2015 Collector Event Sneak Preview

It’s a FLORAL CELEBRATION!

My 25TH Annual Collector Event in Santa Fe is Friday and Saturday, September 4th and 5th. Can you believe I’ve been exhibiting my art in Santa Fe for a quarter of a century? I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with LOTS OF FLOWERS. Here is a Sneak Preview of my silver anniversary one artist show. If any of these Original Oil Paintings grab your heart and beckon to be added to your collection just call Santa Fe Art Collector Gallery at 505.988.5545. They will cheerfully provide assistance. If a painting you’ve fallen in love with has already been spoken for I will be happy to do a commission based on that piece for you.

Please keep in mind as you go through the catalog you can click on the images to see the paintings larger.

Dancing in the Wind

14″ x 24″   image continues on sides of gallery wrap canvas   $890

The sun washed towers of San Gimagnano rise majestically over a field of golden Sunflowers in Tuscany.

Cascade of Silver Lace

38″ x 48″   Framed in Senkarik Signature Frame   $5,900

Wouldn’t you love to wake up in the morning and walk out into this courtyard? Sit on the little bench under St. Francis and enjoy the music of the fountain as you sip your coffee! Can’t you just hear the chirping of the birds as they perch on the Silver Lace cascading over the adobe walls? What a great beginning to the day!

Invitation to Linger Awhile

       24″ x 30″   Framed in Senkarik Signature Frame   $1,900

We discovered this cute heart bench in our travels. It looks so fresh and welcoming next to the red door, issuing an Invitation to Linger Awhile!

Take Home a Bunch

30″ x 36″   Framed in Senkarik Signature Frame   $2,900

Don’t you love flower shops? I certainly do, especially this one with the sassy striped awning and bicycle baskets filled with fresh blossoms. As Jack can attest I never miss an opportunity to stop and Take Home a Bunch!

Fragrant Retreat 

24″ x 30″   Framed in Senkarik Signature Frame   SOLD

Working on this painting brought wonderful memories of Santa Fe with the rounded adobe, Chili Peppers, Salvia and Sunflowers. I could almost smell the scent of Lilacs as I worked on this piece. Wouldn’t you love to escape to this Fragrant Retreat?

Tapestry of Fall

30″ x 40″   Framed in Senkarik Signature Frame   SOLD

Summer is almost over. Maxmillian Sunflowers, Purple Asters, Sarza, Pumpkins and Indian Corn all let us know fall is in the air! Take a moment and listen carefully. Can’t you hear the quiet Cluck, Cluck of our little hen picking seeds from between the cobblestones? You can click on the image to see her better.

Spring Finery

14″ x 24″   painted on sides of gallery wrap canvas   SOLD

Bluebonnets, Red Barns and Windmills. What’s better than spring in Texas?

Crimson Profusion

14″ x 24″   painted on sides of gallery wrap canvas   $890

As gardeners we have to plan our landscaping color schemes around the flowering times of plants. BUT….the joy of being an artist is we can make flowers bloom whenever we’d like. In Provence, along the Cote d’Azur, Lavender usually flowers in July and August, about 2 months after Poppies. However; I can make them all bloom at the same time in Crimson Profusion. To watch the step by step painting process CLICK HERE

Colorful Exuberance                        Serene Embrace

These two pieces in this delightful entry garden are designed to hang as a pair or individually. Make sure to check out the Hummingbird flittering next to the Horse Head Bench in  Serene Embrace. You can click on the image to view it larger. Each piece in the pair is 14″ x 14″ on a gallery wrap canvas with the painted image extending on to the sides. The special price for our collector event is $590 each.

“25”

Since it’s my 25th year in Santa Fe we came up with a painting size just for the occasion. The following four paintings are 14 inches tall by 11 inches wide. That adds up to 25! These pieces are painted to the edge and around the sides on gallery wrap canvas. Each is priced especially for our Collector Event at $490. Remember, I can paint a commission for you if one of the SOLD pieces has stolen your heart! Just contact the Gallery at 505.988.5545.

