Holiday Glow

Holiday Glow
7” x 5” (17.8cm x 12.7cm) acrylic on hand primed board unframed $125 with free shipping in USA and Canada.
For more info email Paul at: wolberinchina@hotmail.com
To purchase or see all my past work on this blog click HERE.
To see the work on my other blog: http://pwolberart.blog.com

There is always a special feeling that one grows up with during the holidays, so this image is one that evokes those sentiments for many. Whatever ones background, the holidays can bring a warm glow.

Someone recently asked: Do you paint on site, from photography or from your minds eye? My response is as follows:

I do all of the above. I like to paint on site when possible, but obviously some paintings can't be done on site or plein air as some like to call it. In this case I'll work from still life set up or photos, but only photo's that I've taken so I know the space and light. The mistake of the amateur or beginner is they don't always understand the space and light when working from a photo so the painting looks like a copy of a photo. It's pretty easy to spot these.

I've painted long enough so I can usually create an idea from my minds eye, but I'll usually want some supporting information or material for reference and clarity. Actually, now, it is possible to create an image out of fragments and I've sometimes even put fragments of my photos together and composed them in PhotoShop before I paint, but that can be dangerous because one has to be careful to fully understand light source and ambient light color. I'm well aware of both so I don't think I will make that mistake. I hope this helps to give you an idea how I think about starting a painting.

© Copyright by Paul Wolber

Belgian Team Finished Stage:You can see the painting process on my blog

This painting, similar to one I did before, is currently not for sale since it is being done on request, so I've decided to show how it's done so you can follow along as it develops. Each painting I do is unique, so this one is a six span of horses with some differences of light and color to make it unique.

For more info email: wolberinchina@hotmail.com
To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.
To see the work in progress on my blog: http://pwolberart.blog.com

© Copyright by Paul Wolber

Jingle Bells

Jingle Bells: Dashing Through The Snow
5” x 7” (12.7cm x 17.8cm) acrylic on gessoed board unframed $125 with free shipping in USA and Canada.
For more info email Paul at: wolberinchina@hotmail.com
To purchase or see all my past work on this blog click HERE.
To see my other blog: http://pwolberart.blog.com

While doing research on sleigh bells I discovered the song "Jingle Bells" was originally written as a Thanksgiving Day song by James Pierpoint in 1857. It's popularity caused it to be repeated as a Christmas song and has been recognized that way since.

The sound of sleigh bells reminds us of the "good old days" when going to grandmother's house for Christmas dinner was a family tradition. Most of us today either no longer have grandmother or we live so far away it is difficult to travel so far. Now Christmas has a different feeling for many, so sleigh bells can be a reminder of the days when families were a more closely knit unit.

© Copyright by Paul Wolber

Into Another World

Into Another World: A Keyhole Glimpse Into The Past And The Future
5” x 7” (12.7cm x 17.8cm) acrylic on gessoed board unframed $125 with free shipping in USA and Canada.
SOLD
To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

Images often suggest things not seen on the surface but give us a glimpse of something deeper. When I saw this door with an open view through the large keyhole, it suggested a view into another dimension. Whatever is behind this door is something each viewer can imagine or speculate about. It suggests there is more to our universe than meets the eye and thus shows us how a painting or work of art can lead us into a world of imagination giving new understanding to our unfolding experience and causing us to think new thoughts or see new possibilities.

©Copyright by Paul Wolber

A Pair of House Finches

A Pair of House Finches
5” x 7” (12.7cm x 17.8cm) acrylic on gessoed board unframed $125 with free shipping in USA and Canada.
SOLD
To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.
To see my other blog: http://pwolberart.blog.com

This is a pair of finches that visit my bird feeder regularly. I built the bird feeder outside my kitchen window to observe my backyard birds to learn more about their habits and to observe them up close. I created a one-way glass so I can see them but they won’t be frightened away if I observe or photograph them from just a few inches away. To see a photo collage of the feeder and some of the birds that come regularly visit my blog.

This is a painting I began some time ago, but was interrupted and just now put the finishing touches on.

© Copyright by Paul Wolber

Amish Team

Amish Team
5" x 10" (12.7 cm X 25.4 cm) acrylic on gessoed board unframed with free shipping in US and Canada.
SOLD
T see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

This painting is scheduled for my one-person exhibition I'll be opening in February. It is for sale however with the caveat that it will not be available until March 2009. Send email if you're interested.

There are large Amish settlements in south Michigan and parts of Indiana who use these beautiful Belgian horses in their fields. They tell me the best horses come from Lancaster County in Pennsylvania. I've seen them work with up to 8 or 10 horses in a field.

© Copyright by Paul Wolber

Chickadee

Black Capped Chickadee
5” x 7” (12.7cm x 17.8cm) acrylic on gessoed board unframed with free shipping in USA and Canada.
SOLD
To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

In order to study birds more closely I've built a bird feeder in my kitchen window. This is one of our regular visitors. You can see the actual size detail below.


