Still Life with Japanese Cup and Italian Plums (+ exhibitions)

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My larger paintings are currently on view in three exhibitions (photos on instagram):

• Galleria Mentana, Florence, Italy
• Salmagundi Club, NYC
• Mason Fine Art, Atlanta

Today's auction painting continues my "Paintings of Handmade Pottery" project that I've been working on since January 2008.

If you enjoy this painting, you may also like to see Self-portrait in a Blue Vase with Italian Plums, Peach, and Eucalyptus, 12x24",  Still Life with Italian Plum and Silver Creamer (A Meditation on 10 Years), or a bunch of my paintings of plums.

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Pear and Concord Grapes No. 2

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Pear and Concord Grapes No. 1

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Three Hand-Picked Apples with Leaves (+ exhibition and European travels)

Three Hand-Picked Apples with Leaves
oil on linen on panel, 2019, 8"x10", framed or unframed
AVAILABLE - Contact me at abbeyryan@gmail.com for purchase information

I've been busy in the studio working on my show that opens this month at Mason Fine Art (an absolutely gorgeous gallery in Atlanta). If you're interested, I painted a group of new larger paintings for the show. Stay tuned to see those new works -- I'll be posting them starting this week.

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P.S. If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram -- you'll know that last month I traveled to Europe for painting research in Brussels and Leuven (Belgium), The Hague (Netherlands), and Paris. I spent time at the Louvre in Paris, and the Mauritshuis in The Hague. The Louvre is home to 17th C. Flemish still life painting, Velázquez, Caravaggio, and Leonardo da Vinci. The Mauritshuis is home to some of the best Dutch paintings of the Golden Age. Their collection includes still lifes by Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, Rembrandt's Self-portrait (1669), Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring (ca. 1665) and View of Delft (1660-61), Carel Fabritius's The Goldfinch (1654), and 17th C. Dutch still lifes by Pieter Claesz, William Claesz Heda, and Clara Peeters.

Watermelon (+ Mary Oliver on the central commitment of the creative life)

Related to my postings on mindful studio practice, I often read renowned writer Maria Popova's work (my previous mentions here). Her article "The Third Self: Mary Oliver on Time, Concentration, the Artist’s Task, and the Central Commitment of the Creative Life" explores Mary Oliver's Upstream: Selected Essays (2016) [the paperback version will be released on October 29, 2019 and I highly recommend it].

Here is an excerpt that resonated with me:

"It is a silver morning like any other. I am at my desk. Then the phone rings, or someone raps at the door. I am deep in the machinery of my wits. Reluctantly I rise, I answer the phone or I open the door. And the thought which I had in hand, or almost in hand, is gone. Creative work needs solitude. It needs concentration, without interruptions. It needs the whole sky to fly in, and no eye watching until it comes to that certainty which it aspires to, but does not necessarily have at once. Privacy, then. A place apart — to pace, to chew pencils, to scribble and erase and scribble again.

But just as often, if not more often, the interruption comes not from another but from the self itself, or some other self within the self, that whistles and pounds upon the door panels and tosses itself, splashing, into the pond of meditation. And what does it have to say? That you must phone the dentist, that you are out of mustard, that your uncle Stanley’s birthday is two weeks hence. You react, of course. Then you return to your work, only to find that the imps of idea have fled back into the mist." [Keep reading]

If you enjoy this painting, you may also like to see a bunch of my paintings of watermelon.

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Two Figs (+ The Chronology of Water)

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"Sometime last year, I flipped open a book I knew nothing about that had been recommended by a Twitter acquaintance. The book was Lidia Yuknavitch's 2011 memoir, The Chronology of Water, and if a rawer, more honest contemporary author exists, I have yet to encounter her." "The Lenny Interview: Lidia Yuknavitch" by Suleika Jaouad, August 12, 2016.

These are some excerpts I particularly liked from Jaouad's interview with Yuknavitch:

"I think if you want to write, you should write. What path or what form that takes is incredibly individual. If you're an artist and you're searching for forms of self-expression, you have to invent your own path."

"I'm trying to help us remember that we invent our own beauty and our own paths and our own crooked, weird ways of doing things, but that they're not nothing and they matter, too. We're the half of culture that doesn’t take the paths that are sitting right in front of us. Our song may be a little off-key, but it's a kind of beauty, too. I know I'm not the person who thought that up, and I'm not the person who invented that as a truth, but I can sure stand up and help remind us not to give up, that we have a song, too."

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Three Pears and Crystal Goblet (the light / the shade)

Still Life with Three Pears and Crystal Goblet (the light / the shade)
oil on linen on panel, 9"x12", framed
Email abbeyryan@gmail.com to inquire about purchasing

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” ~Jane Goodall

This painting is available for a buy now/make offer price because it is larger than my typical auction paintings.

