Chili View

Another piece for Santa Fe is on my easel. Seems like almost everyone who visits “The City Different” falls in love with the Chili Ristras. When I sketched up the design on my canvas the window area was completely covered with a thin washes of Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson + Liquin and Ultramarine Blue + Liquin.  I made sure to leave areas of transparency so when the window sash is painted the uneven dark color makes it appear if there are objects inside the room. The adobe wall is painted with mixes of various combinations of Ultramarine Blue + Cadmium Orange + White. A bit of Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson is added for the shadow areas. With the draping vines and chilis  blocked in I turn my attention to the window, using a mix of Pthalo Blue + White. My hand is braced against the mahl stick for stability, this also takes the strain off my shoulder and rotator cuff.

Even though this is a small piece I still let a shadow shade the front of the paver floor, providing a Threshold. Salvia nestles at the base of the building, the blossoms and leaves are delineated with the corner of a medium sized Bright brush.

Chili View     14″ x 11″    Original Oil Painting

California Poppies are planted in the window boxes and Hollyhocks fill the foreground. Chili View is now ready to add some spice to a happy collector’s home. Thanks for visiting our studio, have a great day. Hugs, Mikki Senkarik