps us stocked through the winter and beyond.


Bartlett Pear Water Bath Canning Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 8–10 pounds of ripe but firm Bartlett pears
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 cups sugar (for a light syrup — adjust to taste)
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Cinnimon sticks
  • whole cloves

Instructions:

  1. Wash, peel, and slice the pears. To prevent browning, place prepared pears in a bowl of water with lemon juice.
  2. Fill up and heat the water in your canning pot and heat up your canning jars. In a second large pot, combine the water and sugar. Heat until the sugar dissolves, making a light syrup.
  3. Pour the cut pears into the light syrup and boil for 5 minutes.
  4. Pack the pear slices into the hot sterilized jars, and add 1/4 cinnimon stick and a clove to each jar.
  5. Pour the hot syrup over the pears, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Use a butter knife to push out air bubbles from around the pears.
  6. Wipe rims clean, apply lids and bands.
  7. Process jars in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes (adjusting for altitude as needed).
  8. Remove and let cool — you’ll hear that satisfying “ping” as the jars seal.

That’s it! Simple, sweet, and delicious!


From Orchard to the Art Gallery

What I love most about this process is how it connects to my studio practice. Just as I capture pears in jars for the winter, I’ve also captured them with paint in my still life paintings. Each approach preserves the fleeting beauty of the season in its own way.

If you’d like to see how pears have inspired my art, take a look at my Monthly Miniatures series, or visit my recent post: A Season of Pears.

And if you’d like more seasonal updates, stories from the studio, and first looks at new paintings, you can sign up for my newsletter here.

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Introducing Artist Joey Bates

I’m thrilled to introduce you to a dear friend and incredibly talented artist, Joey Bates, who has recently taken on the Monthly Miniature challenge alongside me. Joey and I first met years ago in Seattle at a weekly open studio co-hosted by artist Tim Marsden and myself. Though Joey now lives in Sweden, we’ve been able to rekindle that creative exchange through Signal, thanks to a fellow artist and mutual friend, Susan Lewandowski.

This month, Joey and I decided to take on a shared theme: dragonflies. Scroll down to see his November miniature—a stunningly intricate cut-paper dragonfly that showcases his signature precision and attention to detail.

If you’re not yet familiar with Joey’s work, I can’t recommend it highly enough. His pieces are thoughtful, beautiful, and quietly powerful. I’m so excited to see where the Monthly Miniature journey takes him, and I hope you’ll follow along too.

You can contact Joey directly to inquire about purchasing this piece, sign up for his newsletter to stay updated on new work, and be sure to check out his brand-new flower shop that just opened!

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April Bouquet Miniature Floral Painting

Spring has officially sprung and i hope that my newest Monthly Miniature floral painting reflects that. You may have noticed that my first four paintings in this series all have a slightly different feel (see them all on the Monthly Miniature page). Part of the change is the increase in plants and insects awakening to populate each months painting, and for April, I wanted to pack the painting full of new lush blooms. I have included seven types of plants (some in different colors), three insects and the nest of a Dark-Eyed Junco that my husband found in our yard. You can find a complete list at the end of this post.

In addition to changing the subjects in my paintings, I’m also changing how they are composed. For each of my twelve miniatures this year, I’m studying a different master of still life paintings from Northern Europe (1600-1800). I’ve long admired paintings from this era and this series is giving me the opportunity to luxuriate in the detailed little worlds created by so many different artists. See the inspiration behind all of the “In Season” miniatures in previous posts.

Abundance of blooms: Gerard Van Spaendonck

Flower still Life, oil on canvas, 22.5″ x 16″

Gerard Van Spaendonck (1746 – 1822) was an influential Dutch painter, who settled in Paris early in his career. He is known for his fabulously dense oil paintings filled with a wide assortment of flowers and a variety of other living creatures. Gerard was a master at creating an explosion of color and texture.

I’m generally drawn to simple compositions, but I wanted to go in a different direction with this painting and he was the perfect muse. I’ve been excited to change the subjects of each Miniature and highlight what is currently in season. It’s been an interesting challenge to also think of creating a mood that is reflecting the sparsity or abundance of things available as well. I have each month sketched out for the rest of the year already!

I carefully choose each of my blooms, but heavily referenced his composition from the painting, “Flower Still Life”. My plants came from a variety of places; some I found online, others were purchased, and some I picked from my garden which is starting to explode! The Seattle Growers Market is a great resource, with public hours on Fridays, 10 am – noon. I took photos and mixed everything together on the computer for the composition (Pixelmator for Mac). I posed as much as I could in a Frankenstein taped up heap to reference from life but used my digital mock up as a primary reference for plants. The birds nest with egg and caterpillar were painted solely from life (my three year old son got caterpillars for his birthday!)

