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.

Postcards from Giza

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Dave&Margi&camel email size

As some of you know Dave and I just spent 2 splendid weeks on a Discovering Egypt tour where we both made many heretofore unknown discoveries of a beautiful country. The ancient history is overwhelming. Here we are in Giza Plateau at the site of the Great Pyramids. The breathtaking structures were proclaimed by the Greeks to be among the Seven Wonders of the World. The largest, called the Great Pyramid of Cheops, is estimated to have been built in 2600 BC. The camel drivers are difficult to escape, and we were easy targets for their manipulations.

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.