PB & J (larger than life)

PB & J (larger than life)

oil on linen on panel, 12"x16", 2024

$6400 framed

AVAILABLE - Contact me at abbeyryan@gmail.com for purchase information

(Detail and framed views below)

To show a scale relationship, here's a snapshot of this larger painting on my easel, next to my recent 4x6" PBJ painting that was just sold at auction:

Here's what this painting would look like framed:

Here are a couple of detail views:

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PB & J Half

 

Click to view auction

PB & J Half, oil on linen on panel, 4” x 6”

I got a couple requests for a pb&j auction so here you go; the last time I painted one of these was 2022. 

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

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The Improbable Question: Still Life with Stacked PB&J and Scarlet Tanager (diptych) (Large commission)

The Improbable Question: Still Life with Stacked PB&J and Scarlet Tanager (diptych)
oil on linen on panel, two panels, 18 x 14 inches each
Private collection (commission)

This diptych is one of my recent large commissions. Below also is a closer view of each 18"x14" painting in the diptych, with some detail views.

I worked closely with the collector on the temporal elements and other personal details that they wished to include. On a related note, if you're interested in reading about still life and reflections on space and time, below is an interesting excerpt from the Introduction in Matilde Marcolli's Still life as a Model of Spacetime (2012) essay.

This diptych was also selected as a finalist for the 16th International Art Renewal Competition (ARC) Salon. ARC reviewed over 5,400 paintings from 75 countries.

Left panel:

Right panel:

 

 If you're interested, below are some detail views:

As I noted above, here is the excerpt from the Introduction in Matilde Marcolli's Still life as a Model of Spacetime (2012) essay:

"Still life is the most philosophical genre of traditional figurative painting. It saw some of its most famous manifestations in the Flemish tradition of the XVII century, but it evolved and survived as a meaningful presence through much of XX century art, adopted by avant-garde movements such as cubism and dadaism.

The purpose of this essay is to dig into the philosophical meaning behind the still life painting and show how this genre can be regarded as a sophisticated method to present in a pictorial and immediately accessible visual way, reflections upon the evolving notions of space and time, which played a fundamental role in the parallel cultural developments of Western European mathematical and scientific thought, from the XVII century, up to the present time. 

A challenge for the artists of today becomes then how to continue this tradition. Is the theme of still life, as it matured and evolved throughout the dramatic developments of XX century art, still a valuable method to represent and reflect upon the notions of spacetime that our current scientific thinking is producing, from the extra dimensions of string theory to the spin foams and spin networks of loop quantum gravity, to non-commutative spaces, or information based emergent gravity? Some may feel that the notions of spacetime contemporary physics and mathematics are dealing with nowadays are too remote from the familiar everyday objects that form the basic jargon of still life paintings. However, much the same could be said about the notions of relativistic spacetime and the bizarre world of quantum mechanics that were trickling down to the collective imagination in the early XX century, and yet the artists of the avant-garde movements of the time were ready to jump onto concepts such as non-euclidean geometry, higher dimensions, and the like, and bring them into contact with a drastic revision of what it means to 'represent' the everyday objects that surround us, and that come to occupy a profoundly altered concept of space and time. So, I believe, the challenge is a valid one, even in the light of the ever more complex landscape of today's thinking about the concepts of space and time, and I take the occasion to make an open call here to the practicing artists, to take up the challenge and paint a new chapter of the 'still life' genre, suitable for the minds of the current century." Keep reading here.

Marcolli shares on their webpage that they are "'a drifter of Dadaist persuasion' (computational linguist, sometime physicist and occasional mathematician)." 

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Two Pears (Yin & Yang)

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“It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.” ~Henry David Thoreau

This painting continues my "yin and yang" series that I began back in 2010. If you enjoy this painting, you may also like to see Still Life with Pear and Silver Cup (2022), Hand-picked Pear with Leaves (present moment) (2021), golden series: peach, pear, five blackberries, bleu cheese (the light / the shade) (2018), still life with copper pot and pears (the light, the shade) (2018), or a bunch of my paintings of pears or the other paintings from my "yin & yang" series.

