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.

yellow ochre

Pieces of Paint

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As I have mentioned, the resulting beauty of the copper shimmering through the paint and brushstrokes is my goal here. Initially, I was wont to cover much of the surface but after many experiments, I began to achieve more of the look I could see in my mind's eye. Because the format is a small modello, 6x6 inches, it is easier to 'play' with the … [Read more...] about Pieces of Paint

Color Studies

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Beads and Dogwood is a 6x6 study done with the color theme described in the previous post. If you will look closely, you can see how few color mixtures are in the composition. The background was toned with Graham burnt sienna then allowed to dry. Lots of smooshing and brushstrokes were left visible so as to give lots of character to the background … [Read more...] about Color Studies

Experiments

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As you all have noticed over the years of following this blog, one of my most favorite thing to do is experiment with color mixtures. Often, in addition to making paints, I like to see what color makers are making. M. Graham makes several natural earth pigments that are really nice, astonishingly pigmented and very creamy. Two that are exceptional … [Read more...] about Experiments

Lekythos

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My Greek painting is nearly finished and will be revealed in about a week or so. I want my client to see only snippets beforehand, so just details like this one will be shown for now. Hours and hours of research went into all aspects of the composition in addition to pigments. This lekythos  jar was popular during the classical period of 5th … [Read more...] about Lekythos

Gifts from the Nubians

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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

Cleopatra’s Garden

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Lessons from the Pharaoh's Tomb, Part Two  Cleopatra's Garden, shown above, evolved over a period of time with a "cultural blending" of ideas. My artistic license is used liberally throughout the process with many differing objects from various cultures in the composition. The "garden" is from imagination depicting favorite flowers and found … [Read more...] about Cleopatra’s Garden