Santa’s Helper

Santa’s Helper is our own sweet rescue kitty, Sissie. She loves to sleep in the Santa Basket that was brought, filled with citrus, by a friend. Sissie immediately adopted the basket and I got a lucky shot of her peeking up over the side! Adding the Santa hat and presents makes her the purr-fect Christmas kitty.

Planting Time

A gardener’s Potting Bench, what a happy place. But our planting today may just have to wait a bit. Looks like Mrs. Wren is feeding some little ones in the birdhouse!

Flamboyant Welcome        SOLD

California Poppies, Pansies, Morning Glories and Hollyhocks, combined with a turquoise chair and red gate, provide a Flamboyant Welcome to visitors.

Rooster Cogburn

This fella is full of attitude. Reminds us of John Wayne in one of our all-time favorite movies, Rooster Cogburn.

And now for our AUCTION!

Don’t be sad, even if you can’t come to our party you can still join in the fun and bid.

Floral Celebration       SOLD

This is the “Poster” painting for my 25th Annual Collector Event; it’s the garden we see from our kitchen window. The pair of Cardinals are every day visitors to our bird feeders. Mr. Chippers loves to sit on Swanee’s curved neck and keep watch as Mrs. Chippers eats. AND…as a special surprise we are going to auction Floral Celebration with a starting bid of 25 Cents. That’s right, a QUARTER. A penny for every year I’ve exhibited in Santa Fe!

Floral Celebration is 17″ x 17″, painted to the edge with the image extending on to the sides of the gallery wrapped canvas. This painting would normally retail in the gallery at $890. The auction is Saturday, September 5, at approximately 5 PM Mountain Time and we’ll be accepting phone bids. But, you must register to bid over the phone. Come join in the FUN from the comfort of your home! If you would like to participate in our auction call the Santa Fe Art Collector Gallery at 505.988.5545 to get on the bidding list and take part in all the festivity.

Thank you for taking the time to view the catalog of my paintings for my25th Anniversary Collector Event. We hope you will come to Santa Fe and take part in the festivities. The Event is Friday, September 4 and Saturday, September 5. A special Preview Reception will be Friday evening. The Official RSVP Collector Gala begins at 4 PM on Saturday.

The Santa Fe Art Collector Gallery is located at 217 Galisteo Street. If you would like to RSVP, add any of these pieces to your collection or want to participate by phone in the auction please call 505.988.5545.

                              HUGS,

Crimson Profusion

We’re traveling to Provence and the Cote d’Azur today. I love the fields of Poppies found in Southern France and thought it would be fun to paint some for my annual Collector Event. The first step after sketching my basic plan on the canvas is to paint the sky and distant ocean.

VIDEO! Now the sky and water are covered the distant horizon line has to be softened. I make a zigzag along the length of the hard line where the ocean abuts the sky. Then, with a clean brush, I drag along the zigzag. Presto, a soft horizon line that falls into the background. This follows a simple rule to helps to give the appearance of depth in a painting: Hard, sharp edges come forward, Soft edges go back.

Wouldn’t you love to live in this villa overlooking the azure water off the coast of France? The warmth of the terra cotta tile roof jumps forward of the blue ocean behind. This is a great example of Warm colors come forward, Cool colors recede.

As gardeners we have to plan our landscaping color schemes around the flowering times of plants. BUT….the joy of being an artist is we can make flowers bloom whenever we’d like. Lavender usually flowers in July and August, about 2 months after Poppies. However; I can make them all bloom at the same time in my painting. The Dioxazine Purple makes a nice backdrop for the Crimson Poppies.

The Poppy field is painted in my usual sequence of Flowers First, Leaves Last. To see this or any of the other images larger just click on the picture.

After the flowers are blocked in and the foliage painted I add the large dark centers in the individual Poppies.

Crimson Profusion    14 inches tall x 24 inches wide

Cadmium Red Light highlights finish out the Crimson Profusion of Poppies. If you’re in Santa Fe next weekend hope you’ll stop in for my annual Collector Event held by the Santa Fe Art Collector at 217 Galisteo. Just give the gallery a call at 505.988.5545 for more details.