© Copyright by Paul Wolber

Vintage Wood Plane: Grandfather's Woodworking Tool

Vintage Wood Plane: Grandfather's Tool
6” x 8” (15.24cm x 20.32cm) acrylic painting on canvas panel $175 unframed
Always free shipping within USA and Canada.
SOLD
To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

I remember as a small child exploring my grandfathers workshop and seeing all the tools of a blacksmith and woodworker he left behind after he passed away. Many of the tools I was too small to understand but the feel of the place and the smell of wood chips and sawdust are still very much a part of my memories. I inherited some of his tools from my mother and this old wood plane is one I still keep in my studio today. The image of the workshop comes from the memories still in my head even though the actual workshop no longer exists. I hope you can sense some of the feeling of that place and time of long ago from this painting.

© Copyright by Paul Wolber Art Studio

Vintage Mickey Mouse Toy Blocks: Minnie

Vintage Mickey Mouse Toy Blocks: Minnie on the Run
5” x 7” (12.7cm x 17.8cm) acrylic on canvas board unframed $125 with free shipping in USA and Canada.
SOLD
To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

These antique toy blocks are now collector items. Each block has Mickey Mouse images on two sides, words and pictures on two sides and alphabet letters on the other sides. On this one, Minnie is running with arms stretched up, with Mickey on the other side where you can't see him. A hen and ocean liner are the word pictures with the letters K and V printed on top and bottom. They were once great toys for children.

© Copyright by Paul Wolber

Door to the Past

Door to the Past
5” x 7” (12.7cm x 17.8cm) acrylic on gessoed board unframed $125 with free shipping in USA and Canada.
SOLD
To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

I’m always fascinated by the textures in old barns so when I came upon this abandoned barn while traveling around painting fall colors, I couldn’t resist the subtle colors of wood in this old door. Looking into the barn I notices I could see all the way through to the field beyond. There’s something enduring about seeing into and then through these old structures that have been around so long and have so many stories to tell us about our country and our ancestors. I can even imagine my own stories to tell and I'm sure you will have yours.

©Copyright 2008 by Paul Wolber Art Studio

Emerald Pond

Emerald Pond
5” x 7” (12.7cm x 17.8cm) acrylic on gessoed board unframed $125 with free shipping within USA and Canada.
SOLD

To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

This is was the first image I posted on my blog upon returning to the USA from summer travel in China. We were in Jai Xing, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu and Ya'An, not to mention all the smaller sites we visited during the time from May 14 till July 10. I've posted more paintings from some of the areas we visited and there are even some photos of specific places that I've not painted. This painting is from Hangzhou in eastern China.

©Copyright 2008 by Paul Wolber Art Studio

Temple Feng Shui

Temple Feng Shui
7” x 5” (17.8cm x 12.7cm) acrylic on gessoed board unframed $125 with free shipping within USA and Canada.
To purchase this painting or see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

Some say Feng Shui is magical, designed to ward off evil spirits, while others say it is used to direct the “Chi” or energy into and through buildings and spaces. Either way it is an ancient practice that directs the design and orientation of many ancient traditional buildings and has influenced the design of beautiful forms such as those in temples and pagodas.

© Copyright 2008 by Paul Wolber

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon on Bird Island
7” x 5” (17.8cm x 12.7cm) acrylic on gessoed board unframed $125 with free shipping within USA and Canada.
To purchase or see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

To my surprise I found a Peregrine this summer while visiting a place in east central China called Thousand Island Lakes, southwest of Shanghai. There are many lakes to visit in this area so we chartered a boat to take us to places like Monkey Island and Bird Island. We found the Peregrine obviously on Bird Island. While not all the birds there seemed to have the best environment, this one seemed to be in excellent conditions and was beautiful.

With a little research I discovered the Peregrine apparently can be found almost anywhere in the world. It has been used as a hunting bird for thousands of years and is one of the fastest creatures on earth having been clocked at more than 300 km/h in a dive.

While I’m not an ornithologist, or a specialist in painting birds, my passion is to observe and paint all kinds of natural phenomena. I’ve never wanted to limit my painting to one kind of subject so as I travel, anything that attracts my attention can be a subject for painting.

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© Copyright 2008 by Paul Wolber

Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker in My Back Yard
7” x 5” (17.8cm x 12.7cm) acrylic on gessoed board unframed $125 with free shipping within USA and Canada.
SOLD
To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

This little guy has been visiting my window bird feeder for the suet. I finally spotted him on an old tree stump making for a more natural composition. Here is the result of that view.

© Copyright 2008 by Paul Wolber

Tomatoes: On the Vine

Tomatoes: On the Vine
6” x 8” (15.24cm x 20.32cm) Acrylic on Canvas
To see my other blog: http://pwolberart.blog.com

To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.
SOLD

This is the second work on my new larger canvas panels. I'll continue to do more works on this surface but will also mix in some of the 5" x 7" works on gessoed boards as well. I like each surface for different reasons depending on the subject.

