Monday, December 22, 2008

Watercolor on Oil Canvas?







Erenus Gallery in Ankara asked for paintings on 30x30cm canvases for a group show called "Art in Squares" and I joined in with two paintings done with transparent watercolors on regular stretched and treated acrylic/oil canvases!
Being a purist at heart I couldn't have imagined myself doing this but as advised my friend Nicholas Simmons one has to concentrate on being an artist not a purist!
The first painting is a study on gessoed paper as a peparation for the other two done on acrylic/oil canvas.Bahadır Gökay from the gallery who also is a fine artist sealed(with a brush while I held my breath!) the paintings with a special mixture he uses for his paintings.It contains bees wax,turpentine and a stuff unknown to me.It gives the paintings a very nice sheen.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Pictures From The Exhibition






















Kına ,beatiful daughter of my dear friend Yurdayol,who lives in Ankara






WOW,it was exhausting!I went to Ankara the same day of the opening and came back the same evening(I mean arrived here in the next morning!)
The opening was nice with many people attending,not too many sales but more expected later as some were reserved.
The tall and with less hair gentleman in the third pic from the top is Canadian Ambassador to Turkey Mr Mark Bailey who bought a small boat painting.He says it reminds him of his homeland.
Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Towards an Exihibition!









This week I've been painting towards an exhibition at the end of this month which came up suddenly.Last week I've been invited to exhibit in a gallery in Ankara in replacement of an artist who dropped out.As it is in another city I will be able to exhibit my works previously exhibited in Istanbul plus some new ones but I still need to paint a few more.
This is around 40x60cm but will be cropped to half sheet size 56x37cm to fit an available mat and frame.Turned out to be more colorful than I intended.The bright red spot at the rh side is not that bright IRL. May try this with a different palette as I'm not very happy about it.Hahnemuehle Toscana 200gsm with Schmincke colors.
It is based on a reference photo by a friend ,Melissa Fischer,with some artistic license.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Larissa

This is Larissa,Nicholas Simmons' beatiful daughter.Nick is an online friend and artist from Wetcanvas .He kindly gave permission to post my painting online.
I had immediately thought to do a painting of her when Nick posted some pictures of his family last year.I finally got around to do it today.It is on 1/4 sheet size Hahnemuehle Torchon 275 gms paper.I'm kind of beginning to like this paper for portrait work(see my "Ceren") .It gives a looser effect if you work wet on wet.As usual with my portrait work of small children she looks older than she is but she is hopefully at the age now she looks!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Big Ben my Way



As I mentioned somewhere below,I was in London Area last Spring.Been to London for only a couple of hours and only took a quick tour mostly looking for an eye shade(sleeping mask?) and a fragrance for Canan,my wife(the C here like in Ceren pronounced like J BTW).

I didn't take any pictures in London but was marvelled again by the glowing intricate details in architecture of the House of Parliement and the Clock Tower mostly referred as Big Ben .It was a great sight under the afternoon sun.

This painting is based on a photo I took in 1985.

It is on half sheet ,50x35cm Britannia.Usual Schmincke colours and Quin Gold from W&N.

Ceren
















As I didn't much like the undefined areas in her neck I made some modifications,hope it looks better now.



Ceren is my niece.I took the reference photo many,many years ago.She was a beatiful child.
I did this yesterday on a Hahnemühle paper,I don't know the name,Torchon maybe? It is 1/4 sheet size(25x35cm).It has a different texture from my usual Britannia.




Thursday, October 2, 2008

Variations on an Old Sketch






























A small imaginary sketch I did and saved in my hd couple of years ago inspired me yesterday to do a redo in a more serious manner because I like the posture of the main figure.I cannot remember the size as I can't locate it now.I wasn't entirely happy with my first effort yesterday so I did another one. First one is half sheet,second is 30x50cm,third image is a close up.

Friday, September 19, 2008

In the Woods





I just did this.The reference is a slide of mine taken many years ago in Woodstock US.Its 1/4 sheet size but I don't remember the paper brand,Bockingford maybe?


W&N and Schmincke colors:UMB,Cerulean Blue,Quin Gold,Permanent Rose,Lemon yellow,Burnt Sienna and Cadium Red.

Fishing in Piece Series






I spent the last couple of days doing these small pieces just to keep my brushes wet.All done on 1/4 size paper.
My reference was a slide of mine taken many years ago in Olympos ,Antalya.With lots of artistic license the scene turned out to be a completely different place with different vegetation and climate.

Fishing in Piece series continued


This was the last one.I don't know why I continued to paint the same scene again.In the end I'm afraid the first one is still the best?


Monday, September 15, 2008

A thank you !

I have realized that I haven't individually thanked some of those who have posted comments here.So a thank you is in order now to each and everyone of you for the comments with nice words .

Thank you everyone.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Resting in Peace II


This I painted yesterday.As I couldn't locate my original slide I relied upon my below painting for details so it had to be very loose!

It is 35x50cm Hahnemuehle Britannia with W&N and White Nights.


Resting in Peace




...after retirement in their final days in the sea.A sad scene showing two veteran cruisers leaning on each other looking weary and worn out.This painting is dated 1987.It is based on a photo I took circa 1974.Back then I used to paint small watercolours 2-3 a year.Very few survived.It seems it has traces of my present loose style.

It is 20x25cm

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

The Girl From Madagascar


This is one of my recent works ,well maybe not so recent,say couple of months old.A small piece done on 1/4 Hahnemuehle.Based on a photo which my friend Esra took on her recent trip to Madagascar.It is my first effort on a coloured skin portrait.


Sunday, August 10, 2008

Same Little Boy!