AND……..If you would like to receive an email every time I publish a new post please feel free to subscribe to my blog. CLICK THIS LINK and scroll to the upper right side of the page. You will see a heading EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS. Just enter your email address and click the button “Sign me up!”  It’s easy. And if you enjoy my blog please CLICK the FaceBook LIKE Button. As we say in Texas, “Much Obliged! Hugs,

http://www.senkarik.com

 

 

 

Santa’s Helper

One of my wonderful followers had a great question, “what colors did I mix to make the gold package?” It is painted with various combinations of MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Yellow Medium + White. The darker brushstrokes and the green added in from the adjoining package makes the paper look reflective. You probably noticed the basket was red in the original photo. But I decided to change the color so the red Santa’s Hat will glow.

VIDEO! Blocking in the sweet little baby in the basket.

VIDEO! Work continues on Sissie…….

I let some of the red from the Santa’s Hat reflect onto Sissie’s cheek. A fine liner brush was used to pull the thin whiskers into the wet paint of her fur.

Santa’s Helper          14 inches tall x 11 inches wide

A plaid bow finishes out the green package in the lower right corner. The bow was painted entirely red at first. Then the green and gold stripes were dragged over the red while it was still wet. I had to lay the color on gently so it didn’t pull the red up and muddy the stripes. Don’t you think Sissie makes a sweet little Santa’s Helper?

Please remember, our annual Team Senkarik Collector Event is just around the corner! It will be September 4 and 5 at the Santa Fe Art Collector Gallery at 217 Galisteo in Santa Fe. For more information you can call the gallery at 505.988.5545. Hope to see you there. Hugs,

http://www.senkarik.com

Christmas in August

I’ve missed everyone for the past week. We had a little unexpected bump in the road, Jack had to go into the hospital. With a bladder infection that wouldn’t respond to any oral antibiotics he had to have IV treatments to knock out that bug. The good news is JACK IS FINALLY BACK. Home at last, home at last. OH Thank God, he’s home at last. I can’t even imagine what it must be like for those who have to spend an extended time in the hospital, my heart goes out to you. We are so blessed. It’s kind of like Christmas in August.

And speaking of that time of year, our licensing agent asked if I would paint some Christmas themed images for her to offer to her clients. Lisa especially liked this picture of Sissie in our Santa Basket. So Jack and I thought it might be a something a bit different for my annual collector event.

She suggested putting our little rescue baby in a Santa’s hat. After some brainstorming I decided to have her under the Christmas tree surrounded by packages with beautiful bows. My initial plan is sketched up on the canvas in a thin oil wash made of MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin.

The tree is blocked in with cooler mixtures of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + White. MUD is added for some of the darker shades. I want the tree to be muted and impressionistic so it will stay in the background.

The Christmas tree lights were tricky. At first I made them way too bright, they jumped to the foreground. I had to make them cooler and grayer so they wouldn’t distract from Sissie and the packages. The foil paper is fun to paint, especially adding the reflections from the other presents. The gift to the right of the one I’m working on will be green, you can see I’ve added some of it’s color into the side of the gold package.

The Polka Dot ribbon is first painted solid red. Then I come back in and add the dots.

A little white edging finishes out the Polka Dot bow. Sneak Preview…….I’ll have a couple of videos in our next session. You can watch as I paint our sweet Christmas kitty. Hugs,

http://www.senkarik.com

 

Tapestry of Fall

Fall Asters are in full bloom this time of year in the Southwest. Dioxazine Purple is perfect for its tiny, daisy shaped blossoms. The mass of flowers is blocked in first with mixes of Dioxazine Purple + Ultramarine Blue + White and Dioxazine Purple + White.

After painting the foliage I add the cheery yellow centers with a small filbert brush. Please remember as you read through my blog, you can enlarge any of the pictures by clicking on the image.

I love all the different colors of Indian Corn. There is nothing like stopping at a roadside stand in Santa Fe and picking out several ears!

Agastache, or Hummingbird Mint, blooms in the late summer and fall. The flowers are mixes of Magenta + White. I use greens made of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + White for the leaves.