©Copyright 2008 by Paul Wolber

Bountiful: Bowl of Apples

Bountiful: Bowl of Apples
6in. x 6in. (15.2cm x 15.2cm) acrylic on gesso primed board
$125 USD unframed with free shipping in USA and Canada.

SOLD
To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

This bowl was sitting on the kitchen counter and I kept looking without thinking about doing a painting.

When I came home from a visit to the optometrist’s office I took another look and decided to do a painting. Since I’d painted the duet of apples recently I chose to do this one in a similar setting and because I like to do paintings in a series of three maybe I’ll do a third later but I don’t know how I’ll set that one up. I’ll have to think about it.

© Copyright 2008 by Paul Wolber

A Mother's Day Bouquet: Wildflowers

5” x 7” (12.7cm x 17.8cm) acrylic on gessoed board unframed $125 with free shipping within USA and Canada.
SOLD
To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

It's again that time of year for wildflowers to begin showing up. Here's another small child's bouquet for Mother's Day. This one has been created using the complementary colors of yellow/purple in the flowers and in the background tones.

© Copyright 2008 by Paul Wolber

Behind Closed Doors: Asian Door Latch

Behind Closed Doors: Asian Door Latch
6in. x 6in. (15.2cm x 15.2cm) acrylic on gesso primed board
unframed with free shipping in USA and Canada.
SOLD
To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

The title “Behind Locked Doors” has been the subject of film, novel and poem for decades. The mystery and intrigue of the unknown or undisclosed continues to be front-page news even today. This image and theme seems to me both ancient and modern in its appearance and content. The elegance and grace of the door attracted me to create this painting.

© Copyright by Paul Wolber 2008

Green Apples Duet: A Step by Step Demo

Green Apples Duet: Step by Step Process is Finished
6in. x 6in. (15.2cm x 15.2cm) acrylic on gesso primed board
$125 unframed with free shipping in USA

To purchase go to my blog here:
http://pwolberart.blog.com

To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

This is the finished work of the step-by-step work in progress. The four steps are shown below.








I still work with the idea that Form, meaning the design elements such as mass, volume, light and dark, color, etc. are the most important concepts that the artist has to work with. Subject, of course, is important, but the way the artist uses the form elements interprets the subject. The exciting part for me is seeing the form emerge in the work so this is why I sometimes like to show these step-by-step sequences. I hope you enjoy see it as well.

© Copyright by Paul Wolber 2008

Green Apples: A step-by-step demo (Third Step)

Green Apples: A step-by-step demo Steps 1, 2 & 3
6in. x 6in. (15.2cm x 15.2cm) acrylic on gesso primed board
THIS IS AN UNFINISHED WORK IN PROGRESS
SOLD
To see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

At this third step I've found my lights and darks and now am beginning to work on the middle tones. I still have some modeling of form to work out and most of the background areas to finish laying in. At this point I have a pretty good idea how the composition and color is going to work out, now it's just a matter of laying in the unfinished areas and bringing everything together.

Below you can see what I said about the beginning two stages.

© Copyright by Paul Wolber 2008
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Tags: acrylic painting | classical realism | colored ground | contemporary realism | daily painting | fine art | fruit painting | green apples | painting a day | step by step demo | still life | work in progress Posted by Paul Wolber at 22:49 |

Green Apples: A step-by-step demo

Green Apples: A step-by-step demo Steps 1 & 2
6in. x 6in. (15.2cm x 15.2cm) acrylic on gesso primed board
THIS IS AN UNFINISHED WORK IN PROGRESS
I'll post next steps as I progress to the finished work.
You can purchase at any stage or wait and take your chances to see the finished work.
Finished price $125 unframed with free shipping in USA
For shipping outside USA send email HERE for shipping costs
To purchase the above painting or see all my past work on this blog click HERE.

I’ve decided to do this one as another step-by-step process painting. I’m using a dark green colored ground again for this painting but it could have been another color to set a different ambient light tone. If you look carefully at the contour drawing below you will see I’ve used a bit of colored pencil to help me choose the colors I’ll put down in each area.

The drawing for these small paintings is never intended as a finished work by itself, if it were I wouldn’t want to go on and finish the painting but rather leave the drawing for you to enjoy.

I don’t usually use black but have recently been mixing my dark shadow color using phthalocyanine green, dioxazine purple and naphtol red. While the digital image doesn’t show the true saturation of the colors, the scanned images are close enough to get a good idea of what’s happening in the work. If anyone has questions, I’ll be glad to try to answer them.

© Copyright by Paul Wolber 2008
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Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

7” x 5” (17.8cm x 12.7cm) acrylic on gessoed board $120 unframed with free shipping within the USA.
SOLD
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I’ve been seeing more of these birds recently. I know they are around most of the year, but for some reason there have been a lot of them in the back yard this week, so I got some shots with my wife’s new telephoto lens. There is a pond behind our house that has been flooded this week so that may be why they are coming in.

© Copyright by Paul Wolber