| By Kelly Compton |
| In the context of these rush-rush, always-on-the-move times, it’s gratifying to find that the genre of still life is very much alive and well. Today the longstanding tradition of depicting flowers, objects, and various kinds of food (especially fruits and vegetables) is being sustained by an unexpectedly robust community of watercolor artists who take the time necessary to slow down and study their favorite inanimate things.
|
 |
| Matthew Bird, “Chesapeake Pride,” 2019, watercolor on paper, 22 x 30 in., available through the artist |
 |
| Matthew Bird, “Chesapeake Pride,” 2019, watercolor on paper, 22 x 30 in., available through the artist |
 |
| Diane Kominick-Ouzoonian, “Pink,” 2020, watercolor on paper, 20 x 16 in., private collection |
 |
| Carla Gauthier, “Reflections on Happy Hour,” 2019, watercolor on paper, 22 x 30 in., available through the artist |
 |
| Kirk Larsen, “Sushi off the Cuffs,” 2009, watercolor on paper, 9 x 11 in., available through the artist |
 |
| Arline Mann, “The Reunion,” 2020, transparent watercolor over graphite on paper, 13 x 23 in., collection of Goldman Sachs |
| Laurin McCracken, one of today’s finest watercolor still life painters, shares his secrets to painting silver and crystal. Learn to paint realistic details without the risk of your painting looking like a photo! |
PleinAir® Salon: Pencil Rendering Takes Third Place
Aleksey Zhukov, Past is Present, 16″ x 23″ pencil
Aleksey Zhukov has won Third Place in the March PleinAir® Salon for his drawing Past is Present.
Zhukov, who works in pencil, is enamored of the stark expressive contrasts and subtle shadings of black and white movies. “The Noir films inspired me to create my work,” he says. “Such depressiveness, but at the same time they are so mesmerizing.”
Enter the monthly PleinAir® Salon
Enter your best work today in the monthly PleinAir Salon with over $33,000 in cash prizes and exposure of your work. The winning paintings are showcased in Inside Art and other Streamline publications, and the Grand Prize annual selection will be featured on the cover of PleinAir® Magazine. Visit PleinAirSalon.com to learn more.