I had originally planned to have Blanket Flowers nestle at the base of the Agastache. But I realized the red-oranges would compete with the Pumpkins on the opposite side of the cobblestone path. So I planted Sage instead! The coolness of the feathery foliage makes it drop back.

Tapestry of Fall         30 inches by 40 inches

Sometimes when a piece is finished I find my original ideas don’t turn out quite as well as planned. This is one of those times. The Red Gate completed with the fiery comb of our feisty little Rooster. So I repainted it, leaving out the slash of sunlight behind the Maximilian Sunflowers. Now the Sunflowers, Sarza, Trumpet Vine, Hollyhocks and Chili Ristra appear more vibrant with the Blue Gate. Plus…the painting has much more depth. WHAT DO YOU THINK? Hugs,

http://www.senkarik.com

Cluck, Cluck

The cobblestone path is first blocked in with the light and shadow pattern, the same as I do for a tile floor.

Since the pathway turns I draw in the curved perspective lines with a fine liner brush. They will be a guide for the deeper crevices between the cobblestones. You can enlarge the image to see this better, just click on the picture.

I don’t outline every single cobble. I want them to be more impressionistic, just an indication of the rough stones. The rooster is next. I pull out Ivory Black, a color that is not normally on my palette, for the long tail feathers. Highlights are made of Viridian Green and Pthalo Blue. The sinewy feet of the Rooster are etched into the wet paint of the cobblestone with a #0 filbert brush.

The adobe wall and Hollyhock leaves provide a dark background that accentuates the light shining on the Rooster. I like the way the thin feathers flow over his neck.

The Rooster’s bright red comb and wattles vibrate against the foliage behind. By placing the red next to its complimentary color, green, it appears even more intense.

Now for our little Hen. She is much more subdued in color. I use mixes of MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange + White for her dusty brown feathers.

Large pumpkins, fresh from the vines, fill the lower left corner. Take a moment and listen carefully. Can’t you hear the quiet Cluck, Cluck of our little hen picking seeds from between the cobblestones? We should finish up in our next session. Hope you’ll come watch. Have a wonderful day! Hugs,

www.senkarik.com

 

 

 

Santa Fe Garden

Hollyhocks are a staple in Santa Fe gardens. The pink ones to the right of the gate are made with several mixes of Permanent Rose + White, Permanent Rose + Cadmium Red Light + White and Permanent Rose + Magenta + White. The flowers are painted first, then the foliage is blocked in. Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Lemon are used for the rich, cool green leaves.

In the fall Maximilian Sunflowers display their vibrant yellow blossoms everywhere in the “City Different”. As with the Hollyhocks I block them in Flowers First, Leaves Last.

Warm greens for the leaves are made of Ultramarine Blue + Lemon Yellow.

Dark centers of MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange finish out these flowers named after the German explorer Prince Alexander Philipp Maximilian of Wide-Neuwied.  How’s that for a name???? He came across the flowers during his travels in North America.

That does us for today! I appreciate you following my blog. Please feel free to ask any questions. Hugs,

www.senkarik.com

 

Layers of Adobe

Our entryway has two layers of Adobe. I make the most distant wall cooler, or bluer, so it will stay back.  Also, the building in the background is going to be lighter, that will help draw the viewer’s gaze through the open gate.

The soft creamy Chamisa in the background is washed by the sun, adding to the light in the courtyard behind the gate.

The closest wall is made warmer and darker. I’ll add more darks once I get the flowers in, it will be easier to gauge the values when the canvas is completely covered. It’s fun making the shadows cast by the Chili Ristra and Sarza on the rough adobe.

Now it’s time to paint the leaves of the Sarza. They are decked out in their autumn colors! As mentioned previously, a lot of the washed in areas are left untouched. The leaves are accentuated with mixes of Alizarin Crimson + White and Sap Green + White.

The shadows on the gate are made of Cadmium Red Deep + Alizarin Crimson. Pure Cadmium Red Light makes the sunny portions. The willow branches in the opening are a distinctly Southwestern touch often found in Santa Fe.