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Birds Flying Over the Water

I painted this recently in northern New York state at the Thousand Islands. The Thousand Islands are a group of more than 1,800 islands in the St. Lawrence River, straddling the border of the U.S. and Canada.

If you enjoy this painting, you may also like to see a bunch of my paintings of landscapes.

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Sun Sparkling on the Water

I painted this recently in northern New York state at the Thousand Islands. The Thousand Islands are a group of more than 1,800 islands in the St. Lawrence River, straddling the border of the U.S. and Canada.

If you enjoy this painting, you may also like to see a bunch of my paintings of landscapes.

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Still Life with Dragonfly and Green Grapes (+ "to enjoy with clear wonder")

I have the best family and friends who are always giving (loaning!) me awesome still life subjects like this dragonfly in perfect condition. If you're curious, dragonfly symbolism relates to wisdom of change, transformation, adaptability in life and learning through experience. It is a symbol of joy and lightness, and having a deep connection with your thoughts and emotions. Dragonflies can remind us to bring lightness and joy into life -- shining our true colors.

Related to my writings on mindful studio practice and posts about "seeing":

"...There is an ignorance that is best described as an unknowing or what Keats called a ‘negative capability’, the ability to see without trying to analyze or explain, to enjoy with clear wonder. It is the unknowing that we practice in meditation when we lay aside solutions to problems that arise... or bright ideas that we want to grab and remember or fantasies we want to indulge. In this apparent ignorance we enter true knowing. In this apparent, wasteful loss we discover that what we lose comes round again." ~Laurence Freeman OSB

If you enjoy this painting, you may also like to see Still Life with Jug, Cicada, Grapes, and Hazelnuts (the light / the shade), PB & J, redux, or a bunch of my paintings of insects.

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Two Bosc Pears with Bird's Egg (+ Mozart's daily routine)

Two Bosc Pears with Bird's Egg
oil on linen on panel, 2019, 7"x6"
Buy It Now or Make Best Offer

This painting is available for a buy now/make offer price because it is larger than my typical auction paintings. ("Make Best Offer" is easy and lets you offer a price you're willing to pay to secure your purchase of this painting. I can then accept, reject, or counter your offer.) Framing is available upon request after auction closes.

--

Related to my postings on mindful studio practice, I often read renowned writer Maria Popova's work (my previous mentions here).

Here's a bit from her piece on Mozart’s Daily Routine: 'How a day is composed in the hours between sleep o’clock and symphony o’clock.'

"'The patterns of our lives reveal us. Our habits measure us,' Mary Oliver wrote in contemplating how our routines give shape to our inner lives. This, perhaps, is why we’re so transfixed by the daily routines of great artists, writers, and scientists — a sort of magical thinking under the spell of which we come to believe that if we were to replicate the routines of geniuses, we would also replicate some dimension of their inner lives and, in turn, their outer greatness....

"[Mozart:] I am writing this at eleven at night, because I have no other leisure time. We cannot very well rise before eight o’clock, for in our rooms (on the ground-floor) it is not light till half-past eight. I then dress quickly; at ten o’clock I sit down to compose till twelve or half-past twelve, when I go to Wendling’s, where I generally write till half-past one; we then dine. At three o’clock I go to the Mainzer Hof (an hotel) to a Dutch officer, to give him lessons in galanterie playing and thorough bass, for which, if I mistake not, he gives me four ducats for twelve lessons. At four o’clock I go home to teach the daughter of the house. We never begin till half past four, as we wait for lights. At six o’clock I go to Cannabich’s to instruct Madlle. Rose. I stay to supper there, when we converse and sometimes play; I then invariably take a book out of my pocket and read…" [Keep reading]

If you enjoy this painting, you may also like to see a bunch of my paintings of birds' eggs.

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Still Life with Pohnpeian Cowry Shell, Forelle Pear, and Cherry (+ Artemisia = feminist icon)

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"one of the most talented followers of Caravaggio"

"She was one of the great female protagonists of the late-Renaissance art world. Forgotten in the 18th and 19th centuries, she was rediscovered in the 20th as a feminist icon...

"...At the age of 17, [Artemisia Gentileschi] made her debut in the art world with Susanna and the Elders, a daring work that broke Counter-Reformation taboos at a time when female artists were confined to still life and portrait painting."

"...'Florence was intellectually stimulating, Artemisia meets Galileo, and her paintings reflect his discoveries in astronomy. Her talent and erudition grow,' says curator Francesca Baldassari. 'And she becomes the first woman to be admitted to the prestigious academy of design.'"