What’s in my painting?

Birds and Insects:

Bumblebee
Housefly
Painted Lady Caterpillar
Dark-Eyed Oregon Junco nest and egg

Plants:

Anemones – white and yellow
Euphoria
Grape Hyacinths
Kale

Ranunculus – red, white and pink
Salal (leaves)
Tulips – rainbow parrot, flaming white parrot,  Absalom, mint green parrots

 

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A Muse for Spring

The inspiration for my March Monthly Miniature is artist, Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder (18 January 1573 – 1621) who was a still life painter of the Dutch Golden Age. He was among the founders of the tradition, the height of which dates to around 1600-1800. I’ve long admired paintings from this era and this series is giving me the opportunity to luxuriate the detailed little worlds created by so many different artists. Each of my twelve paintings will pay tribute to a different artist form this era and Ambrosius Bosschaert is definately one of my favorites. I’m drawn to his symmetrical and simple compositions and tried to compose my daffodil painting with some of the grace and elegance he so carefully crafts into each small painting. Go to my Monthly Miniatures gallery to see all of the paintings in this series. Learn more about this painting in my previous post.

Oil on Copper

Ambrosius Bosschaert is also a fellow painter on copper. If you look at the image below, you’ll notice that this three hundred year old painting is free of cracks or paint loss. Aside form the luminous and smooth surface, meal is an ideal painting surface because it is such a stable surface. It doesn’t tear or suffer from expanding or contracting with humidity like canvas or wood.

Ambrosius Bosschaert (1573–1621), Still Life with Bouquet of Tulips, a Rose, Clover, and Cyclamen in a Green Glass Bottle, oil on copper

Ambrosius Bosschaert (1573–1621), Still Life with Bouquet of Tulips, a Rose, Clover, and Cyclamen in a Green Glass Bottle, oil on copper

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Finding inspiration in art history: Adriaen Coorte

For latest painting in my series of Monthly MIniature’s I painted a bowl of brussels sprouts inspired by the works by Adriaen Coorte (ca. 1665 – after 1707).

With each of these paintings, I learn more about the Northern European still life tradition and I was drawn to the simplicity of Adriaen Coorte’s compositions. Because of my classical art training and experience of working at an art museum, I can usually identify the artist or at least the era in which a painting was made. Adriaen Coorte’s paintings are easily identifiable in the genre of Dutch Still Lifes because his paintings are unusually unpretentious. Many painting from the era have extravagant compositions, featuring priceless (at the time) tulips with a riot of color. By contrast, his painting are quiet and incredibly tender.

His painting of a bowl full of strawberries became the inspiration for my painting of brussels sprouts. I chose a bowl from the collection of the Seattle Art Museum, where I work part time, and picked brussels sprouts from my garden (just about the only thing in the garden in February!).

Learn more about my painting, “Brussels Sprouts and Porcelain Bowl” in an earlier blog post and see all of the paintings in the series on the Monthly Miniature gallery page. You can also sign up for my newsletter to see each painting right when they are finished and get the first opportunity to purchase, a day before it goes public on the web site.

Adriaen Coorte, Wild Strawberries in a Wan Li Bowl, Oil on paper, mounted on wood, 11 5/8 x 8 7/8

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Influences Abound: Jacob Marrel Floral Paintings

The paintings in my new Monthly Miniature series “In Season“, are inspired by still life paintings from Northern Europe that were at their prime from around 1600 – 1800. Each painting is influenced by a different artist from within the genre. My first painting in the series is inspired by the German artist Jacob Marrel. He primary made floral paintings and you can almost always find an insect somewhere in his work. He studied still life painting in Utrecht under Jan Davidsz. de Heem who is a major representative of that genre in both Dutch and Flemish Baroque painting. Later Jacob taught painting to his own students including his stepdaughter, Maria Sibylla Merian, who became a scientific illustrator and one of the premier entomologist (scientist who studies insects) of her time.

Paintings from this genre can get quite complicated both in composition and in subject matter. Marrel could compose an intricate composition to rival the best of them, but I was drawn his paintings with only insects and flowers. This fit the mood I was wanting for my first painting in the series. Since this series will only feature produce, flowers and insects that are in season, I wanted to start simply to demonstrate how sparse it is in winter. Look carefully at Joseph Marrel’s painting below and you will find my simplified take on his composition.

Please visit an earlier blog post for an introduction to this series. You can also find previous Monthly Miniature series by scrolling down on the Monthly Miniature page.