It is embarrasing that I haven't updated my blog this long.You can call it a complete lack of motivation to do anything.
This is a portrait I did two years ago,some of you may remember it.It was sold btw.He is still at a paintable age.I recently took a picture of him again which I liked.I wanted to paint it ,tried twice(the last one was yesterday) but I didn't like them much to show here.I remember only at third time I was satisfied with my work last time so no giving up!Maybe this afternoon, maybe tomorrow.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Painters Block (not Blog!)















Cold Pressed
















Blue Vase

I haven't painted since I've come to Bodrum except today.I am afraid I have a painters block.Lots of excuses not to paint;an awkard and limited working space,too hot and I don't like painting in an air conditioned room etc, etc.

I've just painted two small quickies today and as I expected both ended in the bin.

If I wait for new paintings to post here I'm afraid Icannot update my blog often.These are two recent studies done couple of weeks ago in Istanbul,both 1/4 sheet size.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Herdsman
















A close up:











Another one of this year's small pieces on 36x25 cm Arches rough 300gms.I used the same drier technique here with some dry brush effects.Palette is limited;only ultramarine blue,burnt sienna and if I remember correctly some Translucent Orange from Schmincke.


I don't remember if I made a preliminary drawing, I probably did not.

On hold for exhibit.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

The Bronze Gallery Summer Exhibition-Quiet Water





This is my second painting in display at the moment at the Bronze Gallery along with the "Red Chair"

Its a narrow format 50x30cm Hahnemuehle Britannia.

The exhibition will be open between 25th July-23rd August 2008.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Resting Time


Another half sheet sized (56x38 cm Fabriano Artistico rough 300gm)painting.
I added the background of boats later as it received some comments that he needed something to show what he was doing as the nets he was mending had not been read well (I hate making complicated sentences like this with different tenses as I'm probably doing them incorrect!). The original is here.
Some objected the tittle too.Does a fisherman mend his net in his resting time?I believe he does if he is self employed so its still "Resting Time".

Solitude




A half sheet effort done on Hahnemuehle Toscana(200gr).Lightness was no problem as I fully wetted the paper first and worked fast so there were no buckling.

I think this painting is an example of a combination of happy accidents with a little help from myself.

The image here is a little cropped one,original has more space around the fisherman.

The Bronze Gallery Summer Exhibition-Red Chair


This is a redo of a painting I posted at Wet Canvas in 2007.Another artist friend Deborah Kirby loved it so much, I sent it to her as a gift.
Its a small one ,1/4 sheet Hahnemuehle Britannia.

Summer Exhibition by John Yardley and Other Artists

...and I'm in it!
My two paintings which I'll try to upload here are in display in this exhibition which is taking place between 28th June -23rd August 2008 at The Bronze Gallery in Hartley Wintney,Hampshire UK.

I cannot believe my name is mentioned along with John Yardley and some other prominent British artists including Richard Sorrel! It is exciting!

I hope I will soon be able to post some images from the exhibition.

Well the story goes like this.Couple of weeks ago I was in UK demoing in a workshop organized my friend Jean Haines.She took my paintings to the gallery where she regularly exhibits and they were accepted for the Summer Exhibition(it goes without saying that I'm grateful to her for doing this!). She is also exhibiting works there along with another friend Fernando Pena from Uruguay.

From Bodrum 2













These are images that I couldn't upload earlier.Views of the Bodrum Harbour.Aerial one is a stock image the other is mine.

From Bodrum

Finally my first post from Bodrum!Have been dealing with usual problems in the house ,phone lines(I'm dial up here!), solar panels,etc etc.Its normal when you leave a summer house unattended for ten months...and I cannot post images probably because of the bad connection!Will try later.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Afternoon Nap





A local taking a nap sitting at the food market in Bodrum.Well,its hot,its boring may be not too many customers for her mellons so its inevitable!
A small size sketch with my usual material.

Evening Stroll





A typical Bodrum night at the Barlar Sokağı (Bar Street).Not a place I'd like to be at crowded nights ,too many people and no breeze.

I used a narrow format here ,50x30cm Hahnemuehle Toscana 200gm+Schmincke paints.

Bodrum Time!


Not really because its very hot at this very the moment like 35'C.I'll be driving for Bodrum on Tuesday with DW,MIL&FIL and three cats..We'll be staying for two months.Its a long drive,not less than 12 hrs.


So its probably appropriate to post some Bodrum paintings from the archive.
This is 1/4 sheet Fabriano Artistico rough 300 gm+Schmincke colors.


Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Morning Work






















































Full Sheet(50x70cm) Hahnemuehle Britannia 300gms+Schmincke colors.
A combination of imagination,ref photos I took and myself being a model for the front character.
This painting began with photo I took at the Bodrum food bazaar.The fat man with the hat looked interesting and I wanted to do a painting of him.
This is how this painting evolved from this photo from a market scene to something else in a full sheet.
First sketch is 1/4 sheet size,
the other two are 1/2 sheet size except the last one which is full sheet.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Down by the Hill




1/4 sheet size Hahnemuehle Brittania 300 gsm+Schmincke colours.
One of this year's pieces which I tried a slightly different style again.

It is currently in the private collection of a very good friend (and a summer neighbour in Bodrum) Esra Sirman who is a fine artist.

Hi Esra hope to meet very soon in Bodrum!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Golden Horn













These are based on a slide I took about 35 years ago during a boat ride along the Golden Horn (Haliç as we call it).It was full of fascinating sights of shipyards, every imaginable type of old and new boats and ships etc.

The first one was done a few years back,you can see the difference in the styles which is in fact intentional.
Both are done on full sheet papers second one on Hahnemuehle Britannia,first one on back side of Guarro.
I entered the second one into the SAA yearly contest 2008 thinking it turned out pretty well as a sea scene but it didn't bring anything,judges apparently disagreed with me.