"...After her death in 1654, Artemisia was forgotten — like Caravaggio. It was not until the 20th century that these late-Renaissance artists were rediscovered and a new appreciation emerged for their Baroque style, with its expressive, non-idealized figures that give viewers a sense of participation in the drama of the scene."

"...A painting by Artemisia was sold at Sotheby's [five] years ago for more than $1 million. But in a sign of a substantial gender gap also in the art market, a painting by her father, Orazio, was bought by the Getty Museum in Los Angeles in January for more than $30 million. And yet, with her intense colors and heroines at the center of dramatic narratives, the daughter's paintings far outshine those of her father." [Source]

If you enjoy this painting, you may also like to see a bunch of my paintings of Pohnpeian cowry shells.

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Still Life with Grapes, Peach, and Drop Vase

Still Life with Grapes, Peach, and Drop Vase
oil on linen on panel, 2019, 5.5"x8"
Buy It Now or Make Offer

This painting is available for a buy now/make offer price because it is larger than my typical auction paintings. Framing is available upon request after auction closes.

If you look closely, you can see my reflection in the vase. Here are a bunch of my paintings with self portrait reflections.

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Two Abate Fetel Pears (+ "The Summer Day")

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If you're interested, some say this is poet Mary Oliver's most well-known poem; from her collection, House of Light:

"The Summer Day"

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
—Mary Oliver

If you enjoy this painting, you may also like to see a bunch of my paintings of pears.

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Thanks in advance,

Three Lady Apples with Vase (+ Beethoven's "Immortal Beloved")

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"After his death in 1827, [a] love letter was found amongst the personal papers of Ludwig van Beethoven, penned by the composer over the course of two days in July of 1812.... The letter's unnamed recipient — Beethoven's "Immortal Beloved" — remains a mystery, and continues to generate debate." Here is an excerpt:

"...Ever thine.
Ever mine.
Ever ours."

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Thanks in advance,

Apple in Last Light (+ poet Joy Harjo)

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It was announced today that Joy Harjo was named the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate. Harjo is a poet, writer, musician, member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, and her work often draws on Native American stories, languages, and myths. If you're not familiar, two poems by Harjo that I particularly enjoy are "Redbird Love" and "Remember."

If you enjoy this painting, you may also like to see a bunch of my paintings of apples or paintings completed in last light.

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Thanks in advance,

Pear and Bumble Bee (+ reverence for living things)

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"I do have a great reverence for life, and living things, and I think that I can draw things with that reverence." ~Tomie dePaola

If you're interested, that quote is from this video interview with Tomie dePaola about his recent children's book, Quiet. Kerry Weber's review of the book reads: Quiet "serves as both a meditation and an invitation.... In Quiet there is more sage advice for children. As they walk through nature, the grandfather makes a suggestion to the grandchildren: 'Let’s not be so busy. Why don’t we sit here, you next to me?' The final image is the three figures sitting on a bench, looking in the same direction. The scene serves as a beautiful reminder of what it means to be present to one another..."

If you enjoy this painting, you may also like to see a bunch of my paintings of pears or bees.

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Tangerine with Leaves (+ July workshop)

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“Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks.” – Plutarch

My 3-day July 24-26, 2019 workshop, Abbey Ryan: The Poetics of Painting, at Falmouth Art Center is open for registration. Space is limited and workshops fill quickly. Falmouth Art Center is a studio in coastal Cape Cod right across from the island of Martha's Vineyard. It's a gorgeous area. Register today to reserve your spot or Read more about the workshop here.

If you have any questions about the workshop or Cape Cod, please contact Executive Director Laura Reckford at director@falmouthart.org or (508) 540-3304.

If you're interested, these photos give a glimpse into the vibe of my workshops, and in this video, past workshop participants talk about my approach to teaching:



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PB & J Half

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If you're interested, I recently took an online course on intuition. As an artist, I found the topic to be so fascinating and useful -- learning more about how intuition works and where it comes from, how to tell the difference between intuition and emotion, how to trust your inner voice, and much more. I enjoyed thinking about how it all fit in with how I engage with my painting work and my interest in mindful studio practice. I also liked that the course format included audio recordings and live teleseminars that I could listen to while painting. Just thought I'd share because their next run of the intuition course begins today [here is the link to read about it].

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Still Life with Seckel Pear and Silver Cup

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I've been focused lately on a very complex and large still life commission diptych, which I can try to share a bit about perhaps soon. I have also been working on an updated version of my website, abbeyryan.com. I hope to launch that at the end of this month. Also, at the end of this month, the second installment of my exhibition the light | the shade will open at St. Bonaventure University in Olean, NY, which is the home of the Robert Lax Archives. More on that soon.