Jacob Marrel artist known for floral paintings, "Still Life With A Yellow Iris, A Parrot Tulip, A White Rose And Insects On A Wooden Table Ledge" oil on Canvas.

Jacob Marrel, “Still Life With A Yellow Iris, A Parrot Tulip, A White Rose And Insects”, oil on Canvas.

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Travels with My Uncle

A Family Trip to Remember

I had the honor of traveling to Barcelona for the opening of the 13th International ARC Salon Exhibition at the Museu Europeu d’Art Modern (MEAM). This major show brought together artists from around the globe, and I was thrilled to have one of my paintings included. Even more meaningful was the fact that my family came with me and that my Uncle Bill flew in from Ohio to be there, too.

A Lifelong Influence

Uncle Bill has been a steady presence throughout my artistic life. He bought me my very first canvas when I was in high school, encouraged my work from the very beginning, and opened my eyes to the power of original art through his own personal collection. He took me to galleries and museums and helped me see a creative life as something real and possible. To have him standing beside me in Barcelona, all these years later, still showing up for my work meant more than I can express.

It was also a joy to share the experience of Barcelona together. We wandered the city, saw the sights, and spent time simply being family. My son, still a toddler, had a chance to bond with his great uncle. His middle name is William, in honor of Uncle Bill and the two of them together made the trip even more memorable.

A Moment That Stays With Me

There’s a photo of the two of us at the MEAM, standing in front of my painting. Every time I look at it, I’m reminded of how far I’ve come and of the people who believed in me from the beginning. It’s easy to talk about the finished artwork, but the journey to get there is made of moments like this one.

You can read more about the exhibition in this earlier post and see more pieces from the series featured in the show: Monthly Miniature: Into the Country and Into the Country (larger works)

The family traveled with me to Barcelona for my recent exhibit “13th annual ARC Salon” at the Museu Europeu d’Art Modern (MEAM) and my Uncle Bill joined us from Ohio. My uncle bought me my very first canvas when I was in high school and was instrumental in my artistic pursuits. He took me to galleries and museums and his own collection of original art was such an inspiration for me. It means so much that still, so many years later, here he is standing by me believing in what I do. It was also great to have him with us to see the sights, meet new people and for my son to get to visit with his great uncle. My sons middle name is William, named after my Uncle Bill.

Learn more about the exhibit on my blog and see more paintings from the series, “Monthly Miniature: Into the Country” and “Into the Country (larger works)

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Happy New Year! Reflections on 2017 and wishes for 2018

It’s been a very eventful year, filled with joy, sorrow and everything in between. When not painting, I either take care of my little guy, work part time at the Seattle Art Museum, work in the garden or do what feels like a million loads of laundry a week (cloth diapers, people! need I say more??). Watching my son turn one and grow and learn at an alarming rate is enough to boggle the mind. He has definitely been the highlight of my year and has inspired my series of Monthly Miniatures, the Children of Artist’s.

I’ll wrap up this series in 2018 and develop plans for exhibiting the paintings together with works by all of the artist parents. Lots of exciting commissions are booked for this year but I still have a few slots open. They’re filling up fast though, so if you have a project in mind, contact me soon and we can get it scheduled before next holiday season. I hope you’ll keep checking back to see what I’m up to and if you haven’t already, please subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Instagram. Thank you for all the support and encouragement!

A Happy and Healthy New Year to you All!

 

Memorial Portrait: An Unexpected Loss

The White Rabbit, Oil painting miniature by Rebecca Luncan

The White Rabbit – September 2016, oil on copper, 4″ x 4″

A Memorial Portrait: The passing of Ellie

My Ellie passed away quite suddenly this past month. The vet saw her for an eye irritation but found nothing too concerning, just a tiny scratch on her eye. But Ellie died the very next evening. We don’t know why she died so suddenly, but we miss her.

It’s a sad thing, but having so many animals in childhood helped teach me to be thankful, that death doesn’t diminish the gifts of life. Ellie was a sweet friend to her brother Charlie, and I’ll miss her hopping around the house, and snuggling at my feet while I paint. She was a great muse, and it comforts me that I was painting her portrait when she passed for the Monthly Miniature – Into the Country series.

We kept one early painting of Ellie for ourselves, and I’m glad we did. A portrait has a freshness and a life of its own that makes the subject feel close, that keeps them alive and well in our hearts. It’s a hard thing to explain why a painting should feel more significant than, say, the photo it’s based on, but I think it’s the care put into making it. Because it’s a totally unique object, we give it meaning.

Please enjoy the newest painting of Ellie and join me in remembering her fondly. You can find more paintings of her in the Monthly Miniature – Rabbit’s series.

Rest in peace little Ellie! You will be very missed.