Works in Progress

Inspirational wall or influential wall. What ever you want to call it, other than a mood board, that is what I am making. I could have a complete wall full of portraits of artists. There are many that have influenced my work. It could be their use of color, their brushstrokes, composition and other brilliant uses of paint. These are in the process of being painted in my style. Many didn't have photographs of themselves so I am painting from their self portraits. This Van Gogh painting is still in progress, but here is a cropped section of it. It only got 1/2 hour slot in my day. Will post more when completed. 

If you are on Instagram you can find me at Carol Yap Fine Art 

Find me on Google Plus under Carol L Yap

Browse my paintings for sale on Saatchi Art under Carol Yap

Hawaiiana Paintings Today

                                                                 
                                                                     Work in Progress

Today I got out the brushes and left my palette knife alone. It's an odd feeling, but keeps the cobwebs out of my brain by using them again. And everyone knows I could use a little brain help. The good part of making fun of myself is I know when to stop. Right after I've started.

Working with paint brushes gives me wider strokes that is for sure. I can't guarantee that I won't use my palette knife on this, but for now I am resisting. This photograph was taken 45 minutes after I started painting. I want it loose and impressionistic so I've stopped now in the creative process to evaluate. Most likely the finished painting will be for sale online at Saatchi Art

I've started this new group of portraits from my memories of an old store in Hawaii now closed, but I used to go there alot. It was called, "Gems." It was just a short walk away. All of the Hawaiian ladies use to sit on the benches outside in the shade while their families shopped inside or just to "talk story" and rest their feet. Ninety nine percent of the ladies had their hair pulled back and fresh flowers pinned in. Young and old alike. There were large white plumeria trees against the building that tossed their blossoms to us. Most were swept away every morning, but that didn't stop the trees from sharing their fragrant blooms during the day.

 

Hawaiiana Paintings

Work in Progress

I've been working on some Hawaiiana paintings at home. This one I started one day but didn't have enough time to finish. I feel like my paintings are more fluid and flowing when I begin and finish in one setting. There are perks of  painting in different settings. I analyzed the colors and made some changes. I'm not sure I am 100% happy with this one yet so that is why I am not showing this in full color yet. It looks more vintage in black and white here. That brings up the subject of photographing your paintings in black and white to critique paintings. . It helps to analyze  pattern, texture and all over design. Let the camera be the silent critic. Smiles.

When this acrylic painting is complete I'll be listing it for sale on Saatchi Art 

Princess Kaiulani Painting

                                         
                                                               Princess Kaiulani Painting
                                                                       11 x 14 inches

In Hawaii there are many places, parks, schools, hotels, and buildings named after this beautiful young princess in Hawaii's Royal Family. She is still carried in the hearts of Hawaii's people and will not be forgotten. Princess Kaiulani was half Hawaiian and half Scottish. Her mother was Princess Miriam Likelike (a descendent of King Kamehameha I) and her father, Archibald Scott Cleghorn who came to Hawaii from Scotland.

It was said of Princess Kaiulani when she was alive, "It is impossible not to like her." That is still true today.

I painted this in an Expressionist and Impressionist style with a palette knife in a painterly fashion used by the old masters such as Van Gogh and Madge Tennent. Madge painted a number of Hawaiian people when she lived in Hawaii.

This portrait painting of Crown Princess Victoria Kaiulani Kawekio I Lunalilo Kalaninuiahilapalapa Cleghorn is available for sale through Saatchi Art. $1,300.00  More details and link here.

Did you know that King Kalakaua of Hawaii met Thomas Edison in New York in 1881? On King Kalakaua's birthday, November 16, 1886 Iolani Palace was lit with electricity. In the year 1888, Princess Kaiulani flipped the switch that lit the town's streets.  

Barns Contemporary Painting

                                                                       
                                                                        Familiar Faces

My palette knife was put away for brushes. I must go outside my comfort zone to grow and think about design and composition in an abstract way. You don't see many sharp edges in my paintings and that changed today. All of my art must have meaning from myself, coming from within.

These two barns are on the farm and I see them often when I look out the window. We used to run up and down the ladder, stack hay high in the loft and look for kittens in them.  They are familiar features in the landscape and they have a fond place in my heart. This is how I saw them today! I painted this abstract landscape with acrylic paint on cotton canvas.

It was below zero this morning with so many closings, both business and schools, that it was a good time to work on some art projects here. I hope you have a great weekend.

Modern Art Portrait Painting

I've never painted a portrait of my Mother before. She is very active for her age and keeps on the move. I snapped a photo of her all bundled up with scarves and coat reading her mail in the car. The light bounces off the letter up to her face which prompted me to document it. This Winter has been cold and in the single digits often, since my Mother grew up in Montana, all of these wrappings seem appropriate.

The best modern portraits represent character and symbolism. Here I start with a palette knife to capture her inner psyche and vitality more than an exact duplicate of her features.

As an artist you are "given" many choices and consider them a gift. To paint her looking directly at the viewer or more of a casual pose? Warm or cool palette?  Since this is not a commissioned portrait I am free to paint entirely from the heart.

There are a number of societies and associations of portrait painters. For Classic Portraits,  Portrait Society of America and The International Society of Portrait Artists  and many others.

Carol Yap Website