Margret E. Short Fine Arts

Portland, Oregon artist Margret Short - a modern day master of 17th Century Dutch art using the chiaroscuro technique to create still life and floral paintings.

Hollyhocks and Cookie Jar-1995

by

Hollyhocks_and_cookie_jar_email_siz HollyHocks and Cookie Jar

Copyright Margret E. Short  1995

Oil on Linen   18×14

Hollyhocks and Cookie Jar is a painting in the 1995 exhibit at Mt. Hood Community College Fireside Room. During the previous six or so years of intense study, I developed my passion for this very dramatic "focus of light" technique of chiaroscuro. The mystery lies in the surrounding areas where the viewer must quietly gaze into the background to see what is really there. At first glance, it is not apparent, and the viewer must make the discovery.

Chiaroscuro Painting

Oil painting with the chiaroscuro technique illuminates the focus area with a strong light. All other areas are painted with less detail, lower values, and intensity of color giving a mysterious appearance. By putting one or two objects in the important focus area, a strong but simple composition will emerge. Combining these oil painting techniques with a selection of superior natural pigments and oil paints result in the beautiful and evocative quality known as Chiaroscuro Painting.