Colourful Grouping, paintings by Kim Blair

A Calgary couple who have collected a number of my paintings (and ink drawings) sent me these photos of their recent acquisition 'Siena' hanging in their living room next to a grouping of two smaller pieces that I painted a few years ago.   It's a visual treat for me to see my art hanging in a collectors home.
Thanks L. for sending me these photos.

Colourful art on gorgeous colourful walls!

Siena, acrylic on canvas, by Kim Blair

Siena

24x24 acrylic on canvas

Siena, a picturesque medieval town in the Tuscan region of Italy was the source of a rich transparent reddish brown earth pigment first used in prehistoric cave paintings.   During the Renaissance artists began roasting this pigment (found naturally in clay) to enhance the range of hues, and one color produced was called 'burnt sienna'.
 Approximately 20 years ago the supply ran out, and now this luscious paint color comes from Sardinia and Sicily (even a small quantity from Germany), or is synthetically produced.

I just mailed this painting off to a collector in Calgary... she said she would send me a photo of it hanging in its new home and I promise to post the photo on my blog so that you can see it hanging in situ.

SOLD
24x24 acrylic on canvas

Green Hearts, oil on canvas, by Kim Blair

Green Hearts

14x11 oil on canvas

During one of our trips to Mexico we booked a week long archaeology tour of the Yucatan Peninsula stopping at various ancient Mayan temples, sacred sites and historic cities... it was a very memorable experience.  Our first stop was Chichen Itza, a UNESCO world heritage site.  Along with its massive pyramid to the Sun the site contains numerous fascinating structures, temples and sculptures.

Human sacrifice was one of the religious practices of the Mayan... and during my research of capsicum annum (peppers) and its origin in Mesoamerica... I noticed an intriguing similarity between the structure of a pepper and a human heart.  

14"x11" oil on canvas

Pen and Ink Contour Figure Drawing, by Kim Blair

Pen & Ink on Paper 

5 x 3.3 inches

Pen & Ink on Paper

  3.5 x 4 inches

 Pen & Ink on Paper 

4 x 3.5 inches

Pen & Ink on Paper

5.5 x 3.5 inches

How many lines does it take to describe the human body?

Using pen and ink I created these four semi-blind (you try not to look at your paper too often while executing the drawing) contour drawings during a life drawing session.  I liked the challenge of using line (without the addition of hatching or shading) to evoke the model's voluptuous form... choosing four  different perspectives for this exercise in simplicity.

NFS

Red Accents, Oil Paintings by Kim Blair

 Silver Peppers

12x12 oil on canvas

Tomato Red I

10x10 oil on canvas

A Collector from Calgary recently did a kitchen renovation using red as an accent colour... which included two of my paintings. Last week she purchased 'Tomato Red I' to hang above her sink, while a previous purchase, 'Silver Peppers' hangs on the wall by the stove.

It's so much fun to see where collectors hang their purchases!

Thanks A.S. for sending these photos to me.

Yellow Gold, oil painting by Kim Blair

Yellow Gold

11x14 oil on canvas

This painting of a yellow pepper cut in half was created a few months ago and has been stashed away in my studio... it may not leave my collection, at least not for a while.  After doing research on the history of capsicum annuum I painted this piece to evoke and symbolize the rich and bloody history of the conquest of the New World.  Along with gold bullion and the well guarded secret of a new source for red dye the Spanish fleet carried a new vegetable back to European soil.

(NFS at this time) 

Let's Stay in Touch, Canada's New Legislation, by Kim Blair

On July 1, 2014 Canada's new Anti-Spam Legislation will come into effect, regulating the distribution of commercial electronic messages by all organizations and individuals in Canada.

You are receiving this email because you voluntarily subscribed to receive my blog postings and I want to ensure you remember that you have the option to remove your email address at any time you wish to from my blog subscriber list by clicking on the 'unsubscribe' link at the bottom of this email.

*If you wish to continue to receive my new blog postings in your email inbox each time I post a new painting then no action is necessary.

Sincerely
Kim Blair
Visual Artist

One Half, Pen and Ink Sketch, by Kim Blair

One Half

Pen and Ink Sketch on Paper

3.75 x 2.75 inches 

This little pepper sketch was created using a black ink uniball pen.  Spontaneous and quick strokes within a little frame... different mark making from the previous 'chop stick' and ink drawing.

NFS

Gothic Vegetable Drama, Pen and Ink Sketch by Kim Blair

Pepper Sketch

Pen and Ink On Paper

8.5x11

A bamboo chop stick (dipped in black ink) was the drawing instrument I used to create this sketch.  The dramatic, loose line work in this drawing of a pepper cut in half depended on whether I was using the side or the fat blunt end of the chop stick.

A bit of gothic vegetable drama...

NFS

Black Top, Pen and Ink Sketch, by Kim Blair

Black Top

Pen & Ink Sketch

6x7

Not sure why I am fascinated by peppers, but I feel the need to sketch and paint them from various perspectives... allowing their unique, almost anthropomorphic characteristics to surface. 

NFS 

Capsicum Annuum, Pen and Ink by Kim Blair

Capsicum Annum I

11x14 pen and ink on paper

I have been working diligently with pen and ink in my sketch book creating various studies of capsicum annuum... A.K.A sweet, bell or chili pepper.  This drawing is shaded using a couple of grey toned felt markers with the white of the paper giving it a dramatic lighting feel.

NFS

Untitled Abstract, by Kim Blair

Untitled Abstract

24x24 acrylic on canvas

Composed of three overlaid images this abstract painting is now hanging in our dining room while I contemplate a title.   The rich depth of colour was created using chromatic grays of approximately four choices on the colour wheel.

I won't tell you what images I used as that might influence your imagination...

But if you would like to take a guess as to what I used please feel free to send a comment or email.

A little mystery in life is fun.

NFS