Sunflowers II

Sunflower I

6x8 Original Oil on Canvas

by

Cheri Wollenberg

Sunflowers defined are tall plants with yellow-petaled blossoms.  They are much more to artists!  They capture our eyes with their extremely warm and brilliant yellow petals that range from green yellows to rusty golden yellows.  They are in no way timid...they are wild and boldly attractive to us.  They tease us with different anatomy and design.  Their petals are sometimes wide and overlapped as opposed to slender and sparse.  Some of them have very dark, almost black, seedy centers while others have brown, green, or gold centers.  They all seem to have those grabby rough leaves which somehow reflect the sky as we examine them from a distance.  In Oklahoma the sunflowers grow up from red dirt which makes them more attractive than ever.  The reds complement the greens so beautifully.  We artists, like Van Gogh cannot help from trying to capture and express their image.   Oh my, what a privilege we have as painters to try to emulate with brush on canvas this excellent natural plant,

a gift from God the Creator.

Three Pears with Dramatic Background

Three Dramatic Pears

by Cheri Wollenberg

I have to admit....I'm easily diverted from one subject to the next. My real problem is being constantly inspired by everything!! Certain colors, shapes, compositions (abstract or realistic),patterns everywhere are all sparking my creative juices. I can't keep up, but I'll share some of the things that I am doing. Pears are such sensational fruit to paint. Artists paint them in endless styles. In this particular arrangement I decided to create an dramatic mood. The composition is of three formally balanced pears with an extreme, dark background. They are placed on a black surface and as the light hits them, the yellows of the pears reflect onto one another and onto the surface. The darks of the surface actually refract or reflect back onto the pears throwing orange up on them. So exciting! The format of 6x18 establishes the mood further and it is painted on the sides. It is a simple painting that is very exciting and after the style of early masters. I loved painting them. I'll probably paint them again. If you are interested in purchasing this painting you can follow the link at the bottom of the blog page to my etsy shop.