PRINT SALE:
Four archival prints are now available, hand signed, dated, and titled, only at my blog.

PURCHASE HERE

PURCHASE HERE

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Still Life with PB & J Halves - larger painting

Still Life with PB & J Halves, oil on linen on panel, 2022, 6"x8", framed

SOLD

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

PRINT SALE:
Four archival prints are now available, hand signed, dated, and titled, only at my blog.

PURCHASE HERE

PURCHASE HERE

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PB & J Half

Click to view auction

The last PB&J painting auction I posted was in 2019.

If you enjoy this painting, you may also like to see Still Life with Stacked PB&J (larger painting) (2018), PB & J, redux (2016), Still Life with PB & J Halves (2015), Grape PB & J Half No. 2 (2010), or a bunch of my paintings of PB & J.

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Still: Contemporary Still Life Paintings (virtual opening and curator tour)

Still Life with PB&J Halves
oil on linen on panel, 2019, 8"x10"
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I am honored my work is included in this invitational international exhibition:

Still: Contemporary Still Life Paintings

Virtual Opening & Curator Tour

Thursday, September 3rd, 6:00-7:00 PM

Register at sugarlift.com/stillvirtualopening

Virtual gallery opening and curator tour, tonight!

Join us on Zoom for the 3D virtual gallery opening and curator tour of Still, an invitational international exhibition of contemporary still life paintings.

Curator tour led by:

Calvine Harvey, Sotheby's Old Masters Paintings

Dina Brodsky, Artist

We will walk through the virtual gallery space and speak with a few of the artists in the exhibition.

Please register here.

About the Exhibition:

A still life may be static, but since the genre’s height in flowers, citrus, globes and skulls on Dutch Golden Age tables, we find that simple and stationary can breed magic: the ability to transform the everyday into something artistic, harmonious, composed and worth sitting with. Artists turn to still lifes when learning to sketch, experimenting with new techniques, or flexing their skills. The still life is the ultimate moment of meditation, honing an artist’s craft and a collector’s appreciation by breathing life and light into the everyday object.

Still: A Survey of Contemporary Still Life Paintings, presented by Sugarlift and High Line Nine, examines contemporary artists from a variety of schools and mediums working in the still life genre. The online preview and curator tour opens on Thursday, September 3rd at 6:00-7:00PM. The exhibition will open in-person at 507 W 27th Street on Thursday, September 10th with social distancing protocols.

Still is curated by Sotheby’s Old Master Paintings expert Calvine Harvey and contemporary artist Dina Brodsky.

Exhibiting artists: Abbey Ryan, Audrey Rodriguez, Benjamin Hope, Bryan Mark Taylor, Carlo Russo, Caroline Nelson, Chang Ya Chin, Clinton Hobart, Dale Zinkowski, Dana Zaltzman, Daniela Astone, Dave Fenoglio, Dennis Perrin, Dina Brodsky, Eileen Murphy, Emilie Lee, Eric Johnson, Erika Lee Sears, Evan Kitson, Grace DeVito, Grant Perry, Heather Ihn Martin, Jeremy Gooding, Jess Fields, Jose Escofet, Justin Wood, Kathryn Engberg, Katie G. Whipple, Ken Goshen, Liz Beard, Louise Ernestine Anders, Lucas Bononi, Mark Reeder, Milixa Moron, Miriam Escofet, Nicholas O'Leary, Nick Gebhart, Noah Verrier, Olamide Ogunade Olisco, Owen Normand, Patrick Lee, Paul Heaston, Peter Drake, Robert Lange, Sarah Sedwick, Todd M. Casey, Travis Schlaht, Tsultrim Tenzin, Zane York.

On view in the exhibition in Chelsea, NYC:

Still Life with PB&J Halves
oil on linen on panel, 2019, 8"x10"
Sold

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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.

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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,

PB & J Half (+ NEW!! limited edition print)

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The last PB&J painting auction I posted was last November and before that was in 2015, I think.

Likewise, it's been many years since I offered a new print of one of my paintings. My 8x10 painting, Still Life of Leaves with Three Apples, will soon be available as a SIGNED high quality 8x10 fine art limited edition print. The edition will be limited to eight (8) prints and will be released next Monday, November 5th at 12noon EST. If you want to have a chance to purchase the print first with the email coming in your inbox, sign up here.

Just a reminder that my Live Painting Demo is THIS Friday, November 2 from 12-2PM EST. Details here. I will post all about it tomorrow.

Still Life with PB & J Half

Still Life with PB & J Half
oil on linen on panel, 8"x10"

Sold

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PB & J Halves with Jelly and Knife

PB & J Halves with Jelly and Knife
oil on linen on panel, 2018, 9"x12"

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Still Life with Stacked PB&J (larger painting)

Still Life with Stacked PB&J
oil on linen on panel, 2018, 16"x12", framed
Sold

"In the end, it is the reality of personal relationships that saves everything.”
—Thomas Merton

Detail view:


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PB & J Halves with Knife

PB & J Halves with Knife
Oil on linen on panel, 6x8 inches, 2017, sold

I made this painting based on a request that came in. If you enjoy it, you may also like to see my other PB&J paintings.

Studio Sale
My studio sale ends next week; you can view it here.

New Studio
I started to post some photos of the progress on my new studio renovations. It's a BIG project, so I'll try to keep up with it. Follow along if you want on Facebook or instagram.

Auction ending soon at 8PM EST tonight
Pomegranate with Handmade Bottle

Click to view auction

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Best,

PB & J Half

Sold

I believe the last PB&J painting I did was in 2015, unless you consider last year's PB & J, redux commission.

My Studio Sale will be open for a bit longer before the holidays, so take a look. It was humbling for me to see that visitors to my site came from 6 continents during just the first 6 hours of my sale (or view it here on FB).



Click here or on the image above to view the sale.

If you enjoy this painting, you may also like to see Still Life with PB & J Halves or a bunch of my paintings of PB&J.

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

Best,

PB & J, redux (+ Anna Deavere Smith on Discipline)

PB & J, redux
8 x 10 inches, oil on linen on panel, 2016
Private Collection

I sometimes paint a PB & J sandwich still life, and when I got this request for a commission, I couldn't resist! Hope you enjoy it.

Renowned artist, actor, playwright, and educator Anna Deavere Smith is a fellow alum of mine from Arcadia. Her book, Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts for Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind, is a "compendium of immeasurably insightful and useful advice, titled after the famous Rilke tome" in which Smith shares her wisdom on confidence and what self-respect really means.

Reminiscent of this Zen quote I love, her statement, "Discipline — both mental and physical — is crucial" really spoke to me.

"For Smith, a dedication to discipline is the defining characteristic of the artist. A number of famous creators would concur, from Tchaikovsky ("A self-respecting artist must not fold his hands on the pretext that he is not in the mood.") to Chuck Close ("Inspiration is for amateurs — the rest of us just show up and get to work."), from Anthony Trollope ("My belief of book writing is much the same as my belief as to shoemaking. The man who will work the hardest at it, and will work with the most honest purpose, will work the best.") to E.B. White ("A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.")"

"...That’s perhaps why successful artists and writers are so powerfully anchored to their daily routines and their quirky habits. There’s a kind of readiness for creation that the discipline of a daily rhythm induces. Smith captures it beautifully:

'Be more than ready. Be present in your discipline. Remember your gift. Be grateful for your gift and treat it like a gift. Cherish it, take care of it, and pass it on. Use your time to bathe yourself in that gift. Move your hand across the canvas. Go to museums. Make this into an obsession… 

What you are will show, ultimately. Start now, every day, becoming, in your actions, your regular actions, what you would like to become in the bigger scheme of things.'" [Source]

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

Best,

PB & J Half (+ two Morandi exhibitions)

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"Right now two downtown NYC exhibition spaces offer the chance to view the focused yet exhilaratingly open universe that Georgio morandi created. In Chelsea the David Zwirner Gallery is showing 20 paintings dating from 1941 to 1962. The majority are from after 1950, Morandi’s mature years, and have about them a lucid perfection, at once cerebral and impassioned. Simultaneously, the Center For Italian Modern Art, which occupies the fourth floor of a SoHo loft building and exists primarily to serve young art historians, has mounted its third season-long exhibition: 35 Morandi paintings from 1913 to 1963 that trace his struggle for perfection." [source]

To purchase my work, view my Current Auctions.

Still Life with PB & J Halves (+ Mindful Studio Practice Scholarship)

Still Life with PB & J Halves
8 x 10 inches, oil on linen on panel, framed, 2015
Sold

Two years ago, with great generosity, one of my former high school art teachers raised funds to send one of her promising senior art students to my Peto Museum workshop. It was wonderful to have this student in my workshop, and in the spirit of arts and education “paying it forward,” I invite followers of this blog to keep this generous act going. I wrote about about mindful practice as it relates to the studio, life and my teaching, and I aim to create more awareness about mindful studio practice through my Mindful Studio Practice Scholarship.

To contribute any amount you wish to the scholarship, click here.
And please first read more about it below:

DATES:
If you wish to apply for the scholarship, the application form will be announced on August 18.
The first scholarship will be awarded for my October 24-25 Peto Museum workshop in NJ.
Applications will be accepted between August 18-25 at midnight EST.
The recipient will be notified by email around September 28.

FAQS:

1. The goal of the Mindful Studio Practice Scholarship is to reserve one subsidized spot in each of my workshops. 
2. The scholarship will funded entirely by voluntary donations, starting with my own contribution. 
3. This idea will only work if you decide to contribute what you can to the scholarship fund.
4. If you wish to contribute, donate any amount using PayPal. This is not tax-deductible just yet, but you can securely pay by credit card without having to sign up for PayPal.
5. Yes, do both: donate to the scholarship today and then apply for it after August 18.
6. You can sign up through PayPal to make a recurring monthly contribution.
7. I will keep a running list of all contributors to the scholarship to thank publicly on my blog (or you can be anonymous).
8. Scholarship awards will be based on an individual's interest, need, and merit, as described in his/her application. (I won't in any way discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status.) 
9. Ideally, one Mindful Studio Practice Scholarship will be offered in conjunction with each of my workshops. 
10. You may contribute (any amount) to fund the scholarship:

Thanks for your generosity.


P.S. I painted a similar piece to this PBJ in 2009 -- with just one half.

PB & J (First of 2015)

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Today's painting is in honor of my niece who turned 5 today -- this is one of her favorites!

PB & J (First of 2014)

This auction will be my first painting for 2014, as it will end on New Year's Day. I actually painted it yesterday during the exact time of the Winter Solstice.

A Note about my Free Poster:
I've decided to send out my newest free poster/desktop download on New Year's Day, too. :-) I may use this quotation for my poster, but I'm still deciding. I received some other good suggestions, too, so thank you for that! If you have a favorite quotation to share, leave it in a comment. Who knows, I might use it (and give you credit, of course). :-)

A Note about Workshops:
In case you are already planning for the new year, please note that my only 5-day workshop for 2014 will be May 19-23 in Sedona. I love teaching in Sedona; it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. I also added three shorter workshops, which will finalize my workshop schedule for 2014.

A Note about Auctions:
I'm in the midst of posting a new painting auction every day for 10 days straight. Some auctions will last only 24-hours, and some will last up to 10-days. If you wish to give a painting as a gift, I can email you a "certificate" to present in place of the actual painting (until it's dry).