Open Studio and Sale

Ever since we turned the clocks forward, it feels like Spring has really arrived. The evening light is brighter and even though the temperature still goes below zero, it seems warmer because of the light and it gives me more energy to work.

I have made myself into a painting machine over the last couple of months. Consequently my rather small studio is overflowing and it is time to clear it out. This weekend I will host an open studio sale. This is a major sale for me - 48 paintings discounted between 20%-75% off. Translated into figures it looks something like this: a 36x60" painting that was originally priced at $3000 is now $750, there are 12 paintings that are also 75% off.

Please visit my website for futher details.

I hope to see you there.

Sale Date and Location
March 27 (Fri) 6-9pm

March 28 (Sat) 2-6pm

March 29 (Sun) 2-5pm

Shinya Kumazawa Studio

146 30th st., Suite 240,

Etobicoke, ON

416-302-1757

Up North

My family visited our close friends in their cottage near Parry Sound.
It was less than three hours drive north of Toronto, and the place was still covered by snow.
The cottage faces a lake, which was still completely frozen. It has been quite a while since the last time we left the city and visited the country side. We skated, hiked through the forests, heard owls hooting in distance and followed deer trails.

It was perfect because I want to paint a few more snow scenes and I took a lot of photographs that I will share soon. I want to play with the images of light, the sun and the shade. I wanted to start painting the moment we returned.

Entwined

" Entwined"(2009) Oil on Canvas, 36x24"

I am still experimenting with the combination of pink and orange. To match the orange with pink, in this case Alizarin Crimson, I thought I should make orange with Crimson. Result? The orange was dull.
So I highlighted the dull orange with a little bit of brighter orange using Cadmium Red.

An orange maple tree behind a pine tree was one of my favorite themes from 2004. By making sky almost white and the pine almost black, I think I managed to settle this rainbow-coloured painting .

Resolution

I have been trying to paint 10 paintings a month.

It doesn't matter how big or small, I decided to paint 10 paintings.

This is the third month, and the picture is what is happening at my small studio.

What is good about setting up the number of paintings each month is that I try to finish up 10 paintings (even though I often touch up "finished" paintings from the last month.) That will end up with less unfinished paintings.

Well, it is still March, let's see if I have 120 paintings up on my website by the end of the year...

Portrait of Crab Apple

This is basically continuation of Sap Green, Magenta and Indigo series.
The image is a branch of a crab apple tree but it became a still-life by putting gray background.
I love the way green mixed with magenta and magenta mixed with indigo. I feel like I am playing in the mud. I think it would be perfect if I put a blackish ornate frame...

"Portrait of Crab Apple", Oil on Canvas, 30x24", 2009

Colour Inspiration II

I found this image on a Japanese magazine. Immediately I saw it as a combination of Sap Green, "Q" Magenta and Indigo. I pulled out the old photograph of snowy High Park and applied it.

Here is the completed painting "Approach". The coloration is rather spring than winter but I love to have white in that combination.

"Approach", Oil on Canvas, 36x24", 2009

Colour Inspiration

"Sumach in Tibetan Wind"
Oil on Canvas, 36x36"

I have been working on "Sumach in Tibetan Wind" for the last 4 weeks.
The inspiration of the colours for the painting comes from paintings of James Gasowski that I found online. (http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/artist_profile/James+Gasowski/21301.html)
I rarely use blueish green against yellow but it was a challenge to use it effectively.
Here is a sample of Mr. Gasowski's paintings. I was drawn to this painting for its balanced use of golden tone yellow.

James Gasowski "From the Garden 2"