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Margret E. Short Fine Arts

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.

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Egyptian blue frit

Han Purple, Another Color from the Past

January 30, 2021 by Margret Short

Mural in Eastern Han Luoyang of Liubo players in China

What is most exciting about the world of nature's pigments is you never know when you are going to discover something new. Veronica Bishop, my tech consultant, recently forwarded an article about such a color heretofore unknown to me. Thanks to her, I now have another pigment for possible inclusion onto my own historical palette, Han … [Read more...] about Han Purple, Another Color from the Past

Tagged With: ancient Chinese pigment, Egyptian blue frit, Han purple, Han purple pigment story, historical pigments, history of pigments, Margret E. Short, Margret E. Short fine art, Oregon, Pigment, pigment project, Portland, portland oregon painter, study of synthetic pigments, synthetic pigment, the history of Han Purple pigment

Ancient Egyptian Color Gets a New Life

December 23, 2017 by Margret Short

Large floral arrangement dutch style still life painting entitled Cleopatra's Garden by Margret Short

Besides making paints, now there is a newly found use for the ancient pigment, Egyptian Blue Frit. This pigment, made by heating a mixture of copper, quartz, sand, lime, and an alkali, dates from 3250 BCE and was used to decorate tombs, statues, coffins, and temple walls in Egypt during the long reign of the Pharaohs. Who Knew Pigments Could Be … [Read more...] about Ancient Egyptian Color Gets a New Life

Tagged With: ancient Egypt, Cleopatra, colors, Egypt, Egyptian blue, Egyptian blue frit, Egyptian pigments, historical pigments

Greek Vases 101

August 11, 2011 by Margret Short

detail of greek pottery

The black figure style of Greek vase painting was invented about 700 BCE and crossed over into the Golden 5th century BCE when the red figure style was adopted. The technique of the former method was to apply a liquid clay called slip over the terracotta colored surface of the vessel. This created black silhouettes atop the reddish color. This was … [Read more...] about Greek Vases 101

Tagged With: 5th century BCE Greek, black figure vase, Egyptian blue frit, Egyptian green frit, kiln, red figure vase, slip, throwing on a wheel

A Discriminating Palette

July 13, 2011 by Margret Short

close up photograph of greek terracotta

Greek painters, especially those from the 5th century BCE, were remarkably skilled and created many hundreds of vases and other paintings. The many varieties of surfaces include terracotta plaques, walls, ceilings, panels, wood, marble, ivory, leather, parchment, and ceramic slabs. They used some of the most beautiful natural and synthetic pigments … [Read more...] about A Discriminating Palette

Tagged With: 5th century BCE, black figure vases, cinnabar, Egyptian blue frit, Egyptian green frit, frescos, Greek painters, ivory, marble, red figure vases, terracotta, vermilion

Galerie Gabrie, Press Release

March 1, 2011 by Margret Short

detail of oil painting

For Immediate Release Jasminka Gabrie, March 1, 201 Galerie Gabrie 597 East Green St. Pasadena, California                                                                Lessons from the Pharaoh's Tomb, Part Two  How often do we visit a museum or historic exhibition, gaze and marvel at the beauty, skill and talent of the artists work and … [Read more...] about Galerie Gabrie, Press Release

Tagged With: Egyptian blue frit, lapis lazuli, Lessons from the Pharaoh's Tomb, malachite, Part Two, pigment project

Gifts from the Nubians

March 1, 2011 by Margret Short

paining of florals in teal porcelain pottery on table

Gifts from the Nubians ©Margret E. Short, 2011, OPA. AWA,     10x8 Oil on Panel  Lessons from the Pharaoh's Tomb, Part Two Nubia, located just south of Egypt on the Nile River, is known as the Kingdom of Kush and the Land of Gold. Because Egypt had no gold, they were dependent upon the Nubians for this precious … [Read more...] about Gifts from the Nubians

Tagged With: ancient Egypt, azurite, chrome yellow, earth tones, Egyptian blue frit, Kush, madder, orpiment, paint, Pigment, yellow ochre

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