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Still Life with PB&J Halves (+ museum exhibition)

Sold ($1900), Still Life with PB&J Halves, oil on linen on panel, 2018, 6"x7"

This PB&J painting is larger than my typical auction paintings. It will be framed.

Museum Exhibition
Two of my paintings are included in the Masters of Illusion: The Legacy of John F. Peto exhibition at the Morven Museum in Princeton, NJ, from November 15, 2018–May 12, 2019. The Morven Museum has partnered with the John F. Peto Studio Museum to present a new look at trompe l’oeil art. Born in Philadelphia in 1854, John F. Peto is recognized as one of America’s most accomplished trompe l’oeil artists. The exhibit features Peto’s paintings and photography, and one of Morven’s galleries presents Peto's legacy through contemporary artists who have participated in the Peto Museum’s Tri-State Invitational Exhibition.

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To purchase my work, view my Current Auctions and All Available Paintings.

Thanks in advance,

Time Lapse for Live Demo Painting: Silver Pitcher, Two Strawberries, and Concord Grape

The auction for my Still Life with Silver Pitcher, Two Strawberries, and Concord Grape (Live Demo Painting) ends today: Click to view auction - ends at 3pm EST today, Wed Nov 14.

I also posted photos from the event on FB and instagram (I'll be adding more), and I invite you to watch the full recording of my live demo.

If you enjoy this video, you may also like to see more of my live demo painting time lapse videos.

3 Prints Remaining
My 8x10 painting, Still Life of Leaves with Three Apples, is available as a SIGNED high quality 8x10 fine art limited edition print. The edition is limited to only eight (8) prints and there are 3 left. Purchase a print here.

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To purchase my work, view my Current Auctions and All Available Paintings.

Thanks in advance,

Still Life with Silver Pitcher, Two Strawberries, & Concord Grape (Live Demo Painting)

Still Life with Silver Pitcher, Two Strawberries, and Concord Grape (Live Demo Painting)
6x7 inches, oil on linen on panel, 2 November 2018
Click to view auction (larger than my typical auction paintings)

If you're interested, I received this note from an artist who tuned in:

"I loved the whole demo. Thank you. Your live demo was wonderful and so generous to us all. I will gladly watch it over and over because there's always something to learn. Knowing something of your technique -- painting with the one brush, controlling amount of paint, using paper to keep brush clean -- it was a great reminder of your what I call controlled painting freedom. Of course you're working with lots of past knowledge, but to see the image appear, so quickly, clearer and clearer, was exciting, really. I absolutely mean it that I will watch it again and again. What a gift to your followers."

On Friday, Nov 2, I conducted a live painting demonstration in Grey Towers Castle at Arcadia University. The event was open to the public and streamed live in HD at arcadia.edu/livepaint. This painting (and my live demo) honors the memory of my friend, Jami. The painting is larger than my typical auction paintings and all proceeds from this auction will be donated to the Jami Rodriguez Memorial Scholarship at Arcadia. Read more. Also, if you look closely, there's one of my self portrait of sorts down the middle of the pitcher's reflections.

I posted photos from the event on FB and insta (check back because I'll be adding more), and I invite you to watch the full recording of my live demo (short time lapse coming soon):


Video and Photo Credit: Natavan Werbock, Arcadia University

If you enjoy this video, you may also like to see more of my live demo painting time lapse videos.

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To purchase my work, view my Current Auctions and All Available Paintings.

Thanks in advance,

New Limited Edition Print: Still Life of Leaves with Three Apples, 8x10”

SIGNED LIMITED EDITION PRINT of
Still Life of Leaves with Three Apples, 8x10”
Edition limited to eight (8) prints only. (2 prints left)
$100 plus S&H to your location.

Croker Poole is the winner of a free print. Please email me to find out how to get your new print!

Watch my live painting demo here. 

I'll post more about it tomorrow, but in cased you missed it: On Friday, Nov 2 between 12-2pm EST, my daily painting was livestreamed at [arcadia.edu/livepaint] while I painted at Arcadia University's Grey Towers Castle.

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To purchase my work, view my Current Auctions and All Available Paintings.

Thanks in advance,

Live Painting Demo - Happening Now

Tune in now to watch my live painting demo. Details about Q&A and free print giveaway below.

Today between 12-2pm EST visit [arcadia.edu/livepaint] to watch my live painting demo in Arcadia University's Grey Towers Castle. For 2 hours, I will be completing my daily painting with the filming streamed live online for free. Keep reading for Q&A and giveaway details: