Window Light and Still Life Collection

Still Life PaintingFloral Painting

Jul 20

Written By Christine O'Brien

“Sunflowers and Shadows”, Oil on Canvas, 10 x 8 Inches

These originals oil paintings depict atmospheric scenes between a window and its light on objects and simple floral arrangements. Each canvas is a paring of purposely composed items in front of a window or illuminated by window light. The direct early daylight causes sharp shadow formations that become stretched objects in and of themselves. The soft afternoon light is diffused and flat, embracing scenes with a sense of peacefulness. Window dressings added as flirtatious accents obscure a part of the setting, lending to a contemplative experience.

Staging for a Window Light and Still Life Painting

There are two large north-facing windows in my studio. These windows provide an extension beyond four walls through the inclusion of natural scenery — the inspiration for these paintings circles around how windows transform a space. I staged objects at different times of the day to capture the transparency, light, and shadow, with a zen-like stillness that celebrates these special openings.

floral artTulip paintingWindow light paintingstill life artwork

Christine O'Brien

Christine’s proclivity to draw began at age five after helping her artistic mother render portraits of her siblings. She received a scholarship to study fine art at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she completed a rigorous program of classical instruction. During her junior year, Christine was selected as the sole recipient for an independent study in advanced experimental drawing and painting with Gardiner McCauley, head of the art college. Her final project, a five-foot square mixed media portrait was installed in the college reception area and published in the curriculum catalog. After graduating, Christine worked in her hometown of Chicago as a graphic designer and illustrator. Recruited to a large photography turnkey operation as a creative director and sales representative, she thrived in a career of both art and marketing. Christine moved west in the early 90’s, where she studied acrylic and oil painting at UCLA. Her affinity to paint the figure blossomed into a career as a portraiture artist. In recent years, she has drawn from both her imagination and surroundings to create imagery that combines her traditional training with a modern edge. These works include lone figures amid simplified landscapes, and enlarged depictions of secondhand collectables. She describes her work as scenes that capture a mood of beauty and contemplation. Christine lives and works in the Denver area and is collected throughout the US and abroad.

http://www.christineobrien.com