Trumpet Vine cascades over the wall on the left. I used several mixes of Alizarin Crimson + Cadmium Red Light and Alizarin Crimson + Cadmium Orange for the darker blossoms. Pure Cadmium Orange is used for the highlights on the flower petals. The leaves are made of mixtures in various proportions of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Yellow Medium. We want to thank you for all of your good wishes for Jack and I. We are feeling great now but I do have to say, we won’t ever eat at THAT restaurant again! HUGS,

www.senkarik.com

Let’s Begin Again!

I want to thank all of you for your compliments on Cascade of Silver Lace. You don’t know how much your kind words mean to Jack and I. Why???? Well, July was a real struggle for us. We came down with food poisoning on July 4th! Jack ended up in the hospital and had to receive 4 units of blood. I kept on painting through it all, I had to get pieces done for my Annual Collector Event over Labor Day. I’ll have to say, some days it wasn’t easy. It’s been a long month but we are FINALLY doing better. Being so sick certainly makes you appreciate feeling good. So your compliments really mean a lot.

OK……let’s begin again on a new piece for the show. This painting is another large one, 30 inches tall by 40 inches wide.

While I’m drawing my initial sketch I’m going to wash in the Sarza, or Virginia Creeper, rambling over the gate and wall. The oil washes are shown above. #1. Ultramarine Blue + Liquin. #2. MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin. #3. Alizarin Crimson + Liquin. #4. Sap Green + Liquin.

I love the luminosity of the wash over the pure white canvas. I’ll come back later and add opaque brushwork on the foliage. But I’ll let the wash show on a lot of the leaves, they will appear like the sun is shimmering through them.

The sketch is complete. I’ve also washed in the chili ristra as well as the Magenta Agastache flowers under the peppers. Thanks for following along. AND……..If you would like to receive an email every time I publish a new post please feel free to subscribe to my blog. CLICK THIS LINK and scroll to the upper right side of the page. You will see a heading EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS. Just enter your email address and click the button “Sign me up!”  It’s easy. And if you enjoy my blog please CLICK the FaceBook LIKE Button. As we say in Texas, “Much Obliged! Hugs,

http://www.senkarik.com

Cascade of Silver Lace

Jack’s newest article is out on FineArtStudioOnline.com. This one will make your heart swell. To read America CLICK HERE.

Make sure to watch the VIDEO at the end of Jack’s article. You can also CLICK HERE to see this breathtaking and incredible view of our great country. Make sure to turn on the sound!

Nasturtiums are going to nestle around the base of the fountain. My color mixes are #1. Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Yellow Medium. #2. Pure Cadmium Orange. #3. Alizarin Crimson + a touch of Cadmium Red Light. #4. Cadmium Red Light + a little Alizarin Crimson. #5. Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Red Light. #6. The greens for the leaves are all mixed from various proportions of Pthalo Blue + little Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Yellow Medium + White.

Following my usual sequence the flowers are blocked in first. The blossom color is just randomly “smooshed” together to make the mass of flowers.

The rounded leaves are painted next. The mixes of green are used to help shape the individual Nasturtium blossoms. Then the thin stems are added with a fine liner brush.

Now for the large containers by St. Francis. Here you can see the sequence of painting the flowers more clearly, the container on the right has the red Geraniums blocked in. On the left I’ve already added the Geranium leaves and am now working on the Magenta Angelonia.

Sweet Potato Vine drapes out of the dark blue containers. A bit more Cadmium Yellow Medium and White are added to the greens left over from the Nasturtiums to use for the heart shaped leaves. A medium sized Bright (Square) brush is used to delineate the foliage.

Cascade of Silver Lace    36 inches by 48 inches  Original Oil Painting

Wouldn’t you love to wake up in the morning and walk out into this courtyard? Sit on the little bench under St. Francis and enjoy the music of the fountain as you sip your coffee! Can’t you just hear the chirping of the birds as they perch on the Silver Lace cascading over the adobe walls? What a great beginning to the day! The Showstopper for my annual collector event is done! To see it larger just click on the image. Hope you can come to Santa Fe and join in the fun! Mark the dates on your calendar, September 4 and 5. Hugs,

www.senkarik.com